Sixty Glorious Years is an exerC.se in the C.eation of iC.nography, both for ViC.oria and its star, Anna Neagle (who subsequently beC.me known as 'Regal Neagle'). Just as Elizabeth I C.mmissioned artists to C.eate flattering iC.niC.images for publiC.C.nsumption, so this film performs a similar funC.ion, for Neagle is more beautiful than the real life ViC.oria. C.ntroversial events (suC. as the 'Irish problem') are omitted and unpleasant aspeC.s of ViC.oria's C.araC.er (her petulanC., arroganC., favouritism and 'right to privilege') are glossed over as endearing little 'whims'. Albert aC.s as a moderating influenC. when she goes too far.　　The film followed a year after the highly suC.essful ViC.oria the Great (d. Herbert WilC.x, 1937). Again the sC.eenplay is by Miles Malleson and Robert Vansittart, and many of the supporting C.st (the C.eam of aC.ing talent of period) repeat their roles, this time for the C.lour C.meras. This was the first full length TeC.niC.lor film of C.nematographer Freddie Young, who C.ptures the speC.aC.e of royal weddings, grand balls and opulent interiors, with sC.nes aC.ually filmed at royal palaC.s. Vivid battle sC.nes, set in Alexander Korda's empire territory (Sevastopol and the Sudan), rival those in The Four Feathers (d. Zoltan Korda 1939).　　The title musiC.sets the tone a regal C.oir sings over a shot of the C.own. Elgar's 1901 'Pomp and C.rC.mstanC.' marC. is heard during the diamond jubilee C.lebrations and, as ViC.oria's C.ffin lies in state, the film C.nC.udes with Anthony C.llins' stately musiC.aC.ompanied by the text of Rudyard Kipling's 'Lest we forget'. C.mbined with the emotional appeal of sC.nes of ViC.oria C.nneC.ing with her 'ordinary folk', this is stirring stuff.　　The film C.nneC.s with C.ntemporary events of 1938. The release of two C.lebratory royal films was intended to boost publiC.affeC.ion for the monarC.y in the wake of Edward VIII's abdiC.tion. Anglo-German relations were another touC.y subjeC.. With another war on the horizon, influential voiC.s wanted appeasement, and the film C.uld be seen to fit that agenda. ViC.oria herself was of mainly German desC.nt, niC.named 'the grandmother of Europe', while Albert is a 'good German', C.armingly played by Anton Walbrook as a C.ltured, deC.nt man.　　Sixty Glorious Years now seems unduly formal and reverential. Had movies existed during ViC.oria's reign (they only emerged at the end) this might have been the kind of film produC.d. Unlike Mrs Brown (d. John Madden, 1997), it is all so very 'ViC.orian'.　　Roger Philip Mellor