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The King's Speech... Amazing film

marillion

marillion

Vice Admiral
Admiral
If you have not seen this movie, do so, post-haste.

So far, this leads my "Favorites of 2011" and will probably stay atop the heap for a while (even though it was released in 2010).

I went as a favor to a friend, not knowing much about it and wound up loving it.

For those not in the know, the condensed plot is that the film centers around King George VI's lifelong struggle with a speech impediment and the work he did with a therapist to overcome it, culminating with his speech to the Empire as it entered war against Germany.

The filmmakers took a few liberties with the timeline involved, mostly I supposed to spare the movie of extra time, but I didn't find that distracting in the least.

One really great thing about it was Helena Bonham Carter.. It was SOOO nice to see her in a role that did not require her to be mad as a hatter. She does that very well, but she is an amazing actress and needs to show it more.
 
Yeah, I've been meaning to check this out. The subject matter didn't arouse my interest at first glance, but I've since heard too much good stuff about it to pass it up.
 
An absolutely wonderful movie, one of the best I have ever seen and one of only a handful of movies that I would give a 10 out of 10.

Colin Firth deserves an Oscar for his performance. I thought he was excellent in A Single Man but that performance was outshone by this performance. I know that some older people have complained that he doesn't look like George VI but I think it is far better that they concentrated on getting such a good actor for the role rather than just finding someone who looked more like the King. I have read reports that the role was offered to Hugh Grant, if this is so I am grateful he turned it down as I think he would have been terrible in the role.

I like Helena Bonham Carter as Queen Elizabeth. I think it would have been difficult to play the role of a young woman most people only remember as an old lady, and play it convincingly.

My only problem was accepting Timothy Spall as Winston Churchill. Had he been an actor unknown to me he might have been OK but his acting wasn't convincing for me to think "Winston Churchill" rather than "Wormtail".
 
As I stated in the other thread, I totally agree with your comment about Spall. As we chuckled about yet ANOTHER member of the Harry Potter cast being featured in the movie, my friend leaned over to me and commented that the acting pool in England must be shrinking every year.

Guy Pearce probably would have looked more like him, if pictoral accuracy was what they were going for, but I agree that Colin Firth was brilliant in the role.
 
It really is brilliant. It's funny and charming, and a fascinating character study. The film just flies by. I absolutely adored it.
 
Saw it over the holidays. Outstanding movie. Both colin firth and Geoffrey Rush should be up for Oscars if there's any justice in the world.
 
This is one of my favorite movies of all-time. Though, I agree that the Churchill actor was a little off-putting.
 
Just came back from seeing an hour ago and want to see it again. Just a brilliant film, my third favorite film from last year. I can not say enough about Colin Firth's performance as King George VI. As someone who suffered from a cleft pellet when I was younger and went through extensive speech therapy I immediately could relate to Bertie and I loved how the film was crafted around the friendship between these two men. Geoffry Rush was a delight as Lionel Logue. Helena Bonham Carter once again shows her excellent range as an actress with a brilliant and charming performance as the Queen Mom. Alexander Desplat's score was emotional and sweeping. I loved everything about this movie. Will be getting it on DVD when it comes out.
 
^ I think that it very well could win Best Picture. I think it will come down to "The King's Speech" "The Social Network" or "The Black Swan".
 
Admiral_Young said:
^ I think that it very well could win Best Picture. I think it will come down to "The King's Speech" "The Social Network" or "The Black Swan".
Click to expand...

UGH. I LOATHED the Black Swan. Overrated twaddle. Like it was written and directed by a teenager.

All of the shots in mirrors and through glass--YEAH, we GET IT.
All the black and white clothes--WE GET IT.
The Poor French Actor having to say the same thing over and over, "Just let yourself go." WE. GET. IT.

And I HATED Natalie Portman's character. HATE. TED.

Though, I will give it this, it provided a hilarious moment: Winona Ryder stabbing herself with a nail file.

I SO don't get the praise of Black Swan. Heavy handled twaddle. It was like an Art House Showgirls.

Anyway.... Rant done.
 
Professor Zoom said:
It was like an Art House Showgirls.
Click to expand...

That was exactly the impression that I formed from the acting in the trailer and the "NP being used as a nosebag" extract.

TKS looks a lot more interesting although Colin Firth isn't nearly chinless enough to play GVIR.
 
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Saw it last night, and loved it. The cast were absolutely brilliant (I even thought Churchill was reasonably well cast, certainly better than nuWho did it) and Firth in particular was outstanding. Gambon was brilliant as George V and Guy Pearce was the perfect match for Edward VIII. I was very interested in how they handled the abdication - as the film was very much from Bertie's perspective Wallis is the stereotypical 'other woman' but they did have the balls to touch briefly on Edward's sympathy for Hitler which forced Parliament's hand.
However often you see the build-up to war on film, I still feel a chill seeing those news reels of the marching German soldiers, and setting it against the backdrop of the Royal family engaging with a 'normal Englishman' (Australian) really helped set up the importance of the final speech.


