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The King's Speech

95 replies

FelicityParpworth · 06/01/2011 18:06

I saw a preview yesterday. It is excellent, just a wonderful film. Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush are superb in it, even Helena BC (who I have an irrational dislike of) was great. There are some lovely witty bits to counteract the more serious parts.
I can't recommend it enough. If you aren't moved by the end I would suggest that you are either a) made of stone or b) perhaps haven't understood and should get back creating tickers over at the other site Wink

I'll be interested to hear some more reviews when others have been to see it.

OP posts:
GabbyLoggon · 11/01/2011 12:06

I am sure it will win oscars....but I have a question...those featured in the film lived within my memory. So is the film factual with a dose of guesswork...or did they have inside information from a royal angle? A Fish Called Wanda had a stammering character.. He was on the Childs tv show He said it was funny. It did not seem funny to me when I saw the Wanda film

readinginbed · 11/01/2011 14:09

Michael Palin, who played the stammering man in Fish called Wanda, publicly later said he regretted his involvement in the film as he saw it did not increase awareness of the difficulties stammerers face but increased the probability of derision. Palin's father stammered and it is something he is concerned to help people become compassionately aware of.

CarmelitaMiggs · 11/01/2011 14:22

Everyone clapped at the end when I saw it too.

Can't remember when that last happened.

CF was good, but isn't it just a logical extension of all the parts he has ever played? That's what he does: agonised and inarticulate buttoned-upness.

runnyhabbit · 11/01/2011 17:04

I agree with themjority - this film is fantastic. The casting was spot on.

Went to see it last Friday with dh (who wasn't that bothered about watching it) but we both came out saying how great it was.

It did touch some nerves for us, becuase ds1 has just been discharged from speech therapy.

runnyhabbit · 11/01/2011 17:04

I agree with the majority

doh

RussAbbotDancer · 11/01/2011 19:52

Yep, loved it. Want 20s wallpaper (the one with the fans). Great range of humour and pathos - difficult to pull off. But didn't quite believe Guy Pierce's jawline belonged in this particular royal family.

mathanxiety · 11/01/2011 20:21
Lilymaid · 11/01/2011 20:55

I thought Guy Pierce's jaw line was the one thing that made him look most like Edward VIII. Slightly incongruous that he looked younger than his younger brother in the film, but film was excellent.
Enjoyed Jennifer Ehle looking arch as Myrtle!

ijustwanttobeme · 11/01/2011 21:00

Have been waiting since I saw a trailer when seeing that oh so dull mike leigh film recently.

Am going tomorrow-so excited as have a bit of a thing about CF- it's his voice that gets to me...swoon...

Beveridge · 11/01/2011 22:26

Brilliant film! Really managed to convey how terrifying public speaking on that scale must have been to someone with such a speech impediment.

Guy Pearce was a good choice for Edward VIII but struggled initially with Timothy Spall as Churchill! Kept getting flashbacks to Auf Wiedersehn Pet.

I remember my Dad telling me that the way he heard George VI had died was when one of the old farmers who lived near him came striding across the field he was working in and solemnly announced "Well, hubbering Geordie's deid". Poor man Sad

NewImprovedJollster · 12/01/2011 09:02

Saw it last night.

Brilliant. SUPERB script. Pace and timing spot on. Lighting amazing. And all round top notch performances. Particularly CF, GR and HBC, but actually don't think there was a duff one in there.

Really felt like a credible portrayal.

Would go and see it again soon, and I can't remember when I last thought that.

BondGirl008 · 12/01/2011 10:19

Ooo can't wait to see it. I adore Colin Firth!

MilkNoSugarPlease · 12/01/2011 10:54

Can't wait to see it now! Has anyone read the book?

mathanxiety · 12/01/2011 14:55

British Pathe newsreel here of George VI opening an exhibition in Ibrox Park in the 1930s. Very moving.

ajandjjmum · 12/01/2011 15:01

I'm looking forward to seeing it.

My Mum - mid 80's - went with a couple of her friends yesterday, and thought it was very good. She found it emotional, and is not an openly weepy sort of lady. Grin

I had warned her about the bad language beforehand though!

slartybartfast · 12/01/2011 21:46

loved it, didnt expect it to be so emotional. loved whole thing. and would see it again.

southeastastra · 12/01/2011 23:17

brilliant film, colin will finally get the gong for this one

Curiousmama · 13/01/2011 09:16

Dp ds2 (10) and me went last night and loved it. DS2 was really interested and kept quietly asking questions. He didn't bat an eyelid at the swearing seen as he's a regular at footy games Grin Although doesn't swear himself.

Ds1 (13) didn't want to come but am sure he'd have enjoyed it?

I love Rush anyway but am so glad he got to show how fantastic he is. CF did an excellent job as did HBC.

GettinTrimmer · 13/01/2011 10:27

As an ex-stammerer myself I had a knot in my stomach and was tearful a couple of times as the fear and torment suffered by Bertie was portrayed so convincingly by Colin Firth. I may have found it more painful to watch than others. However, this was a brilliant film imo, very funny in parts especially when Lionel sat on the ancient throne and talked about royal arseholes, and the holistic treatment of talking about his childhood was moving.

At the end when everybody all over Britian was listening to his "dark days ahead" speech and he did amazingly, I felt like clapping in the cinema!

caspered · 13/01/2011 11:22

I thought this film would be a bit boring as we all know the ending, if you know what I mean. BUT it was fantastic, I would be hard pushed to say who should get an oscar as I thought that Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush were both fantastic. I felt like clapping in the end!!! I must get out more Smile

David51 · 13/01/2011 16:16

RussAbbotDancer
But didn't quite believe Guy Pierce's jawline belonged in this particular royal family.

Havent seen it but people seem to be missing the elephant in the room, ie handsome Colin Firth is nothing like George VI, who looks like a classic victim of royal family in-breeding

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:09-2361a.jpg

Mumsnut · 13/01/2011 18:02

Queen Mary was no Claire Bloom, either ...

Curiousmama · 13/01/2011 18:56

No hadn't missed the looks. But I'd rather have the british way of using good actors than the american lookalikies who can't act.

GabbyLoggon · 14/01/2011 14:15

I suppose the makers did not ask for royal approval because they thought they would not get it.

The background is more interesting than the foreground in many things.

I dont mind fictional or factual films; it is nice to know which

And in normal life, sad to say, some people do laugh at stammers.

I thought Palin was wrong in wanda. But the bril Mr Cleese is known to be rather cruel.
(ask Richard Ingrams) cheers "Gabby*

mathanxiety · 14/01/2011 15:53

In comparison to Eleanor Roosevelt though, they look perfectly all right.

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