The King's Speech {2010}



This movie is just about everything that a good period drama should be. :)

DVD cover synopsis (edited by moi): When England's throne is suddenly thrust upon him, amidst royal family scandal and impending world war, King George VI must overcome a lifelong, debilitating speech impediment to lead his nation.  After his iron-willed, compassionate wife Elizabeth secretly enlists an eccentric speech therapist [a.k.a. Lionel Logue], the two men forge an unlikely friendship that will ultimately empower the monarch to find his voice, inspire his people and rally the world. Based on an inspiring true story, The King's Speech has been universally hailed as "a masterpiece. The majestic cast is overwhelming" (The New York Observer).


First of all, for anybody out there who may not have watched this movie but knows that it is rated R and is thereby scandalized that I am reviewing it, let me explain the rating before we go farther: Basically, the reason this movie is R is because part of Logue's therapy method involves trying to break through Bertie's composure in order to get him to truly emote and vent and all that jazz.  So basically he has him go on a little swearing rampage at one point, and the f-word and the s-word are used multiple times.  That's mainly just in the one scene, although it happens again when Bertie is preparing for the big speech near the end, and while Lionel is silently coaching him during the actual broadcast.  Make sense?  (There is other, relatively mild content as well, but nothing other than the profanity to warrant the R rating.  Okie-day?)  And it's bad 'cause I know swearing is wrong and all but it's actually really funny and kind of touching in this, to be honest. Oh, dear.

Now that we've got that out of the way, I really like this movie.  It is most excellent, m'dear things.

As you may have noticed in the above picture, the cast is fantastic.  Colin Firth as Bertie, Helena Bonham-Carter as Elizabeth, Geoffrey Rush as Lionel, Michael Gambon as King George V, Derek Jacobi as the Archbishop, Guy Pearce as Edward, Jennifer Ehle as Myrtle (Lionel's wife) . . . 'tis a period drama lover's dream cast. :)


Colin Firth won an Oscar for his role in this, and I'm so glad he did.  HE DESERVED IT.  Bertie has a terrible stammer, and it's painful to watch some of the scenes.  But that's all to the good, eh?  Shows what a tremendous job Firth did with it.  He really embodies the stammer and the character and you can tell that a lot of thought and research went into his portrayal. 

I think the two scenes that get to me the most (in terms of sadness) are 1) when Bertie goes to visit Logue *SEMI-SPOILERS* after his (Bertie's) father dies *END OF SEMI-SPOILERS* and he finally starts to open up to Logue about some painful things in his past, and then 2) when Bertie breaks down in the face of his succession to Edward's abdication.  It's difficult to convey how truly, truly poignant and heartbreaking it is to watch Bertie start to croon, "Then she wouldn't feed me . . . far, far away . . . " in the first scene, and to see him just totally break down in the latter scene and sob openly, safe in only his wife's company . . . those two parts just really get to me.


I also love Helena Bonham-Carter's Elizabeth (# classy sass level = through the roof), and Geoffrey Rush's Lionel is just fantastic.  I LOVE HIM. 

Like the best movies, The King's Speech has just the right blend of drama and humor -- it can be sober and sad, but I don't think it ever really feels weighty, per se.  There's the smooth, cutting, ever-so-British humor we all love, and several sweet relationships to let you know that the protagonist is going to be alright.  Lots of people have his back and love him; he'll make it through this.  And that's a nice thing to know sometimes, isn't it?


Since watching the first season of The Crown (another thing I meant to review and didn't), I've found it particularly interesting to pay to attention to Bertie's relationship with the young princesses.  (And, surprisingly, the girls both look strikingly like their adult counterparts in The Crown.)  It's odd, but now I think I see undercurrents of the different relational dynamics that TC (particularly in the episode "Pride & Joy") indicated that each of the princesses had with their father.  But then I feel like I'm just imagining things. :-P  Anyway, it's an interesting field of study within the movie, for me at least. ;)

All that aside, the relationship between Bertie and his two little girls is terribly endearing in this. :)

^^ Here's this. ^^

There's not much that I can think to improve in this movie.  A few scenes, such as Lionel's audition with the Putney company, seem to slow the story down a bit and seem a little random/unnecessary, but that may just be my impatience as a multiple-time viewer to "Get to the good parts". ;) 

