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Is anyone else as enamored of The King's Speech as I am?
I saw The King’s Speech yesterday and give it my highest recommendation. The script is gripping. Even knowing the ending, I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next. But a great script needs great performances for the full impact.
Colin Firth plays Bertie/King George VI flawlessly. At times, his stammering made me physically uncomfortable. Yes, it was delivered that well. I never once doubted that this man had a serious impediment. Bertie’s failures made the theater groan, and his triumphs lifted the spirits of all those around me.
Helena Bonham Carter is invisible. She is Elizabeth. She embodies the role. Her love and concern for her husband are genuine, honest, and open. It felt almost like eavesdropping watching their little family: father, mother and two daughters.
Geoffrey Rush cannot be surpassed. He walks into the scene and is immediately quietly in charge. His character is layered, weighty, and at the same time light. It’s pure delight to watch him. He is so at home in his character.
Derek Jacobi, Timothy Spall, and so many others deserve singular attention. I will only say that there was not a lax performance in the production.
Technically, the show really was tightly woven. The sound was excellent. That’s saying something for a script about a speech impediment. The camera work was lovely. The lighting took full effect of the dreary London weather and did not soften it.
In the end, The King’s Speech is about a man facing his flaws, rising above them, and becoming a king. It’s the human condition, really.
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