Title: The King’s Speech
Release Date: 24 December 2010
Director: Tom Hooper
Production Co: See Saw Films
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English
Genre: History / Biography
Rating: ***1/2
Summary review: You see correctly, this is a review of a current film now playing in movie theaters. Susan & I had a date night. This is a good date night movie.
The King’s Speech tells the story of King George VI who grew up with a stammer and many anxieties. While still the Duke of York he begins treatment with an Australian actor named Lionel Logue who offers unusual methods in his speech therapy. The film follows a fairly predictable course as the Duke and the speech therapist slowly grow to be good friends but great acting on the part of Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush carries the film (as well as a droll Helena Bonham Carter as the future Queen Mum). There’s a lot of great dialogue and funny lines. Everything leads up to the conclusion of the film where King George VI gives a stirring speech over the radio announcing that Britain is at war with Nazi Germany. It’s all very touching as Firth makes the speech and people around the world are shown listening and it ends with many plaudits. On the other hand part of me was thinking “So, the king made a speech, big deal. There are people dying in Poland!” All the same it was a good movie.
I found myself wondering what it was like for the young actress to be playing the current Queen Elizabeth II. I also found the actor who played Winston Churchill, perhaps the most recognizable character in this film, came off rather cartoonish. Colin Firth did a good job of capturing the constricting feeling of his impediment. Also he was dashingly handsome.
Panorama of the Mountains 