Director: Tom Hooper
Cast: Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter
Screenplay: David Seidler
Running Time: 118min
Rating: M
*****/*****
In the cannon of Cinema's offerings which detail the lives of those seemingly otherworldly creatures known as Royalty, whether the subject be real or imagined, we are usually confronted with a very conventional protagonist-the brave, beguiling, determined aristocrat who is either desperately attempting to grasp power or desperately attempting to hold onto it. The portrayal of these characters are always imbued with a certain sense of either subtle or overt arrogance, as if the position of almost indeterminable responsibility and privilege is theirs by divine right. What makes The King's Speech not only fascinating but indeed refreshing is that it chronicles the story of a man who not only has no wish to be on the throne but is absolutely terrified at the prospect of it.
The film tells the story of the man who would become King George VI (Bertie), the mild mannered, reserved "spare" to the throne who suffers from a dreadful stammer. As second in line, Bertie is confident that he will never be required to assume the role which he dreads, but as a member of the royal family he is regularly required to make public speeches, an event which both terrifies and embarrasses him deeply. Bertie's supportive wife Elizabeth enlists the help of maverick speech therapist Lionel Logue whose unconventional treatment techniques slowly begin to instill in Bertie the confidence in which he is so sorely lacking. Things take a turn for the worst however when Bertie's brother David abdicates the throne to marry scandalous American divorcee Wallace Simpson. As the country verges ever closer to war with Germany, Lionel and Bertie's relationship is stretched to breaking point as Bertie is forced to step up to the challenge of leading his country into battle.
This is Colin Firth's film, and if there is any justice the next speech he should be making will be from the winner's podium at the Academy Awards. Playing a protagonist afflicted with a stammer was risky business for both Firth and director Tom Hooper. Indeed, they pulled of quite a fete in the fact that the affliction never gets in the way of the story, it fills the viewer with sympathy not frustration and it never comes across as comical; which in the hands of a lesser actor it might have done. In movies such as this, the phoenix rising from the ashes so to speak, it would have been only to easy for Firth to really chew up the scenery which thankfully the actor wisely refrains from doing so. Firth plays Bertie with a subtle poignancy, the restraint shown in his choices truly showcasing what a remarkable actor he is.
As Logue, the eccentric Australian speech therapist Geoffrey Rush proves once again why he is one of the all time greats. Rush is similar to Firth in that they both appear to follow the same credo of he who screams and cries the most does not the best actor make. Their less is more approach shows that both are more willing to serve the film rather than their ego's. Their onscreen chemistry is one of the true joys of the movie, with the unconventional friendship eliciting both hilarity and tears in equal measure. If nothing else, Tom Hooper should be praised for capturing on celluloid two actors at the peak of their talent and ingenuity.
Rounding out the leads is one of cinema's most interesting leading ladies, Helena Bonham Carter as Queen Elizabeth. Carter's off screen persona is possibly about as far removed as you can get from the notion that the majority of us carry around about the Queen Mum; and yet her unquestionable talent wins through in the end, with bearing and diction so regal that it is quite a pity a coronation isn't around the corner for the actress herself. It is a very different character from the rather unhinged, larger than life creations Carter has become known for in the past decade. The actress herself stated in interviews that she was unsure about the role because at first she thought it was just another supportive wife part. Yet in Carter's hands, Elizabeth appears a woman before her time, an equal with her husband, supportive and yet not relegated to the background. Whilst Carter always comes across well in her collaborations with partner Tim Burton, viewing her in a role outside of the very distinctive world Burton creates is a revelation and it can only be hoped that the actress dares to venture outside of it more often.
Finally an honorable mention has to go to Guy Pierce as the playboy heir to the throne Prince David. Pierce did not go down the conventional leading man route as many critics may have thought after the success of LA Confidential, instead carving out a unique career as an in demand character actor. It can only be hoped that one day Pierce will be honoured with the accolades that he deserves as one of the finest actor's in the industry today.
Tom Seidler's script is superb. There is a lot of history to cover in the comparatively short running time of one hour and fifty minutes, not to mention the emotional subtext which must be present in order to make the film resonate as it should. Seidler does well to avoid for the most part the generic cliche's associated with films of this nature. Bertie is a flawed man, he will always remain a flawed man; as the film progresses he improves rather than is cured. He has triumphs of sorts but they are personal rather than political . Perhaps this is one of the reasons why the film has such emotional resonance. The majority of us can not relate to the struggles involved in leading a country, but we can relate to small victories, overcoming the fear inside us all. Seidler restrains the urge to turn Bertie into what we usually perceive to be a Hero. He is rather a rather ordinary man doing the best he can in extraordinary circumstances. The narrative flows seamlessly, always gripping, every scene essential.
Much of what I have praised in the film is also the result of Tom Hooper's direction. Not only does he illicit fine performances from his actor's but his visual choices and attention to detail are a credit to his talents. He seamlessly evokes the ambiance on 1930's London, ultimately delivering one of the finer period dramas of the last decade.
There is no getting around the fact that The King's Speech is a crowd pleaser, which may be slightly damaging to it's reputation in the fact that the only type of film which seems to be considered art these days are pretentious morality tales with unstructured narratives, scenery chewing theatrics and a lot of gratuitous sex and violence. If you can understand it and it makes you feel good about life than it's somehow less creative or valuable as a piece of cinema. This however is complete rubbish and if The King's Speech takes home the best picture Oscar than it will be a much deserved honor indeed. FIVE STARS OUT OF FIVE
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