Rating:  

Starring: Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter, Guy Pearce, Jennifer Ehle, Michael Gambon, Derek Jacobi, Timothy Spall, Anthony Andrews, Roger Parrott, Claire Bloom, Eve Best, Adrian Scarborough.
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Director: Tom Hooper
Rating: R
Running Time: 118 Mins.
Release Date: November 26, 2010
Home Video Release Date: April 15, 2011
Box Office: $138.4 Million
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See-Saw Films, Bedlam Productions, and The Weinstein Company.

Written by: David Seidler.

“The King’s Speech” is a fascinating film on many levels and one that attempts to tell a simple story and tells it extremely well. With a touching and heartfelt screenplay by David Seidler, and meticulously orchestrated by Tom Hooper’s steady hand, “The King’s Speech” is a moving and inspiring film, familiar, comfortable, and impressively brought to the screen.

Detailing Prince Albert, the Duke of York’s (Colin Firth) lifelong battle with a debilitating stutter and stammer, “The King’s Speech” recounts the events which fell into place and led to the humble Prince becoming King George VI in 1936 and, in turn, leading a nation at a time of war.

After years of therapy and various failed attempts at eradicating the Prince’s vocal impairment, his wife Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter) has commissioned the services of an Australian speech therapist, Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush). The Duchess seeks Logue’s services in an increasingly more desperate attempt to help her husband as he becomes more and more visible in the public eye.

Logue is a rather unorthodox therapist and is insistent that his rules are followed or there will simply be no work done the Duke. When the Duke balks initially at Logue’s request to refer to one another by the proper names, Logue stands his ground and pushes even further by calling the Duke by his family nickname, Bertie. Baiting the Duke into a bet of a shilling that he can read the famous Shakespearean “To be, or not to Be” monologue from “Hamlet” without stammering, Bertie gives up and ends the session, convinced he is stammering throughout and essentially terminates Logue’s services.

Adding to the stress of the Duke’s situation is the less than desirable likelihood that his brother, David (Guy Pearce) will become King as their ailing father, King George V (Michael Gambon) nears death. David is viewed as a problem for the Royal Family as he is romantically involved with a divorced American, Wallis Simpson (Eve Best), and to the dismay of his family, insists on marrying her. Shortly after David takes his role as the new King, his devotion to Simpson violates elicits a constitutional crisis and reality sets in that if David follows his heart, the Duke may become King sooner than he ever desired or imagined.

It is said that actors love playing those afflicted with disabilities or debilitating ailments. After watching “The King’s Speech”, I cannot imagine that Colin Firth had a wonderful time with the challenges King George VI faced. Colin Firth, a long time favorite of mine who gave an Oscar worthy performance in 2009′s “A Single Man”, is incredible in what he chooses not to do here. Most actors would give in to the whims of “acting” and ramp up the stuttering problem and over-exaggerate the ailment. Firth keeps the pain, the agony, and the frustration all tightly contained in his face – his cheeks, his lips, his eyes. From the moment we first see Firth on screen, we know this is a tortured and pained man, resigned to his condition and yet aching for it to go away. His scenes with Geoffrey Rush are riveting and inspiring, but the film is unmistakably Colin Firth’s. And his performance is unforgettable.

Upon repeated viewings, Geoffrey Rush is perhaps the secret weapon that makes “The King’s Speech” truly achieve its majesty. Rush is so dialed in to Lionel Logue that he disappears into the role and transforms himself into the nurturing, dedicated, and determined champion of the King. Logue’s own setbacks with pursuing theater and the arts mirrors directly to the struggles King George experiences with an intensified and fearful ascension into the public eye. Logue recognizes that Bertie can accept being a royal, but is intensely afraid of what may ultimately be his destiny – a future King of England, in wartime, and a recognized leader on a World stage. SW creates a convincing portrayal of the bond Logue and Bertie reach and it is quite difficult to not be moved by Logue’s selflessness in helping Bertie achieve the respected status of King.

Helena Bonham Carter is wonderful in her role as Bertie’s supportive wife, the future Queen Elizabeth. Carter finds the right tone in being proactive in recognizing that her husband needs help in conquering his debilitating condition, but has prepared herself for the likelihood that Bertie may not at all be curable. She is steadfast and loyal, supportive and uncompromising in her role and Carter’s commanding and supporting turn adds another wonderful component to the film.

Detractors will point out that “The King’s Speech” is predictable, telegraphs its final moments, and lacks edge. And I acknowledge that there are moments here which feel safe and overly protective of its subjects. However, there are also moments of poignancy and power which cannot be properly ridiculed. The pain and anguish that Firth brings to King George is too moving and impacting to discount. The cast is expertly placed and the supporting work so effective that I cannot envision the film looking, feeling, or presenting in any different way. If the argument is that Tom Hooper is too safe a storyteller with his directorial choices, I would counter that on another viewing, the cinematography, editing, and overall presentation is beautifully rendered and orchestrated. In the legendary and iconic final speech given by the King , the framing of King George behind the actual microphone used by the real-life King George is a powerful image, on the one hand isolating us from the King and yet also providing George the protection from being seen that he so desperately needs to succeed.

Seeing this and writing about the film after it received the Academy Award for 2010′s Best Picture of the Year leaves me still appreciative of the film, even if I did not personally peg it as my choice for the year’s best film. However, I think when one looks back at the 2010 year in film, “The King’s Speech” may age faster and a bit rougher than the more innovative and challenging offerings from that same year, but “The King’s Speech” is hardly a disappointment. “The King’s Speech” stands as a resonating, thoughtful, and inspiring testament to the human spirit; a film not at all to be missed.

“THE KING’S SPEECH” WAS THE RECIPIENT OF THE ACADEMY AWARD FOR BEST PICTURE OF THE YEAR (2010).

Should I See It?

YES

The film is fantastic from start-to-finish, intoxicating visually with a legendary and Oscar-winning performance by Colin Firth, and memorable work by Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter.

The film won a contested and highly debated Best Picture prize from the Academy, as well as Best Picture citations from BAFTA, the Director’s Guild, the Producer’s Guild, and the Best Ensemble Prize from the Screen Actors Guild. The might merit it a watch.

The legendary debate over the R-rating is truthfully absurd. Save a few non-sexually charged “F-words”, this film is absolutely suitable for the entire family and I would argue remains so in its original form.

NO

The film feels like something you have seen before, a throwback to either the constant stream of British films from the 1980′s and 1990′s, or something which could have easily been made by filmmakers in the 1950′s. The film may seem stale and too safe for some viewers’ taste.

Historians have expressed concern over the glossing over of some of the undesirable qualities of these characters, as they relate to the world’s political climate in and around World War II. If you are a stickler for those details, this film may upset you.

You run away from anything commercially successful and appealing to a wide range of people. This film does not pander is any way and truth be told, barely got made at all, but some feel its success cheapens its importance.