The King’s Speech
For centuries, a major part of the duties for the British Royal Family was simply to look the roll. With the right clothes, stance and dignified wave to the masses, the imperial folk were able to instill reverence easily. Then in the early part of the twentieth century the radio was made available to the world and everything changed. Now leaders were both seen and heard and a King or Queen was expected to be able to verbally project nobility as well as dress the part. These were well-raised gentlemen and ladies and the newfound necessity to speak publicly usually wasn’t an issue. But for King George the Sixth, this was a very real problem. Plagued with a stammer that made speaking near impossible at times, the good King would struggle speaking to his wife in the confines of his own home, let alone at a podium in front of a huge crowd.
This is the conflict that lies at the heart of the new film, The King’s Speech. We first meet the King (Colin Firth) in 1920, when he is still the Duke of York. He has spent years searching for help with his impediment, visiting experts who impart brilliant advise like smoking cigarettes to loosen the throat. Nothing works and the Duke has all but given up. In desperation, his wife, the soon-to-be Queen Elizabeth I (Helena Bonham Carter), contacts Lionel Louge (Geoffrey Rush) who is a speech therapist known for his unorthodox methods. The Duke meets with Louge and, of course, the first meeting doesn’t go very well. His Highness is frustrated with his affliction, having spent most of his life forcing words out with much effort and never being taken seriously. Louge is able to show him slight progress and he commits to the sessions, spending everyday rolling on the floor and screaming his thoughts out an open window.
Louge and the Duke begin to connect as friends once they spend time delving into the cause of the impediment. When the Duke’s brother, Edward (Guy Pearce), abdicates his right to the throne, George is next in line and must assume the position of King. Reluctantly he does so and it becomes clear that he must fix his articulation problem for the good of his country. A leader must communicate and, in times of trouble or celebration, must give a perfect speech.
This film is all about the performances and The King’s Speech does feature a couple of the year’s finest. Firth has being soaking up Oscar buzz for Best Actor since the film began making the film festival rounds a few months ago. The excitement is warranted as he gives an incredible performance that is extremely technical and natural at the same time. The stammer is heart wrenching to watch and near impossible to pinpoint. There is no repetition to the halts and clicks, no cadence to make out. It is a marvel to witness Firth struggle with every word as tears well in his eyes. He also succeeds at making a cold character like-able. It would be easy to portray King George VI as a sad man that no one can relate to but Firth gives him a quality that makes you root for him. Here is a man that has nearly everything at his disposal but by the end of the film it is easy to cheer for him.
Rush is equally as strong as Mr. Louge. His performance is a smart one, matching Firth in skill and developing a wonderful cinematic duo. Their scenes are of the Good Will Hunting and Ordinary People variety, with as much time spent talking about life as trying to fix the speech trouble. It is the chemistry that these two generate that drives everything, making for solid entertainment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAm7gRXFiRo