Victoria and Abdul (PG) - Movie Review

First of all, it’s a great title – ‘Victoria and Abdul’, which is a nod to ‘Victoria and Albert’, signifying the UK’s second longest serving monarch and her husband.
‘Victoria and Abdul’ is a (mostly, as it says in the opening) true story about an incident that happened in the final years of the Queen’s life.   
Victoria of England had a friendship with an Indian clerk, Abdul, which happened after the young man was sent from India to deliver a commemorative coin of Victoria’s Diamond jubilee.  India was under British rule at the time, and remained that way until 1947. 
As time went by the Queen developed a trust in Abdul, and she became tutored by him in the Indian language, and the Koran and the unlikely pair enjoyed each other’s company.  The friendship which followed was frowned upon by upper crust society, most especially by her son, Bertie, the Prince of Wales. 
The movie of ‘Victoria and Abdul’ is a tale of the last days of Victorianism, with the lady herself at the centre.  However there is much in the tale which would look familiar today.
Judi Dench returns to the role of Victoria, having last played the part in the movie, ‘Mrs. Brown’ in 1997, and a BAFTA award and probably some other awards  for this new movie beckons next year, including for the veteran actress.  Ali Fazal as Abdul, is a newcomer, but one to the watch for in the future.  Bertie, the Prince of Wales was played effectively in a surprising appearance by comic actor, Eddie Izzard.
There are many other good actors in the period piece, including Tim Pigott-Smith, who unfortunately died last April, as Sir Henry, and this is one of his final completed films.  Pigott-Smith appeared more than thirty years ago in TV’s ‘The Jewel in the Crown’. 
Other noteworthy performances were done by Michael Gambon, Olivia Williams, Simon Callow, and Irish actress, Ruth McCabe as the Queen’s dresser, writes David Flynn.
The director is Stephen Frears, who also directed Judi Dench in the multi—award winner, ‘Philomena’ in 2013.
It’s also worth mentioning that the set design; both interiors and exteriors of the royal world of the late 19^th century in ‘Victoria and Abdul’ were excellent.  On the big screen a few errors or items from out of place can be spotted, but no such thing can be seen because obviously a lot of work went into this production.