O Garoto e a Rainha

When I saw that Irene Dunne was cast as Queen Victoria, I was ready to hate the film. After all, she seems about as much like this historical figure as Shirley Temple! There was absolutely no way they could make this work. Well, was I wrong...she was terrific and they managed to make her look like the middle-aged monarch. I was amazed.

The film begins on the filthy bank of the Thames River in London. Poor, wretched boys work the bank as 'mudlarks'--kids who will scour the shore for anything of value. This is much like the pathetic kids in places like India and Brazil who live among the garbage and scavenge for a meager living. A boy sees a cameo of the queen. He has no idea who she is but is captivated by how beautiful she looks. When he does learn it's the queen, he decides to go to Windsor Castle and try to see her. By some strange circumstances, he is able to make it inside and is eventually discovered. Where this fantasy story goes next is something you'll just need to see for yourself, but in some ways it's like another fictional story about the British monarchy, "The Prince and the Pauper". But it also has a bit of the Dickens touch--as there is quite an emphasis on social responsibility and the poor.

The acting is just lovely. Dunne is perhaps at her best, Alec Guinness is his usual amazing best and Finlay Currie, though not exactly a mirror image of the man he played (John Brown), was lovely as well. A great script, nice direction and quality all around make this a neat little fantasy film...and one that can be enjoyed by all ages.

Quite an under-stated classic with some superb film-noir scenes shot on the river-bank.

Mudlarks, scavengers for anything at all on the Thames' tidal mud-banks, were only one of the Victorian under-class of homeless, often orphan kids forced to scratch a living, some-how, or die without raising an eye-brow in the great metropolis. This film tells how one of these poor kids attempts to see "The Mother of the Country". Andrew Ray, who plays 'Wheeler' died in 2003. The rest of the cast can never quite out-act the young lad though Findlay Currie as the boozy, kind and understanding John Brown comes close.

Irene Dunne wore darn near as much make-up as Lon Chaney Jr. in the Wolfman, to portray the role of Victoria I. She was a much underrated actress and the role fit her like a glove. Then, there's the late Sir Alec Guinness as Disraeli and the incomparable Finlay Curie as John Brown, the only man who had leave to blow his nose in the presence of the Queen. The tale focuses on a "Mudlark," a street urchin who lives off scrounging castaway goods from the mud banks of the Thames, who finds a likeness of Queen Victoria and resolves to visit this "Mother of all England." How this event is used by Disraeli to get her to end her reclusive widowhood is the plot of the story. Alas, no video and no DVD. This superb classic, too good for even its own time shows up from time to time on the late show and if it does, don't miss it. You'll be charmed by some outstanding performances and a winsome story. Oh. Yes, the kid gets to meet the Queen and she does join polite society once more. That much is history.

I found this on YouTube and I'm pleased I did. This is a black and white film from the good old days of movies, before CGI, profanity and mindless action were essential to a movie's credibility; when good acting and intelligent writing were much more important. I'm being overly cynical, I know, but you get the point.

The Mudlark is an enjoyable little film, with a cast of fine British actors of yesteryear who are a pleasure to see in action once more. The plot of this may be a bit silly in places, and sometimes it gets a bit slow (a half baked and totally unnecessary romantic sub plot doesn't help), but for the most part this is a charming movie and should be enjoyed by adults and older children alike.

I saw the Mudlark when it first came out in 1950 and have not seen it since. I remember the Mudlark as a very charming film and would love to see it again. If anyone is aware of available Video Tapes (NTSC) or DVDs of the Mudlark, please let me know. I remember the stirring performances of Alec Guinness (always top rate) and Finlay Currie. The little boy who plays the role of the Mudlark is really endearing and you pull for him in his quest to see the reclusive Queen Victoria. Thy British film industry of that time certainly was able to come up with some real classics. The ten years following WW 2 must have been the pinnacle of British film. I can't understand how such a first rate film can just disappear...Jim Mills