We don’t get out to the cinema much at the moment so it’s vital to pick a movie you know is going to be good. And what a wonderful film The King’s Speech is, fully deserves the acclaim. The most gripping film I’ve seen since No Country for Old Men.
It’s very often the case that telling a Big Story (in this case, two Big Stories: the abdication and the declaration of war on Germany) through the prism of a small human story, such a man trying to overcome his stammer, is incredibly effective. See also Cabaret, Life is Beautiful etc.
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'er indoors dragged me out to the Brixton Ritzy Saturday, quid off for pensioners. Eight (yes 8)parking machines buggered, raining stair-rods, so left the blight in Halfords car park, fully expecting to return to it up on blocks with a sodden ticket. £1.50 booking fee almost brought me to tears (I well-up easily). The movie a wonder, without fault that I could discern. Emerged smiling, nay beaming. Expecting ticket through the post later this week, with a picture taken by the camera hovering above my head in the car park - but it will have been worth it, every penny.
The big story told by way of little story theory is v clever - or is it something everyone but me perceived years ago? Anyway new to me and I like it. One of our daughters reckons there's some Mahler somewhere in that film, but we can't remember where - did you notice it?
Or was it Brahms?
After enduring a succession of appalling schlock last spring and summer, my wife and I were wondering whether our days of active cinema-going were drawing to a close, but this year's fare has been wonderful. Red, Secretariat, The Social Network, The Other Guy, True Grit, The Fighter--all were either masterpieces or merely thoroughly enjoyable. Even a few obviously flawed ones (Salt, Country Strong)were fun. But The King's Speech is in a class of its own. Exiting the theatre all choked up with Beethoven in my head, I could only marvel: "I didn't think the Brits made films like that anymore".
It's perfectly cast too, isn't it? Who realised that Guy Pearce is the spit of Edward? The only one I was slightly unsure of at first was Timothy Spall as Churchill, but as he reappeared I thought that was clever too - it's impossible for an actor not to caricature Churchill anyway, so it worked having someone we felt familiar and warm about.
Not sure if there was any Mahler but there was definitely Beethoven's 7th Symphony and it ended with the 5th Piano Concerto.
Last week I went to the cinema for the first time since I saw 'no country for old men'...to see 'The Fighter'... now I am kicking myself that I did'nt watch TKS instead, as I thought The Fighter fairly pedestrian, whereas everybody I know who has seen TKS has said it's brilliant.
Not only well-cast (Jacobi was amazing), but the way it conveyed the everyday material starkness of the 30's without a hint of lefty preachiness was masterful. But did Bonham Carter play the Queen Mum accurately? Was she that forward, bordering on cocky?
I think so Peter, she had a rep for feistiness. Bonham Carter certainly looked like her. In fact they all looked like their characters (even Gambon like George V) except Colin Firth, really.
I loved the girl from Outnumbered as the young Margaret.
No Mahler or Brahms ZM, but Brit is on the button with Beethoven 7 and Emperor, and earlier, regular Dabblers will have spotted Mozart's Figaro Overture and the Concerto for Mozart's favourite instrument, the clarinet. Could this be a turning-point in British Film? Are the British coming after all?
No, we remembered the Beethoven, but she says she read there was Brahms German Requiem too. She can't remember it and we can't remember it - but it must be there, because it says it was on the internet, innit?
Black Baby approved
Well I'm as late commenting as ever. But it seems I should have beaten the lot of you. TKS opened here, USA, ahead of the UK it seems. I saw it at the local art house a month ago. And then was amazed to see it playing at the multiplex too and doing good business.
And yes its a cracker isn't it? The Beethoven 7th behind the speech itself near brought a tear to the Banished eye. One could niggle that it was a bit , well, Germanic in this context but what the hell it worked a treat.
Much uproarious american laughter at royals F'ing and blinding but then they love us 'posh' Brits doing that anyway, royals or no. Lets face it, Hugh Grants made a career of it for years now.
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