My only slight gripe, and it is slight, is that to me Princess Elizabeth was too young at film's end. She's 13 at the outbreak of war, she seemed about 8. But that may be the presentation of a royal child compared with a regular 13 year old that's throwing me off.
 
Professor Zoom said:
Admiral_Young said:
^ I think that it very well could win Best Picture. I think it will come down to "The King's Speech" "The Social Network" or "The Black Swan".
Click to expand...

UGH. I LOATHED the Black Swan. Overrated twaddle. Like it was written and directed by a teenager.

All of the shots in mirrors and through glass--YEAH, we GET IT.
All the black and white clothes--WE GET IT.
The Poor French Actor having to say the same thing over and over, "Just let yourself go." WE. GET. IT.

And I HATED Natalie Portman's character. HATE. TED.

Though, I will give it this, it provided a hilarious moment: Winona Ryder stabbing herself with a nail file.

I SO don't get the praise of Black Swan. Heavy handled twaddle. It was like an Art House Showgirls.

Anyway.... Rant done.
Click to expand...

So what you're saying is that it was the "feel good movie of the year?" :guffaw:

I thought Black Swan was pretty good.. I thought it was a well done take on mental illness.. However the group of dance class rejects sitting behind me making fun of her illness was pretty damn distracting.

The overt symbolism was pretty heavy handed, I'll admit, but the stuff underneath, I thought, was well handled.
 
marillion said:
Professor Zoom said:
Admiral_Young said:
^ I think that it very well could win Best Picture. I think it will come down to "The King's Speech" "The Social Network" or "The Black Swan".
Click to expand...

UGH. I LOATHED the Black Swan. Overrated twaddle. Like it was written and directed by a teenager.

All of the shots in mirrors and through glass--YEAH, we GET IT.
All the black and white clothes--WE GET IT.
The Poor French Actor having to say the same thing over and over, "Just let yourself go." WE. GET. IT.

And I HATED Natalie Portman's character. HATE. TED.

Though, I will give it this, it provided a hilarious moment: Winona Ryder stabbing herself with a nail file.

I SO don't get the praise of Black Swan. Heavy handled twaddle. It was like an Art House Showgirls.

Anyway.... Rant done.
Click to expand...

So what you're saying is that it was the "feel good movie of the year?" :guffaw:

I thought Black Swan was pretty good.. I thought it was a well done take on mental illness.. However the group of dance class rejects sitting behind me making fun of her illness was pretty damn distracting.

The overt symbolism was pretty heavy handed, I'll admit, but the stuff underneath, I thought, was well handled.
Click to expand...

I would have liked to have seen the stuff underneath, but Aronofsky couldn't let go--ironic--of his heavy handed choices and technique. Everything was telegraphed from the beginning. I think if at the beginning it was simpler and NOT so moody/scary, and progressed towards that... then I would've been on board. There was no place for the movie to go. She and her world was already crazy. It just got crazier. So, a small journey.

I feel like if Mila's character was the one we were following--someone good natured, well meaning, maybe a little out there--who gets pushed to far and snaps, that would have been interesting.

But Constantly Worried Natalie Portman (tm) was irritating to watch. At a certain point, I decided she got exactly what she deserved. Which isn't very nice on my part, I know....
 
Cross-posted with the main review thread:

As an historian and monarchy fan, George VI has always been a personal favourite; he tends to be overshadowed by his father, brother, and daughter, but he worked very hard to do his job in very difficult circumstances. Colin Firth was great; tremendous body language, particularly with his face and throat. Rush and Carter were very good in supporting roles. Timothy Spall as Churchill was a little too hammy for my taste.

Also, historical nit: Churchill was Edward VIII's strongest supporter in the Commons during the abdication crisis, and ghost-wrote his farewell speech; he wouldn't have been advising George like that prior to Edward's resignation. George thought he was unreliable (which wasn't an unfair assessment, given his political career in the 1930s) and preferred Lord Halifax, at least until he actually became prime minister; then they became very close.

I admired the film's willingness to basically go without a villain. You have the distant presence of Hitler, and Edward VIII's a bit of a douche, but he's not a bad guy, per se. It's basically two hours of character development/exploration. Nicely mixes sentiment and humour in a way that isn't stiff like a lot of stereotypical Merchant-Ivory productions are.

Merely spitballing ideas, the film is plenty long already, but it might have been interesting to include something from the 1939 Canada/US royal tour, which was a huge event for the King and Queen (first royal visit to the Dominion of Canada, first royal visit to the United States).

Minor bit I really liked with the King asking how he did, and Elizabeth volunteers "halting at first, but it got better" (or something like that). Another neat touch was when George is watching the Hitler newsreel - in most films, the final look on his face would be one of grim foreboding, but in this one it's more a look of admiration. Hitler's got the effortless oratory he so desires to have himself.
 
Television Without Pity has their annual movie award poll up now. Unfortunately, they don't have an option for The King's Speech in the Best Drama category. They have it under the most "over-rated" section. :rolleyes:

Of course, they also have a review on the front-page about how Inception "Deserves to Win" Best Drama...except that movie isn't an option in the Best Drama poll either.... :lol:
 
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