The Kings Speech: Not Just Another Monarch Movie

I've actually seen quite a few of this year's Academy Award nominated films, including many of the Independent Films that have been nominatied, and finally, I have gotten around to seeing The King's Speech.

For me, I have to be in the right frame of mind to enjoy a historical movie, and perhaps that's why, before learning of the slew of nominations, The King's Speech hadn't grabbed me as a must see film. And even knowing that The King's Speech had proven popular with the Academy, I was still not expecting anything different from any other Monach based movie.

I was wrong. Across the board The King's Speech proves worthy. Colin Firth was remarkable as the stuttering Duke turned King, not only in his portrayal of his speech inpediment, but also the way he embraces the internal conflict regarding the responsiblities and expectations of being a royal, and the human aspects of trying to be a good husband, father and friend.

For me one of the most touching scenes was when the Duke's older brother had just agreed to give up being king, and the Duke was named as the successor. He was seeing his children, Princess Margaret and Princess Elizabeth for the first time. The princesses run to greet him, and then remember the formalities required when greeting a king.

Helen Bonham Carter and Geoffrey Rush were great supporting characters as Bertie's wife and speech therapist turned friend and confidant. Before becoming king, the Duke of York was known as Bertie to his inner circle, as king he became George the VI, because it happened to be the onset of World War II, and Albert sounded too German.

All in all, The Academy sought fit to nominate The King's Speech in categories including Best Picture, Colin Firth for Actor in a Leading Role, Geoffrey Rush for Actor in a Supporting Role, Helna Bonham Carter for Actress in a Supporting Role, Art Direction, Cinematography, Costume Design, Tom Hooper for Directing, Tariq Anwar for Film Editing, Alexandre Desplat for Music (Original Score), Sound Mixing, and David Seidler for Original Screenplay.

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