The King's Speech

What? A movie about the Royal Family that doesn't involve Michael Sheen? That's just not cricket!
Screenwriter David Seidler wrote the 1999 animated version of The King and I so another foray into the lives of royalty shouldn't be that much of a stretch for him. Director Tom Hooper gave us The Damned United (with everyone's favourite Prime Minister, Michael Sheen).
Alas, I have no segue that links football and this film.
Before he was King George VI, Colin Firth (A Single Man) was known as Bertie among his family. Bertie is married to Elizabeth I, the lady that would become The Queen Mum (the divine Helena Bonham Carter - Harry Potter). Bertie's brother Edward VIII (Guy Pearce - Animal Kingdom) becomes King after their father King George V (Michael Gambon - Harry Potter) dies.
All throughout his life Bertie has been tormented by a debilitating speech impediment, a fact made worse by his familial status and his constant requirement to speak in public.
After an embarrassing performance at Wembley stadium, quick thinking Lizzy books Bertie in to see an unorthodox speech therapist, Aussie "actor" Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush - not from Harry Potter).
Day after day, Lionel takes Berties through a wide range of unconventional physical therapies, gets him to stop smoking (kind of) and delves into Bertie's past in an effort to give Bertie the thing he needs most, his own voice.
When Bertie's brother stops 'Kinging' to marry a twice-divorced American, Bertie puts on the big shiny hat and takes his father's name.
Long live the King.
But with the big hat comes big speeches, especially now that Germany under the reign of Adolf Hitler has declared war on most of Europe. Now more than ever, the Commonwealth needs their King to be strong and unfaltering, he needs to rally his people and unite them the only way a King can; with an awe inspiring speech.
This is usually the time for Oscar contenders to get their films out before the end of the year and this film has Oscar written all over it. Firth was nominated for an Oscar this year for A Single Man (a performance for which he won a BAFTA) but will he pick up the little golden man for this role? One thing's for sure, I can't wait for awards ceremony in February! No doubt Rush and Bonham Carter will be on the nominated list as well, their performances were superb.
Kudos must go to Timothy Spall (Harry Potter) who played a remarkable Winston Churchill, who, incidentally, also had a speech impediment when he was young (Churchill, that is, not Spall).
The score was brilliant; I think Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 - II must be in every movie from now on.
This really is a tremendous film. The script was laugh out loud funny one moment, tear inducing the next. Firth really is getting better with each film he does and the 'Mr Darcy' association is fast fading away (no matter how hard I try to hold onto it!).
This well and truly is a must see.
It's good to know that even though Harry Potter has finished filming, the UK film industry still has plenty of fine jobs for all of those now-unemployed actors.
Things I learnt: swearing is indeed therapeutic; always have a window open; it's 'Ma'am' like ham, not 'Ma'am' like palm.
One approves of this film.
Ten out of ten.