Also, while it's ever so much fun to see Jennifer Ehle opposite Colin Firth again, her very first scene seems to be somewhat lacking.  It almost makes you think that maybe the Logues' marriage isn't so happy.  But then by the end of the film they've shown several times how they work together as a couple in a subtle but satisfactory way that relieves any slight concerns I may have.  (And the scene where she comes back from bridge early . . . ALL THE YES.  "Logue, you're being a coward."  "You're ---- right." <3 <3 <3  Sometimes, again, my movie-crossover imagination gets the better of me, and I wonder if the very calm, cool, and collected way Bertie greets Myrtle is a nod to P&P, because the makers knew all the period drama ladies would be in a dither to see the two of them together again and wanted to give them some sort of unspoken, crossover acknowledgement?  Again, I'm being silly, and I probably only think that because I saw a Pinterest edit to that effect. :-P)


Firth and Rush do a fantastic job in bringing Bertie's and Logue's friendship to life.  Their buddy banter (if I may use so casual a term for a movie like this) is understated, but SO real and evident and moving.  I love me a good bro unit, and they do it so well.  Logue truly cares for Bertie, initially just from a therapist-patient perspective, but eventually as truly equal friends, and I love how we can see that *SEMI-SPOILERS* Bertie's rejection of him at that one point truly does hurt *END OF SEMI-SPOILERS*.  Gahh, the more I think about the way their relationship evolves throughout this movie, I keep getting happier. :)

All in all, I highly recommend this movie, as long as you're prepared for the outbursts of strong profanity and the sub-plot that revolves around Edward's scandalous relationship with Mrs. Simpson.  (There are some different innuendoes regarding this throughout the movie.) 

It's a wonderful film -- the story of a truly touching historical friendship excellently told. 




- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[Also, super random, but I found this recently and Felt the Need to Share.  You're welcome.]











Comments

  1. YES TO ALL AND GAHHH I LOVE THIS MOVIE TO BITS AND PIECES.

    Lionel is my favourite. He's like my fictional dad, so to speak - love him that much. He's just so lovable. I ALSO LOVE BERTIE THO. AND HIS WIFE. And THE DARCY LIZZY SCENE. I CAN NEVER GET OVER THAT. (Yes, they totally casted Jennifer Ehle to get more views. There's a lot of P&P fans out there.) :-P

    This movie is indeed majestic. I have seen it many times and I want to rewatch it. :-) *HAPPY SIGH*

    OH AND ISN'T THE LAST SPEECH SO EPIC? I cry and I get chills erry time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I KNOW I KNOW RIGHT.

      Lionel is superb. SU. PERB. (As are they all, as you say.)

      *sighs happily with you*

      OH MY GOSH YES. EVERYTHING. <3

      Delete
  2. I have watched a few R rated movies, but I don't liek them. It just seems like a waste of my time when I could be watching movies I actually like. My mom always says to not be so picky and look past all that stuff, but I can't. Excuse me, I'm a moviecritic. That is why I started a blog.

    Anyway, back to the point, I said I don't like R rated movies, but....This one is fabulous!
    All the actors work so well together and the friendship is just <3!! And I usually don't like HBC, but she is so great in this movie!! And those scenes always get to me too! The first time I watched it I thought, "Ooch. Wow." But last time I started to cry, actually.

    Anyway, I better wrap this comment up, but I just wanted to say that when I saw this post on my dashboard I was so excited to read it and you didn't let me down!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MC, I know how you feel. I haven't seen a bunch either, but an R rating is definitely hard for me to get past. And, I mean, I don't think it's something we necessarily NEED to get past in all cases, but sometimes I guess the R rating doesn't automatically make it a dreadfully unsuitable film. (For instance, I just found out that there's a movie of this book that I just read, but it's R because of a certain plot element. However, having read the book and knowing WHY the movie is R, I think I will try to see it anyway.) "Excuse me, I'm a moviecritic. That is why I started a blog." << Haha! Good one, my dear. ;)

      I KNOW, RIGHT?! It's so good! "All the actors work so well together and the friendship is just <3!!" << EXACTLY. THAT. I haven't really seen HBC in much other than this film, just know of some of her other movies. But yes, I like her muchly in this one! :) GAHHH, are they not just TOUGH?! Yeah, I don't know if I've started to cry yet, but I often think I will.

