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The Mudlark
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| The Mudlark | |
|---|---|
 Original film poster |
|
| Directed by | Jean Negulesco |
| Produced by | Nunnally Johnson |
| Written by | Theodore Bonnet (novel) Nunnally Johnson |
| Starring | Irene Dunne Alec Guinness Andrew Ray Beatrice Campbell Finlay Currie |
| Music by | William Alwyn |
| Cinematography | Georges Périnal |
| Editing by | Thelma Connell |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
| Release date(s) |  30 October 1950 28 November 1950 |
| Running time | 99 min. |
| Country | UK / US |
| Language | English |
| All Movie Guide profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
The Mudlark, a 1950 film made in England by 20th Century Fox, is a completely fictionalized account of how Queen Victoria was eventually brought out of her mourning for Prince Albert. It was directed by Jean Negulesco, written and produced by Nunnally Johnson and based on the novel by Theodore Bonnet. The music score was by William Alwyn and the cinematography by Georges Périnal.
"Mudlarks" were street children who subsisted by scavenging on the banks of the River Thames.
A young urchin (Andrew Ray) - the "Mudlark" of the title - half-starved and without a place to sleep, finds a locket containing the likeness of Queen Victoria (played in the film by Irene Dunne). Not knowing who the likeness is, he is told that she is the "mother of all England". Taking the remark literally, he journeys to Windsor Castle to see her. When he is accidentally caught by the palace guards, the boy is mistakenly thought to be part of an assassination plot against the Queen. Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli (played by Alec Guinness), recognizes that the boy is innocent and pleads for him in Parliament, delivering a heartfelt, eloquent speech that indirectly criticizes the Queen for withdrawing from public life. The Queen is infuriated by the speech, but she is genuinely moved upon meeting the boy for the first time, and once again enters public life, just in time for the Diamond Jubilee.
The film made an overnight star of Andrew Ray and was a hit in England, but not in the U.S. However, it is very highly thought of by several critics, and Alec Guinness's speech in Parliament is considered a highlight of the film.
Finlay Currie also appears in the film as Queen Victoria's servant, John Brown.
The Mudlark was nominated for the Academy Award for Costume Design in a black and white film (Edward Stevenson and Margaret Furse).