‘The King’s Speech’ movie review and trailer

Comedy of manners has rollicking good time with Who's Who of British actors

BY JOE TYRRELL

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

MOVIE REVIEW

Making the trivial seem essential is the task of the British monarchy, and thus of the new comedy of manners "The King's Speech."

A Who's Who of British actors has a rollicking good time with a discreetly revised version of the tale of stammering King George VI and how he learned to speak into the microphone.

No one enjoys himself more than Geoffrey Rush, who positively beams his way through the role of Lionel Logue, the King's speech therapist. As the movie suggests, that status was quite a plum for Logue, triply impaired by being a prole, a colonial and an amateur thespian.

No wonder that Princess Elizabeth employ a pseudonym when she visits Logue's large but shabby offices in a less-than-fashionable section of London. Even slyly personified by Helena Bonham Carter, she doesn't strike Logue as anything more than the average wealthy woman who expects special treatment for her husband despite his unwillingness to show up.

Logue doesn't recognize her inherent superiority! What fun!

There's more of the same when Colin Firth arrives on the premises as Prince Albert Frederick Arthur George, Duke of York, Earl of Inverness, Protector of Rail Crossings, Hounder of the Masses, Consumer of the Porridge and Keymaster.

Even an Ozzie like Logue cannot help but recognize His Royalness, yet persists in calling his visitor "Bertie" whilst brewing up tea in the fireplace. Such a cheeky fellow has no business getting into monarchial business, especially since Logue has noticed how tense Bertie gets when talking about family matters.

No one else in the realm is quite so perceptive, but they have observed the Prince's difficulty speaking in public, with Firth particularly stumbling over the word "king." Nasty business, that, as famously — at least, UK famously — manifest in Bertie's tortured remarks at the British Empire Exposition in 1925.

After that episode, the Prince is back at Logue's, where Firth and Rush jump about, roll on the floor and waggle their jowls while making funny noises. The only thing missing from their treatment regimen is the "Young Frankenstein" version of "Puttin' on the Ritz."

Most promisingly, Logue discovers that Bertie is able to let off steam, and enunciate correctly, when letting fly with scatological terms. Soon, we have a veritable "Upstairs, Deadwood" as Bertie is effing all over the effing house.

Such bits are jolly good, whether being performed by Fockers or Exalted Personages such as Rush and Firth. They may well be even funnier if you expect your monarchs to be more like George I, unfamiliar with the King's English.

The hijinks transpire against a serious background. Bertie's cranky father, King George V, is feeling poorly. His eldest son Edward, known in the family as David, is a self-involed and casually cruel party animal. So you know he's ready to rule.

Of course, there are the inconveniences of economic catastrophe and widespread unrest among the little people. No worries, David expects Herr Hitler to sort it out. Meanwhile, it's off to drinkies with Mrs. Simpson.

All this is quickly limned by screenwriter David Seidler and the cast, including the outstanding Guy Pearce as David, Eve Best as his American lover Wallis Simpson, Michael Gambon as George V and Derek Jacobi as Archbishop Cosmo Lang.

Timothy Spall is worth the price of admission himself as friendly confidante Winston Churchill, his lower lip puffed out so far that it could serve as the lectern for one of Bertie's speeches.

But Lionel Logue is worried. Unlike his esteemed patient, the therapist deduces that David, now King Edward VIII, is far easier than he should be while wearing the crown. In a scene notable to modern viewers for the lack of celebrity induced hysteria, the two men argue while strolling through a public park. Logue wants Bertie to be prepared to reign; Bertie thinks that would be treason.

Of course, during the 1930s, the British political establishment raced to encourage the rise of fascism. As Lord Halifax wrote after meeting Hitler and his pals, "Nationalism and Racialism is a powerful force but I can't feel that it's either unnatural or immoral!. I cannot myself doubt that these fellows are genuine haters of Communism, etc.!"

That same establishment could not tolerate Edward I's decision to marry his twice divorce gal pal. He abdicated in 1937, forcing Bertie to take over as King George VI. By some accounts, ex-Kingie then told his Nazi friends about British and French plans for the defense of Belgium in the event of war.

Details, details. While it includes the occasional title card with a date, "The King's Speech" flies through the years. Bertie needs help speaking. He cavorts with that commoner. His brother abdicates. Now he's the king, cue the war.

While it is the movie's idea, it does seem a fair cop that the King should dress up and explain why the little people are once again being called upon to die for him and country. Can he do it? If he stutters, will the 'umble dustmen, washerwomen and fishmongers turn their backs on the House of Hanover, er, Windsor? Will the sun set on the Empire?

No worries, not as long as that Logue fellow is by our Bertie's side. He is by his side, eh, wot?

As usual, the real-world spoilers are not quite as neat as the script. Bertie's public speaking breakthrough came in 1927 on a visit to Logue's native Australia. He was king for almost two years before the outbreak of World War II. During that time, Bertie and his Queen took the unusual step of inviting Neville Chamberlain to appear with them on the royal balcony at Buckingham Palace after his return from appeasing Hitler in Munich.

Churchill had championed Franco and the "genius" Mussolini, but finally drew the line at Hitler. Still, he did not become prime minister until 1940. Bertie would have preferred Halifax. But do you know, that new P.M. does give a corker of a speech! He just might rally the people.

If you are familiar with this history, "The King's Speech" will help you unlearn it and replace it with a simpler and cheerier tale. There's no 'arm done, Guv'nor, and Lionel and Bertie make a very decent Jeeves and Royal Wooster.

Joe Tyrrell may be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it