“The King’s Speech,” the period drama about King George VI of Britain and his vocal coach, won best picture and three other trophies at the 83rd Academy Awards ceremony on Sunday night. But in many ways the Oscars played out like the more populist and less prestigious Golden Globes: veering in multiple directions as voters sprinkled their attention among a half-dozen pictures, with no film walking away with a commanding sweep.
“The King’s Speech” did not make its presence felt until late in the night, with an unexpected victory for Tom Hooper as best director. David Seidler won for his original screenplay for this film, while Colin Firth took the best-actor prize.
“I have a feeling my career’s just peaked,” said Mr. Firth, who went on to joke that he was “experiencing stirrings” somewhere in the upper abdominal region, “which are threatening to transform themselves into dance moves.”
I’ve seen the trailer, and I will make it a point to see the film when it comes to a theater in my area.
Well deserved awards. Great movie.
It was a very fine movie, and all the accolades are entirely deserved. But in another way it was pretty formulaic. And I like forumulas, just like most people. But in a way, when I go to see a film, or to an art gallery to see the work of a new painter, or to a musical performance, I am most often asking, “make it fresh and new.” Show me something I haven’t seen before. For me, anyway, The Fighter, Black Swan, and Winter’s Bone were all actually better films . . . .
Bruce Robison