My one major complaint was the Winston Churchill actor. I mean how hard could it have been to get a good Churchill? He's not seen or heard much, though, so it's a minor quibble. But still...
trailer:
Slate opens with this: "The King's Speech is an extremely well-made film with a seductive human interest plot, very prettily calculated to appeal to the smarter filmgoer and the latent Anglophile. But it perpetrates a gross falsification of history".
The NYT has a mixed review. Rolling Stone gives it 3 1/2 out of 4 stars and calls it "a crowning achievement powered by a dream cast". The Guardian describes it as "a richly enjoyable drama".
Roger Ebert gives it a full 4 stars. Rotten Tomatoes has a 95% critics rating.
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I remember this movie, and I liked it. I think I need to rewatch it to see the Winston Churchill part. Thanks for the reminder. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's a very small part. I'd think Churchill impersonators would be a dime a dozen in Britain and could've done a better job than an actual actor no matter how good the actor is. But that's just me. I don't recall reading a single review that faulted him.
DeleteI remember when that movie came out, and knew I wanted to see it. But of course, it is not yet on network tv, so I'll have to wait a bit longer. I was even more interested in it when I made Kathy's Kings and Queens altered book, but of course, couldn't find where to watch it (SIGH).
ReplyDeleteWe rarely see movies in the theater. We used to rent a lot of movies, but now we often find them used for not much more than the rental fees used to be. But we do end up waiting a long time after the initial release.
DeleteI really liked this movie. I don't remember not liking Churchill though, but now I'm curious...
ReplyDeleteI love this observation from the Roger Ebert review: "Here we have long corridors, (...) rooms that seem peculiarly oblong. I suspect he may be evoking the narrow, constricting walls of Albert's throat as he struggles to get words out."
I love it when the cinematography and direction serve to deepen the experience. Artists all, aren't they! :)
DeleteI liked this movie much. I am a big fan of Firth and it was fun to see Jennifer Ehle as the voice coach´s wife, too, they were a classic couple after all, in Pride & Predjucice in 1995. I didn´t mind Spall as Churchill, I am terribly fond of him, too, I guess... ;-)
ReplyDeleteI generally like Spall. He's good in a variety of parts. My dislike of him here is probably an "it's just me" problem.
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