Better late than never with a review. The film has only just been released on DVD so we had the treat of seeing it a couple of days ago.
The truth is that I had seen so much hype and so many clips that I wondered if any film could possibly live up to the expectations planted in my soul. No need to worry: as you probably already know, it was outstanding.
So what do I say that hasn’t already been said? Well, first of all I kept wondering when the real tear-jerker bit would come. As it happened, there were several. One of which caught me unawares whilst King George VI was rehearsing for the coronation in Westminster Abbey with Lionel Logue. Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush were outstanding in the way they sparked off one another to produce a startling but wholly believable performance.
There is something about the present consciousness of the Western World which resonates strongly with this film. I definitely was not disappointed, indeed it might be said that I learnt more about myself from the story. It helps to have knowledge of some of the background, though it’s not mandatory. I did learn that royalty is always royalty and commoners are always commoners……… (unless they marry a royal of course.) More importantly, I recognised the pivotal role of the monarchy in the UK at a particular time in history. Things are slightly different now, mainly because of the growth of the celebrity culture. In the UK we tend towards wanting to know more and more of celebs and royalty, as if to know they are just human after all. True, but maybe a bit dull at times?
So, Dear Reader, let me know what you think about the film, or about royalty, or about how it made you feel.
We watched this extraordinary film a few weeks ago. We love the King and the Queen. Dianne
I’ve neither read the book nor seen the movie. Sounds like I should!
Another good review from you, Freda! Wasn’t the film marvelous? Yes, it was. One of the best I recall in ages, such quality. Nice, as a viewer, to be treated as someone with sensibilities, emotions, romantic inclinations, and loyalty (be it to a commoner spouse or to royalty!). I feel I am the better for having seen it.
The royals have never had much of my attention. Yet I was excited when I learned that Kate Middleton has the same birthday as I, and that somehow made me more interested in watching the royal wedding. I enjoyed it very much and I do wish them well (and it would be nice if people would leave them alone). But wouldn’t you know that her younger sister seems to have stolen the show (I keep hearing Pippa mentioned with that term, which makes my heart ache for her newlywed sister)–and tonight I saw an interview with the author who penned the biography of Diana and he said there has been a lot of sibling rivalry between the two sisters and on and on. I don’t know. It just made me sad because I thought they looked so lovingly at one another at the wedding and I hoped they got along better than my younger sister and I have as adults. I thought it was fun to share a birthday with Kate, but having sibling rivalry (with a younger sister who looks a lot like you but who draws on drama) in common is simply too much!
Am working on my Old Postcard Wednesday post about Loch Katrine…it will be up soon.
I loved the movie….loved it! Mr. Rush probably was expecting and should have also won an award. Every single actor was stunning and kept complete depth of character and my lack of English history was invigorated. Settings, etc. cannot praise this movie enough and I saw it twice.