Incredible

Rating: 10/10 (8 January 2011)

I can't really think of enough or superlative enough adjectives to describe "The King's Speech." Colin Firth plays Prince Albert, second in line to the throne of England. He has a terrible stammer and finds public speaking painful. His wife, the Duchess of York (Helena Bonham Carter) endeavors to help him. She finally finds a speech therapist, Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush) who has been highly recommended. It's a difficult process for Albert; Logue wants to get at the psychological cause of the stammer, and the wooden Albert is interested only in the mechanics of speaking correctly. The relationship is volatile and on again/off again. Then King George V (Michael Gambon) dies, Albert's brother, Edward (Guy Pearce), abdicates, and Albert becomes King George VI.
The wonderful screenplay by David Seidler has taken some dramatic license. The events in the film were moved up to the time just before Edward abdicates, making the important speech of King George VI at the beginning of World War II. In reality, these events happened in 1927, when Prince Albert made a speech in Australia. Logue, as the film indicates, worked with the King throughout the '30 and '40s.
The change doesn't matter at all. The film is poignant, with some great touches of humor and fantastic performances, and the dramatic license makes Albert's plight all the more desperate.
Colin Firth is magnificent as Albert/King George VI. A quiet man who adores his family, one can see the pain in his eyes and feel his anguish when he has to speak to anyone outside of his family. When Logue finally gets Albert to talk about the underlying reasons for his stammer, it's heartbreaking. Geoffrey Rush is sensational as Lionel Logue - witty, strict, and determined, he endeavors to treat Albert like any other student and break down his defenses. Helena Bonham Carter is lovely as the Duchess of York, portraying a lovely, gentle, caring woman who will do anything to help her husband and who suffers along with him. As George V, Michael Gambon is tough and scary, a hard man who challenges his second son because of the fears he holds about his first-born, the shallow Edward, being on the throne. There really aren't any off performances.
The audience was with this film all the way and felt every moment. It's a fascinating time in the history of the royal family. If things had gone as planned - had Edward married someone acceptable and produced an heir, Albert and his family could have remained out of the limelight. King George V wanted desperately for Albert to be King and for "Lilibet," Queen Elizabeth II, to succeed him. That wouldn't have happened, since Edward outlived Albert by 20 years; in that scenario of Edward, heirless and King, Elizabeth would have become Queen 20 years later than she did.
King George V was right - Edward was too weak and distracted to perform his duties as King of England. The right man - and the right line of the family - wound up with the job. RUN to the theater and see this magnificent film, beautifully directed by Tom Hooper.