The King's Speech

The private lives of the British royal family have long held the fascination of the public. The distance kept between the royals and the media even today has ensured a healthy curiosity still remains in an era oversaturated with celebrity exposure. Also, in an increasingly secular society, the continued existence of a 'higher' authority on Earth is like a living connection to an otherwise untouchable past. The 30th century was a period where equality between all people became an attainable ideal, so for the Windsor family to still hold court (even in a symbolic sense) seems odd in an otherwise democratic western world. I'm not bashing it, I love the Queen and I think she's great (I once stood within two metres of her). I'm just saying that I think our curiosity in their private lives is only natural given our changing times. The King's Speech takes it's cue from The Queen by taking an intimate look at these unknowable people and giving their stories the full cinematic treatment.

The King's Speech is the story of how King George VI (Colin Firth) overcame a debilitating stammer in order to realise his potential as an inspirational king during the outbreak of WWII. It's primarily the story of his relationship with Australian speech therapist (and failed actor) Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush) and his transformation from a rather awkward and shy man into the figure he was meant to be. This aspect of the film drives most of the drama but it's also our reference point for a larger story - that of the abdication of King Edward VIII (Guy Pearce) and and George VI's ascendance to the throne. Through the characte of Lionel Logue (a real life figure whose memoirs form the basis of this film), The King's Speech also explores the gap between royalty and the common man, and the way that new technologies (in this case the wireless radio) changed the way that the royalty and public interacted (something that was so powerful that it even changed the very nature of the royal family's role - highlighting their increasingly symbolic status). The Archbishop (Derek Jacobi) even describes the wireless at one point as a "pandora's box".

The King has to essentially learn how to become an actor - it's the same subtext as The Queen, this idea of creating a public persona that allows for a media-friendly interfacing with one's subjects. There has been some criticism of this film regarding the muddying of historical facts (EG. Churchill's role in the abdication crisis, the film's timeframe, Logue's liberties with the King, etc) but as all these things seem to be decisions made purely in the name of dramatic tension I think it's fairly forgiveable given that the overall narrative still remains true to history. And there's no denying the nature of the King's problems and the way that media was transforming the world during the 1930s.

The rapport between Firth and Rush is magical, I even had goosebumps at some points but I'm a sucker for these kind of underdog stories (it feels odd to refer to King George VI as an 'underdog' but that's what he is in this film... he was never meant to take the throne). Logue is charmingly presumptuous and disarmingly colloquial, hilariously daring to speak to the King as an equal in order to help him beat his problems. Firth is perfectly cast, and uses the nature of his role (and the script) to give a more layered performance than he's usually given room to attempt. The whole crux of the film is basically two undervalued top-tier actors going head to head, and they strike up a fascinating chemistry. This is mostly due to the disparate natures of their characters in relation to the still-crumbling class system of 1930s Britain.

A big part of me is glad that historical films like this can still get some attention from the critical community. The King's Speech might not be as cuttin edge or groundbreaking as The Social Network or Black Swan, but there's something to be said for a film that has something to say whilst still appealing to a wider demographic (IE. An older audience). There's a lot about The King's Speech that might feel old fashioned but the unshowy direction and emphasis on story, performance and dialogue makes it timeless. In ten years time no one is going to really care about The Social Network. The King's Speech however will still be an entertaining piece of historical storytelling. Aside from a few implications that the King was the victim of emotional abuse as a child and the general high quality of the film's production, there isn't much about this film that indicates it was even made in the 21st century. It's not hip, it doesn't have it's finger on the pulse, it isn't going out of it's way to be different... it's just a strong piece of storytelling with exceptional acting.

DIRECTOR: Tom Hooper
WRITE/SOURCE: David Seidler, based on the memoirs of Lionel Logue
KEY ACTORS: Colin Firth, Helena Bonham-Carter, Geoffrey Rush, Derek Jacobi, Guy Pearce, Michael Gambon, Claire Bloom, Roger Parrott, Timothy Spall

RELATED TEXTS:
- The film started life as a play by David Seidler.
- Lionel Logue's diaries have since been published as The King's Speech, by Mark Logue (his grandson) and Peter Conradi.
- A radio play about the same subject, A King's Speech, was written by Mark Burgess in 2009.
- Michael Gambon previously played Edward VII in the TV miniseries The Lost Prince.
- Also see The Queen, another excellent film about the British royal family in the 20th century.

AWARDS
Academy Awards - won Best Film, Best Actor (Colin Firth), Best Director and Best Original Screenplay. Also nominated for Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Editing, Best Supporting Actress (Helena Bonham-Carter), Best Supporting Actor (Geoffrey Rush), Best Score and Best Sound Mixing.
BAFTAs - won Best British Film, Best Music, Best Actor (Firth), Best Film, Best Original Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor (Rush) and Best Supporting Actress (Bonham-Carter). Also nominated for Best Outstanding British Film, Best Score, Best Costume Design, Best Editing, Best Make-Up/Hair, Best Sound, Best Production Design and Best Director.
Golden Globes - won Best Actor (Colin Firth). Nominated for Best Director, Best Film (Drama), Best Original Screenplay, Best Score, Best Supporting Actor (Rush) and Best Supporting Actress (Bonham-Carter).
Independent Spirit - nominated Best Foreign Film.