The King's Speech

   I have seen 2 films this past week, The King's Speech & The Black Swan, and whilst The Black Swan is very good, thought provoking and just a little disturbing, The King's Speech, a true story of King George VI's ascent to the throne and his personal battles en route is positively outstanding and a thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable film; it is no surprise that Colin Firth took the globe for best actor at the Golden Globes and that he is nominated for best male actor at next month's Oscars, along with Geoffrey Rush for best supporting actor in his role as his speech therapist, Lionel Logue, and Helena Bonham Carter too in her role as his wife, Queen Elizabeth, for best supporting actress ~ all three deserve to win!!!

   The film starts in the 1920s with George V, sovereign king to more that a quarter of the world's population on the throne and in ill health. Heir to the throne is his eldest son David, The Prince of Wales who is already in a relationship with american divorcee (twice-over) Wallis Simpson and for whom, when he does become king (King Edward VIII), and because the church will not allow them to marry, he soon abdicates and renounces his throne and kingdom for her hand.

   This then unexpectedly gives rise to the coronation in Westminster Abbey ~ yes the crew and set are actually in the Abbey ~ of Prince Albert. He is known to his family, of course, as Bertie, and his title is the Duke of York (the same title, just as it is today for the 2nd son, Andrew)  and he takes the throne as King George VI in 1937 with his wife, the Duchess of York, as his Queen Elizabeth. Their two small children (both girls) in the film are Princess Margaret (now deceased) and Princess Elizabeth ~ that is, our own Queen, Queen Elizabeth II (and away from the film now) who takes the throne after her father's relatively short reign of only 16 years in 1952 and who still reigns today at the tender age of 85. So basically, we have a film revolving around the trialing time of my own Queen's mother and father ~ her mother of course, being better known in these latter years as Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and who died only nine years back in 2002 at the age of 101, highly respected and having undergone a successful hip replacement at the ripe old age of 97.

   Geoffrey Rush plays an excellent Lionel Logue and fits in very nicely, and he and Colin Firth bounce off each other so well that it makes for a highly enjoyable and memorable film ~ all the more satisfying because it's a true real-life account and an accurate reflection of their lives.

   I have shared this with a few friends to give a little background and to explain how it fits today. If you make the time to see and enjoy the film, and I hope you all do, this may assist, maybe, in making it even better received and understood. Here is a flavour ~ happy viewing. . .    

   Here is Elizabeth's (The Duchess of York) first meeting with Lionel under the pseudonym Mrs Johnson

and Elizabeth's first meeting with Mrs Logue (who new nothing of one of her husband's clients being The Duke of York) returning home unexpectedly early while the Duchess is waiting for her husband to finish his therapy in the next room, in Mrs Logue's parlour. . .

and finally an official trailer. . .

All set to the rise of the Third Reich and impending Second World War ~

and there is so much more  ~ don't miss it!