The King's Speech (2010)

When making a film based on a person in a position of power, like a state head or a leader of a political party, one has to be careful about how they are written or portrayed; if they are seen as flawless or too sympathetic, then you can be accused of idolatry; however, portray them overtly evil or just twisted like a Saturday morning cartoon villain, then you can be accused of bias or just lazy writing. Take, for example Bruno Ganz’s and Robert Carlyle’s portrayal of Hitler in Downfall (Der Untergang) and Hitler: The Rise of Evil respectively; Ganz’s portrayal is of an downtrodden Hitler who has built up a proud nation but due to his arrogance and hatred it is all falling down around him, it’s not a sympathetic performance (which is impossible when the character is Hitler) but it is more realistic, Hitler is a genocidal madman but he is human; however, Carlyle’s portrayal was more cartoonish and was so unsubtle it would be more sublime to have Hitler wearing a top hat and tying Europa to the train tracks of tyranny. Now, I’m not saying you can justify Hitler’s actions, but he wasn’t a demon sent from the very depths of Hell. And now after that long and unrelated diatribe, let’s look at The King’s Speech

The plot is based on the life of King George VI (Colin Firth) as Prince Albert, which was quite a turbulent time for him due to his stammer which made it almost impossible for him to make speeches in front of large crowds or converse with people without awkward and long pauses. After a botched speech at the British Empire Exhibition that was broadcast live around the Colonies, Albert decides to hire speech coaches in order to help overcome his stammer. However, each attempt fails and he decides to give up ever getting rid of his stammer. But, his wife Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter), who would in later years be known as ‘The Queen Mother’, requests the services of an Australian speech therapist, Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush). While Logue’s technique quite impractical and impersonal (especially impersonally when he refuses to address his future king as ‘You Royal Highness’ or ‘Sir’ and calling him ‘Bertie’, a name friends and family only call him) but they work and Albert becomes more comfortable with speaking in public.
However, his life changes when his father, King George V (Michael Gambon), dies and his brother, the Prince of Wales (Guy Pearce), later known as King Edward VIII, inherits the throne. Albert is worried of Edward’s marriage to twice divorcee, Wallis Simpson (Eve Best) and Edward accuses (mockingly) Albert of plotting to overthrow him and makes fun of his returned stammer. Believing he has wasted everything learned and scared of Logue’s word that Albert could be king makes Albert fall out with Logue. Soon, Albert becomes king when Edward VIII abdicates and Albert becomes King George VI. Soon, he reconciles with Logue and is helped through his coronation and the speech his must give to the Empire and Commonwealth after the declaration of war against Nazi Germany, reinstated his right to rule and to be as great as his predecessor.
While some of the plot is based around the political happenings of the era the film is based in, most is dedicated to the wonderful friendship between Albert and Logue.

The acting in this film is exceptional. Not only do the main actors fill the shoes of their character so brilliantly, but even minor roles are illustriously acted; Timothy Spall’s Churchill is an enjoyable and spot-on impersonation; Michael Gambon perfectly portrays the ‘hard-but-loving’ George V; Guy Pearce is able to create the impersonal and ‘un-king’ like nature of Edward VIII exceptionally; and Sir Derek Jacobi plays the ‘Archbishop behind the throne’ very conniving-like. But the main focus is the acting Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter which are extremely up to par; Colin Firth is able to portray a character who is in the shadows of everyone and has had to compromise to his family values, as well as a man who wants to overcome a trait he has suffered with since childhood. He also is able to brilliant build up the character from this weak man who bends to his father’s will and can hardly form sentences in public to a strong, independent man with a confident and authoritative voice who will lead his empire to victory; Helena Bonham Carter is able to wonderfully play this caring and loving woman who will stand by her husband no matter what and wants to help him overcome his crippling stammer; and Geoffrey Rush is wonderfully having fun with his character, an impersonal, committed and loving father, whose is bitter that his London theatre career is quite null because he is a working-class Australian. Rush and Firth have wonderful on-screen chemistry and it would be nice to see them together in more films.
But brilliant and compelling acting also needs a brilliant and compelling script and the King’s Speech has one. Every piece of dialogue is magnificently written, filled with inspiration, wit, confidence, fear, trepidation and empowerment. Every character’s dialogue doesn’t feel forced, badly written or clichéd.
The film also creates a very chilling and tense atmosphere, with the constant shadow of war being cast in the film.
If there is anyone who hates a blatant political agenda in their films, they won’t have to worry about The King’s Speech. It takes a neutral view on the monarch, creating both excessive and sympathetic views and scenes, and never tries to shoehorn the argument of Monarchism verses Republicanism. Which is good, because British Republicans are massive wankers who believe in Republicanism not because they believe in its political, national or societal benefit, but because its ‘cool and it’s what young people and students believe in’ and to merely oppose the opinion of the people (which ironically goes against the principles of Republicanism).

People have complained that this film is simply ‘Oscar bait’ and I can see where they are coming from, it does seem like the quintessential Oscar film with its setting, characters, actors, premise of overcoming a disability (Though, interestingly, not mental retardation, since that’s the only Oscar worthy disability) and the subtle undertones of class clashes. But, I’m never opinionated by Oscar wins or nominations and my opinion of this film was formed before the announced nominations. It’s still a brilliantly written, brilliantly acted, brilliantly directed and brilliantly put together film, a film that nobody should miss. A film like a well composed symphony; a slow and hushed start but ends with a wondrous and amazing crescendo of inspiration and perseverance.
Like I have said constantly, this is a brilliant film that I hope wins its awards and I look forward to add this cinema gem to my DVD collection.

I’m Random Internet Critic and I criticise it because your love is king, crown you in my heart. Your love is king; you're the ruler of my heart.