Sunday 2 June 2013

The King's Speech (2010 Tom Hooper)


The film, screenplay (David Seidler) and Firth won both the Oscar and BAFTA and Eastenders' director Hooper (then 38) won for Best Director: what a bastard. BAFTAs also went quite rightly to Geoffrey Rush (who lost the Oscar to Christian Bale in The Fighter) and Helena Bonham Carter (lost to Melissa Leo in The Fighter). Also with Guy Pearce, who's been busy 'kinging' (and who we kept referring to as Mike from Neighbours until we remembered his name), Jennifer Ehle, Michael Gambon, Derek Jacobi (another superb actor), Timothy Spall (great as Churchill), Anthony Andrews, Claire Bloom, Eve Best (Mrs Simpson).

Often funny film is also superbly edited (by Tariq Anwar) e.g. in the montage showing the King's progress through therapy. It's also most interestingly shot, with actors frequently inhabiting the lower edge of the frame, as though Danny Cohen is shooting from a stepladder: it has the effect though of making you concentrate more on the performer.


He's also using some very wide lenses. (Music by Alexandre Desplat.)

Loved the moment where Firth turns around and Rush is in the 'throne'.

It appears that the Queen did enjoy the film, and found Firth's portrayal of her father 'moving'.

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