I had been eagerly awaiting the opportunity to view this film so I was glad to see it as an option for this blog posting. I was unable to see it at the Nickelodeon due to scheduling but, luckily, it came out on DVD in time! Thanks for Dr. Heid for giving me some extra time...served many purposes but also gave me the chance to see this amazing film!
The King's Speech falls into the drama genre of movies as it depicts realistic events and characters dealing with realistic issues - in this case, the Duke of York and the speech issues that he had to overcome.
The establishing shot of this film sets the stage for us that there is an extremely large event occurring in an extremely large venue in England. The opening shots continue to introduce us to the Duke of York who is preparing to give a speech before this large audience. The shots focus on what appear to be nerves on the part of the Duke and those close to him (his wife, etc) as well as the preparations for the speech from a technology standpoint. The shots lead up to the moment where the Duke takes to the microphone and attempts to deliver his speech. It is at this moment that it is revealed that the Duke suffers from a speech issue - it is this revelation that solidifies the opening shots and why so much emphasis was placed on trying to let the audience see the magnitude of the venue and audience as well as the anxiety of the Duke when it comes to speaking which sets the stage for the story to unfold.
One of the camera angles that was used that caught my attention was that used during interactions between the Duke ("Bertie") and his speech therapist/friend, Lionel. In the early part of the movie where the two are establishing their relationship, the camera angle is wide. The two are most often seen in Lionel's office which is large and sparsely furnished as seen in the below photo. Though the two men are in relatively close proximity to each other, the sparseness and size of the room enforces a feeling of separation.
However, this is a movie about not just speech issues but about relationships and the friendship forged between these two men. As the story unfolds and the relationship between the two forms and strengthens, tighter camera angles are used as well as more intimate settings. I noticed this throughout the film and thought it an interesting approach.
As I mentioned, this is a story of how Lionel Logue, an untrained speech therapist, helps the Duke of York (Albert / Bertie) overcome his speech issue which is stammering. However, it is about so much more than just a speech issue. It is about the relationship between Lionel and Bertie as well as the steadfast love and support of Bertie's wife; it is about the royal family and the inner demons from this family that drive many of Bertie's outward issues; it is about triumphing over adversity and overcoming obstacles with the support and guidance of a trusted friend. It is a fascinating and deeply moving film, in my opinion. The actors, Colin Firth as Bertie and Geoffrey Rush as Lionel, were superb as was Helena Bonham Carter as Bertie's wife. Colin Firth did an amazing job of creating a character with a speech impediment - he was remarkably convincing. The interaction between the actors captured the relationship, the drama, the weight of the story and made it hard to turn away.
When it comes to music in the film, I have to be honest and say I have absolutely no recollection of the music used in the film. I was so completely engrossed in the actors and the story that I was completely oblivious to any background music being used.
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