The Story of Vickie (1954)

Yawn. Poorly Filmed Snooze Fest.

So much average

Good concept, poorly executed.

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

In between saving the Austro-Hungarian Empire for her screen husband as Sissi, Romy Schneider took the time out to rule Great Britain in her own right. Hereshe humbly but effortlessly wins the hearts of all (except for her controlling mother, of course) with her fearless determination to read newspapers and do the right thing.In order to put her off from interfering too much with their running things, her ministers decide to marry her off to Prince Albert, whom she has never met; she objects, as does Albert. Fortunately, G*d watches over fools and constitutional monarchs, and they are both hiding out in the slums of Windsor, where rough seafaring men play Stephen Foster tunes, where they can meet cute and fall in love without interfering with the fiction that this was anything but a love-match in any version of reality.It's another of the cream-puff costume dramas that Ernst Marischka wrote and directed Miss Schneider in. Here, various high-class locations around Vienna stand in for various high-class locations around Britain. The Austrian audiences must have lapped up the luxury after the devastation of two world wars over forty years.

It's interesting that the DVD producers seemed to try to make people think this was one of Romy Schneider's immensely popular Sissi movies. However popular this trilogy of films was, this is NOT one of them but is a story of part of Queen Victoria's life--and has nothing to do with the Austria-Hungarian empress, though they both lived during the same period. Now because this is about Victoria, it is a tad confusing, as everyone's speaking German during the film. Her future husband, Albert, was German and she could speak the language, but in this film set in the UK and France it is odd hearing nothing but German! The film begins just before Albert and Victoria meet--but it is pure romantic fiction. The Princess is about to become queen when the film begins. Soon, King William dies and she is now queen. When she's told she must marry, she has no interest in a proposed marriage to a German prince (Albert) and instead takes off for a trip to France. On the way to Dover, by chance, she stops at an inn and meets a man who she falls head over heels for--not realizing it is Albert himself! It may sound like I am providing a spoiler, but this also is divulged in the summary listed on IMDb.If you think about it, the plot is very much like the plot of the first Sissi film--a member of the royalty longs for life outside court and ends up meeting and falling in love with their future husband. The big difference is what's not in the film--that Victoria practically worshiped Albert, whereas Sissi and her husband, Franz Josef, were about as compatible as a wolverine and a hyena! Also, you may notice that Romy Scheider looks and acts like she did in her Sissi films--and little like Victoria. So is it worth seeing? Well, yes...if you like romantic fluff. This isn't meant as pejorative--but the film has very little depth and isn't exactly a biography--more a story of the couple that COULD have happened...but didn't. If you are looking more for the real life of Victoria, try watching "The Young Victoria"--it's so much closer to the facts and lacks all the romanticism--which is good, since the real story of the couple is, in fact, quite romantic and sweet. Watchable but not a lot more.

Don't let my constructive criticism stop you from buying and watching this Romy Schneider classic. This movie was shot in a lower budget ,probably against the will of Ernest Marishka, so he had to make due.For example england is portrayed as bordering on Germany.BY a will of the wisp Victoria and her mom are taking a vacation to Germany by buggy ride alone.They arrived their too quick. This probably could not be helped but the castle they rented, for the movie, was Austrian. When she's told that she's queen she goes to the royal room where the members of the court bow to her, where are the British citizens out side from the castle cheering for their new queen? Why ISBN't she showing her self up to the balcony to greet her subjects ?Low budget!Where the audience back then aware of these imperfection? I wonder how the critics felt?Durring the inn scene she meets prince Albert but ISBN't excited about it. Durring the meeting in the eating side of the inn your hear music from famous old American civil war songs like " My old Kentucky home" , and "Old black Joe". What? civil war songs in the 1830's? Is Romy Schneider being portrayed as Scarlet?Where's Mammy? Is Magna Shnieder playing her too? Is Adrian Hoven Rhett or Ashley? What was in Marishka mind?Well this add to the camp.It's unintentionally satirizing Queen Victoria'a story. This is the only reason you should collect it or see it 03 11 09 correction Germany and england are connected

In one of her first movies, Romy Schneider shines as young queen Victoria of Britain, as she is suddenly put into the throne at the age of 18, learns to govern despite the machinations of the politicians, and eventually romances and marries Prince Albert of Saxony. Kitschy and campy (though surprisingly faithful to the real events), this romantic piece is irresistible. Seeing this movie about British royals spoken in German adds to its quaint charm. On that front, one wonders why an Austrian movie was made about an English queen; but then one remembers that in 1954, Austria was still under occupation by allied troops, including British ones. Maybe this was one of the reasons for the existence of this film.