The King's Speech (Impediment) - You're A Prince and A Prince Could Be King

For some reason after viewing "The King's Speech" the Broadway musical "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown" got stuck in my head. In a prelude to the shows rousing opening number, Charlie Brown's sister Sally and frenemy Lucy make frank assessments:

SALLY:
The only thing wrong with my big brother, Charlie Brown is his lack of confidence, his inferiority and lack of confidence. His clumsiness, his inferiority, his lack of confidence...


LUCY: Now Charlie Brown has what you call a failure face, Linus. Notice how it has failure written all over it. Study it carefully. You rarely see such a good example.

These words could well describe Prince Albert Duke of York (Colin Firth), son to King George V (Michael Gambon), brother to Edward Prince of Wales (Guy Pearce) and husband to Elizabeth Duchess of York (Helena Bonham Carter). Despite the pedigree, Albert - nicknamed Bertie - is withdrawn and suffers from a terrible stammer. Comfortable enough in the security of his wife and children to communicate, he crumbles into a stammering mess in the presence of his intimidating king father, and adventure-seeking playboy brother.

As Duke of York public speaking is a requirement. After Albert staggers his way through a closing ceremony address at Wembley Stadium, Elizabeth determines to find help for her long suffering husband. Following many failed attempts she happens upon speech therapist Lionel Logue. An Australian expat with unconventional therapeutic techniques, Logue gets the assignment. Albert, loath to submit to another therapy after repeated failures, acquiesces, and a final effort to be rid of his ruinous speech impediment is begun.

That The King's Speech was originally an as yet unproduced play, tied to the feature film fast track, comes as no surprise. This is a film where people talk. A lot. Some more skillfully than others.  The screenplay by David Seidler is clever, affectionate, wise and above all supremely entertaining - an adjective overload but it barely scratches the surface - never a turgid chamber piece one might expect considering its theatrical roots. The King's Speech is a triumphant sports drama disguised a a drawing room drama.  You root for Prince Albert to succeed. He's down but not out, and about to face the fight of his life. It's Rocky for the Scripps National Spelling Bee crowd.

Portraying the man who would be king, Firth's subtle facial tics, halting speech and awkward physicality reveal nobility despite an ego crushing affliction. Firth's Prince Albert is poignant, imperious and prone to fits of pique. Firth takes what could have been a one note character and creates a man of substance. What ails Prince Albert is more psychological than physical and he is forced to tear down emotional walls and build a trusting bond with Logue if he is to be healed. Albert's transformation via Firth is subtle and moving.

With all this praise for Colin Firth what's left for Geoffrey Rush's Lionel Logue? Rush is remarkable.  He is such a unique talent. When I saw Amadeus for the first time and F. Murray Abraham's Salieri, I knew within 5 minutes that I was seeing an Oscar winning performance.  And that is how I feel about Rush here. His Logue is a quiet force. Whether he's entertaining his sons with an impromptu rendition of Richard the III (a foreshadowing of events to come), or tutoring Albert with trecherous tongue twisters (try saying “I have a sieve full of sifted thistles and a sieve full of unsifted thistles, because I am a thistle sifter" 5 times quickly) he emits certitude and earnestness. The guy's a total mench.

There are many other performers worthy of mention, but chief amongst these is Helena Bonham Carter.  I've never been a fan, but she's terrific here. Cheerful and charming; the perfect foil to high-strung Albert. She's the glue that holds Lionel and Albert together. The great woman behind a man who could be great. Bonham Carter has never been as appealing. With compassionate brown eyes and a dry wit her Elizabeth is at ease with royals and commoners alike. That Elizabeth will one day be Queen Mother is never in doubt; Carter gives her the shoulders of Atlas and the heart of a protective lioness. Bonham Carter's other film roles oft times seem so dour. Here her smile illuminates the screen.

Guy Pearce as elder brother Edward, first in line to the throne, gives the shallow callow man-child a conflicted nature. In a scene where he mercilessly teases Bertie's stammer, he is at once pleased and pained by the power he has over his younger brother. He is protector and tormentor. And when Edward's ascension to the throne is inevitable, his anguish is genuine. He's bitterly aware that he lacks the stomach or backbone for the task. Edward's malady is internal and he is the weaker of the two brothers, despite outward appearance.

Back to that lovable loser Charlie Brown. At the conclusion of You're A Good Man Charlie Brown he ponders what it is to be a "good man" and determines that it's trying your best and making the most of what you've been given in this life. He has always been a good man but never realized it because of his perceived shortcomings. Who would have thought that Prince Albert - King George VI - would have so much in common with the round headed kid.

"You're a good man Charlie Brown you're a prince and a prince could be king
With a heart such as yours you could open any doors you could go out and do anything
You could be King Charlie Brown you could be king!"