"Bertie," the Duke of York (Colin Firth), who eventually becomes King George the 6th of England, has a stammering problem that is especially noticeable whenever the poor man has to give a speech. In desperation his wife (Helena Bonham Carter) takes him to an Australian speech therapist named Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush), who has unusual methods of dealing with the problem. As strong-willed in his own way as the King, he and Bertie seem to become both friends and adversaries as the years progress. This is a superb film, completely absorbing from start to finish, that gives us an insider's view into a neglected aspect of history and does so brilliantly. Firth and Rush are magnificent, and there are also notable performances from Bonham Carter, Guy Pearce as Bertie's brother, Edward, who abdicates, Claire Bloom as Queen Mary, Derek Jacobi as the Archbishop, and others. In addition to the great acting, the film's direction, photography and editing are also all first-class. Deservedly won Best Movie Oscar for 2010.
Verdict: Yes, they can still make great movies. ****.
One of those riveting British dramas. Colin Firth is great, having just come off "A Single Man" the year before, in which he conveys so much emotion in the beautifully, virtually dialogue-less first portion. Though he missed out on the Oscar for that one, I'm convinced the two powerhouses in a row forged this deserved win.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment DJ Buddy, and for reminding me about A Single Man, which I have got to catch up with soon!
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