      Aww, thank you so much!! That makes me so happy, to know that you got excited when you saw the post and that I didn't let you down. That makes me happy, thank you. :) And thanks so much for this comment! I love my early comments. :)

      Delete
  3. Aw, I love this film :) Geoffrey Rush is definitely underrated as an actor I think (have you seen the old les Miserables? He makes a great Javert!) Makes me laugh on my DVD copy the warning on the back says 'some strong language in a speech therapy context' haha

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Catherine, isn't it great?! I agree about Geoffrey Rush. *nods* That is, I don't really know if he's underrated or not, but I love him and he should be talked about more. So, yes, I guess so. ;) (And yes, I have seen that old Les Mis! I really liked his Javert. I prefer the musical version -- that one didn't even have Eponine! For shame! -- but I remember thinking that that older one was very well-done and well-acted. And I remember that Fantine's and Valjean's bond was especially touching in that one, like when he's feeding her in the garden. <3) Hahahaha! "in a speech therapy context," that's fabulous. XD I mean, true, though . . . ;D Thanks for the comment! Hope you're doing splendidly! <3

      Delete
  4. Awww, yis. This is a good film. <3

    All the characters seem to endear themselves to me (well... except Edward). Lionel is the BESTEST OF THE BESTEST. (I can never decide if I like him better as Captain Barbossa or Lionel. XD) (Actually, we are in a round-about way related to him, haha. His mother is related to my grandma's cousin or something. I lose track.) Geoffrey Rush is just a splendid actor. XD

    And Bertie is a darling. And I LOVE Elizabeth's sass (Helena is SO good at sass! XD).
    Oh, and yeessss, Bertie's father-to-daughter conversations/relationships are ssooo dear.

    Ohhhhh. *happy sigh*

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Haha, "Awww, yis. This is a good film. <3" That amused me, because it's basically my exact reaction. :D

      I know, right?! (Yeah, Edward is . . . not quiiiiite so lovable, shall we say.) LIONEL IS AMAZING YOU RIGHT. (Haha, true. It's a struggle, for sure. ;)) (WAIT WHAT. WHAT. WHAAAAAAAAAT. That is so cool!!!)

      YES I AGREE. <3 *sighs happily with you*

      Delete
  5. This is a beautiful, beautiful film. Characters, themes, aesthetics . . . I especially loved all the fog and rain and mist; I mean, I know it's a movie set in England so it's automatically going to be rainy, but I really felt like they used that to very good effect in this particular film. Everything was all silvery and soft and quiet-looking, which meshes perfectly with the overall mood. I approve. *nods sagely*

    And I looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooove the ending scene, with his final speech. Because they didn't just show him giving the speech, they showed everyone LISTENING to it, all over the country; and being inspired to fight Hitler by this one "ordinary guy" who's just conquered the demons of a whole lifetime, and I just . . . CANNOT. *clutches heart* I can't even.

    Thanks for reminding me how much I loved it <3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. *whistles* You're so right! The aesthetics are so great and gentle and grey and peaceful. Love it. <3 (Haha, "*nods sagely*" << me, all the time. ;D)

      I KNOW I KNOW THE FEEEEEEEEELLLLLS. ("And I just . . . CANNOT. *clutches heart* I can't even." << Again, me, all the time. :-P)

      Aww, you're most welcome! I was reminded recently, myself. :)

      Delete
  6. This film is one of my favourites hands down

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's amazing, isn't it, Ev?! <3

      Delete
    2. Also I wanted to thank you for being such a faithful commenter, Evie: I know you must be SUUUUUPER busy, being in university and all that, and I'm sure I wouldn't be doing half such a good job of keeping up with blogs as you do if I were in your place. So, thanks -- your comments mean a lot. :)

      Delete
  7. I've been wanting to watch this movie for the longest time! I really want to now. :) Thanks for the post!
    -Amaris

    ReplyDelete
  8. UGH THIS MOVIE.

    I love it so much and now i need to watch it again. But like seriously its just so good.

    I found the swearing parts very very amusing. They make me laugh. Especially when Bertie is reading the speech during the broadcast and starts to stutter and then Lionel starts mouthing words to him to get him to relax and ya.

    I also love Geoffry Rush so much. And Colin Firth. And I was so happy when Jennifer Ehle showed up. Ugh its just so well done. If there were emojis on my keyboard I'd have about seven hearts by now. But alas I don't ;)

    ReplyDelete
  9. I want to watch this movie someday. :)

    BUT OHHHH. THAT VIDEO AT THE END. I HAVEN'T EVEN SEEN OUAT AND THEY LOOK ADORABLE. Eeeeeee. I want to see that show, too. :D

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh, look, more comments I never replied to! :-P *facepalm* Apologies, Amaris & Abigail & Natalie! Thank you for your thoughts. :)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Comments make my day. Seriously. I'd be so happy if you commented. :)

I've gotten really bad about replying in a timely manner, but it's always my intention to do so eventually. (Even though it doesn't always happen. ;))

Popular posts from this blog

Movies: Month in Review {February 2018}

Ivanhoe (1997) movie review

BBC Robin Hood TV Series, Season 1 Review