Director Tom Hooper's The King's Speech details how Prince Albert (Colin Firth) overcomes stammering and then goes on to find himself King George VI of England. Prince Albert is happy being the Duke of York and the second son of King George V. But the prince suffers from stammering. As prince he is expected to speak at certain official engagements, so stammering isn't acceptable. Unfortunately the most respected doctor's can't seem to find a cure. Finally Prince Albert and his wife Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter) find an Australian speech therapist named Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush). Despite Logue's lack of proper credentials and background, his methods help the weary prince. Foreshadowing the demise of a world where class defined all, Prince Albert and Lionel Logue develop a friendship the will last their entire lives. But destiny collides with his happy, albeit imperfect, life when his brother King Edward VIII (Guy Pearce) abdicates the throne in order to marry his mistress, the twice-divorced American Wallis Simpson (Eve Best). During this time of personal crisis, King George VI proves himself to be a man of caring, courage and loyalty despite rank and rule. The speech lessons that were once a convenience that helps a prince fulfill an obligation becomes a godsend that enables a king to complete with great orators like Hilter and Mussolni and serve to rally England when King George VI delivers the king's speech announcing that England is to enter World World II.
The King's Speech is a touching story. Firth portrays King George VI as regal, charming, vulnerable, yet brave. Rush also delivers an stellar performance, fluidly moving from stoic and bullheaded to passionate and broken. Firth and Rush both deliver dry British humor impeccably. They are wonderful counterpoints one to the other. Helena Bonham Carter is at her best. Her ability to relay volumes in a few lines with a subtle gesture is uncanny. The only shame is that she does not have more lines. The Academy has a long standing love affair British royalty with many an actor porting British royals being nominated or winning Oscars (The Madness of King George, The Queen, Her Majesty: Mrs. Brown, Shakespeare in Love, Elizabeth) and with superb performances by the entire cast The King's Speech has Oscar nomination written all over it. The King's Speech is a definite must see.
Cast (in alphabetical order): Colin Firth (King George VI), Helena Bonham Carter (Queen Elizabeth), Guy Pearce (Edward VIII), Eve Best (Wallis Simpson), Geoffrey Rush (Lionel Logue), full cast and crew.
Release Date: 26 November 2010 (limited). Directed by Tom Hooper; written by David Seidler; released by The Weinstein Company. Running time: 111 minutes; MPAA Rated R for some language; genre: Drama/Historical. See local listing for showtimes.
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