Royalty and friends

[mistletoe]

I watched The King's Speech this week which I will say things about behind the cut in case people would rather not be spoiled.

I would say it was competent. Some of it was quite moving as I really felt sorry for poor Bertie when he told his story about his childhood. The nanny did not want him to be liked as much as David (The Prince of Wales) and so she would nip him to make him cry when he was presented to his parents. It took THREE years for them to notice by which time his self esteem was completely shot. Hence the stammer.

Colin Firth managed it really well although I thought he was a bit too old for the role (I know sacrilege, but I was never a fan of Mr Darcy). The best character in the whole thing was Lionel Logue. Geoffrey Rush was excellent as the failed actor who had a gift for overcoming speech defects. His lack of deference was perfect and he allowed the Prince to be himself rather than the public figure he had to be most of the time.

The best scene was where he guided the King through his broadcast at the end of the film. It showed how well he knew the King and how they were indeed friends. I don't think Bertie had any friends otherwise. Sycophantic types such as Archbishop Cosmo Lang (Derek Jacobi) sought the status quo and closed their eyes and ears to the thought that the king might not be able to perform his duties. When he had to defer to the king's wishes at the Coronation I was cheering.

The only person apart from Queen Elizabeth to show any understanding was Winston Churchill who turned his speech problem into an asset. And we all know how well that turned out. Timothy Spall made a good effort at the voice of Churchill if not the look. Same with Claire Bloom who looked very much like Queen Mary to me. I wasn't too impressed with Guy Pierce as Edward VIII, but it was more of a cameo than a main role. Same with Wallis Simpson although there were enough hints to show they would not have been the right choice for a wartime situation. Too pally with Hitler whereas, Bertie was suitably shocked by the newsreels.

I found it a quiet film, not a typical Oscar winner. Firth may get the nod as best actor in the way Al Pacino did for Scent of a Woman. Mind you, I never believed he was blind and at least Colin Firth made a very good job as a stammerer. We'll see.

Comments

[robas.livejournal.com]

I'm an unapologetic CF fan and I think he did a fabulous job and I thoroughly enjoyed the film.

[a-mistletoe.livejournal.com]

He is a good actor with quite a range. I thought it was better than The Queen although the Tony Blair/Alistair Campbell stuff in that was brilliant.

I saw another version of the story on television which was very good indeed with a larger role for Queen Elizabeth than this. It gave her more credit for finding Logue and she joined in with the breathing and other exercises. It made her the power behind his improvement.

And I have much love for Colin Firth; it's Mr Darcy I don't like in anyone's hands.

[robas.livejournal.com]

I still have to watch The Queen. I hear great things about it.

Which P&P adaptations have you seen? Colin's Darcy was my introduction to Jane Austen and P&P and I love him in the role. Laurence Olivier was charming, but not Darcy-like enough, David Rintoul was a bit too severe and I won't mention Matthew McFadyen who played someone else entirely IMO.

[a-mistletoe.livejournal.com]

All of the above versions even though I am not a fan of Austen's oeuvres at all. I was unfortunately introduced to her through Northanger Abbey at school and never recovered.

Do get to see The Queen; Helen Mirren is excellent, though The Queen Mum is portrayed as a gin soaked granny. It portrays the time of Diana's death accurately.

[robas.livejournal.com]

Yes, NA is not the best novel to start with.

I'll definitely will!

[limone1.livejournal.com]

I've never had much love for Northanger Abbey, worst possible intro to Austen! I've always wanted to kick the tiresome 'heroine' Fanny of Mansfield Park too. I read P&P first. I was supposed to study for a test in Russian history, so of course Austen was much more fun.

[limone1.livejournal.com]

I second the recommendation to see The Queen and Helen Mirren's excellence in it.

[robas.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'll look it up ASAP.

[limone1.livejournal.com]

*Scrolling down with eyes averted* because I plan to see this film. So apologies if you just praised/expressed your disappointment. Is it worth watching?

I won't watch it because it's Colin Firth. I like him, but with a father influencing us to read Austen (and the Brontës and the Romantic poets etc ) long before Firth's Mr Darcy, I'm curious about the quality of the film.

[a-mistletoe.livejournal.com]

Definitely viewable. It kept me engaged and sympathetic to the characters.

I like Colin Firth. I do not like Jane Austen. See reply to robas above for reason why.

[firefish.livejournal.com]

I really enjoyed it I have to say. I'm loath to imagine how much of it is really true to what actually happened, but if I look at it simply as a story, it was really entertaining. I have to say I love Colin Firth. I adored A Single Man. Did you see it?

[a-mistletoe.livejournal.com]

No. I'm not much of a film goer. I have issues about dark crowded places. I like a number of things he's done. Do you know Tumbledown? It was a telly thing from ages ago when he played a wounded Falklands soldier. Like this film I'm sure the facts were massaged to suit. Basically, the provision for wounded soldiers was/is shocking and the play illustrated that starkly.

[firefish.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen Tumbledown actually. It sounds interesting. I'll definitely go searching for it. I will recommend that you check out A Single Man - maybe get it out on DVD or something. I find that most people either love it or hate it. I loved it. It really worked for me.

[a-mistletoe.livejournal.com]

Cool! Not that we have any rental places here. It really is the sticks!