The King's Speech

Synopsis: The year is 1925 and King George V (Michael Gambon) is absent, requiring his son, the Duke of York (Colin Firth), to give a public speech. It's a disaster and as he stammers grievously the poor man is the object of both pity and derision. After George's death in 1936, his son David (Guy Pearce) takes the throne and rules as Edward VIII but soon abdicates and the hapless Duke, affectionately known as Bertie, must ascend the throne as George VI. In the meantime however, encouraged by his loving wife, Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter), he has been taking speech lessons from an unorthodox Australian, Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush). It remains to be seen if Logue can get the king's confidence up to a standard required to lead a nation in a time of crisis, as World War II breaks out.

Colin Firth deservedly won the Best Actor Oscar for a flawless performance that subtly captures the underlying emotions of a man who, despite his grand station in life, is beset by insecurities stemming from a destructively strict childhood, yielding a chronic self-doubt that particularly assails him each time he must face the public.

But this film is more than just Firth. It's a first rate ensemble piece with tour-de-force performances by all involved. Rush is, as could be expected, fabulous as Logue, a failed actor who has set himself up in Harley St as a speech therapist. In characteristic Aussie manner Logue has no time for airs and graces so much so that when Bertie's wife first comes to sound him out, Logue doesn't even realise that his client to be is royalty. Even when he does, Logue asserts that to help the king, the two must relate on equal footing and first name bases, much to the king's horror. Indeed, much of this plot focuses upon the battle of wills between these two men.

Helena Bonham-Carter does her best work in years as the loving and supportive wife of Bertie and the mother to Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret. Guy Pearce as Bertie's more confident brother, David, is brilliant, as we see inside the mind of a comparatively irresponsible man who is willing to give up everything for the woman he loves, a brash American, flamboyantly portrayed by Eve Best. Other smaller but notable performances are Derek Jacobi as the pompous Archbishop of Canterbury and Michael Gambon as King George V.

The period is strikingly evoked, the film's powerful opening shots focusing on the radio microphone which will be the cause of such anxiety for the king. Much of the film's look involves lovely warm muted tones as the film moves between the interiors of stately homes with their lavish trappings to Logue's sober consulting room and his modest home, places which eventually provide a sort of refuge for the beleaguered king.

The film is beautifully paced, with everything leading up to a couple of final scenes that are sublimely handled. This story could have been something relegated to the backwaters of royal history, but it comes alive with as much emotion and tension as any thriller, due to a stunning cast, taut direction, and a great script.

 

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