THE KING'S SPEECH: words cannot adequately convey this film's brilliance

If you've ever wondered just what a multi-Oscar winning film looks like before it's actually won the little gold statuettes look no further than THE KING'S SPEECH.
This is the kind of film that makes the profession (unpaid) of film reviewing worthwhile. This is the diamond that I search for through the enormous mountain of diamonique that constitutes 90% of the film industry's output.

The story of the unlikely friendship between the Duke of York and future King George VI (Oscar nominated Colin Firth) and Lionel Logue (Oscar nominated Geoffrey Rush), the Australian speech therapist who cured the shy and insecure Royal of his crippling stammer is so beautifully told that only the hardest and coldest of hearts will be left unmoved.
Firth and Rush are perfectly matched with both giving the other the space to express their character and neither trying to steal the scene from the other. Rush is loose and relaxed, confident and comfortable in his own skin while Firth is a bundle of repressed anxieties and frustrations. He views himself as totally unfit for the office of King which he realises could be thrust on him if his older brother, King Edward VIII insists on marrying the twice divorced American Wallis Simpson.
The Duke's life experience is limited to his service in the Royal Navy and he confesses to Logue that he's the first 'ordinary man' he's ever met but Logue is far from that. Not only is he an outsider by dint of his nationality he's also a far from conventional therapist, and is unwilling to change who he is or how he treats patients to conform to Royal expectations of deference.
The ensuing battle of wills is amusing and moving. Logue insists on equality if he is to treat the Duke - "I'll call you Bertie and you call me Lionel" - and while he's respectful of the Duke's position he refuses to stand on ceremony. This takes some adjustment for Bertie and his wife Elizabeth (Oscar nominated Helena Bonham Carter) who have no experience of life outside stuffy court circles and makes for some slyly funny moments.

The crowning achievement of THE KING'S SPEECH is to create an irresistible yet completely unmanipulated sense of empathy and concern for Bertie. By accident of birth he is one of the most privileged people on the planet yet we don't envy him his position. Yes he's the son of a King and Emperor but he's also a very ordinary man in an impossible situation. Oscar nominated Director Tom Hooper promotes this idea from the film's very first scene, with the young Duke forced to deliver a speech in front of thousands of people and relayed to millions more by radio. For anyone who has ever had to speak in public - stammer or not - it's easy to identify with his plight.
This powerful personal story is set in the context of the enormous political upheaval caused not only by Edward's abdication (which shook the British establishment) but also Hitler's relentless expansion in Europe which is pushing Great Britain ever closer to war. Can the new King conquer his personal demons and find the courage to provide his people with the strong and resolute leadership they require to face the challenges ahead?
With great performances, a memorable (Oscar nominated) script, and a touching story the Oscar nominated THE KING'S SPEECH is damn near perfect. You'll laugh, you'll cry and you'll sense the weight of history on your shoulders. What more can you ask for?