Friday 24 June 2011

Can swans count?

From one mummy to another, I am wondering if she's realised that she's lost yet another one of her little cygnets. I'd like to think that perhaps nature is being kind to her and she can only count to three so hasn't realised that one of her treasured little ones has gone awol. I never did like that film, Fantastic Mr Fox! I know some people who think it's a wonderful film but I don't! They are boys though :)) ha ha...

I can think of much better films, such as The King's Speech, which I saw for the first time this week. What a brilliant film! I enjoyed it all the more because it's a true story about King George VI and how he overcame his stammer and became King. It's one of those films that is enthralling to watch, filled with little pockets of humour and makes 'one' feel lucky to not be in either position!

Colin Firth is one of those trustworthy actors who is very convincing as the stammering prince. It must have taken enormous skill, patience and a lot of practice to be able to perform so believably. It's reported that Lionel Logue, the Australian speech therapist played by Geoffrey Rush, wrote notebooks and the screenwriter, Seidler was offered these by Logue's son, Dr Valentine Logue (what a great name!) if the Queen Mum would give her permission. She asked him not to do so in her lifetime. So, Seidler halted the project. In 2002 when the Queen mum died, Seidler was suffering from cancer but during a bout of creativity and began work again on the project.
Reported to be a little inaccurate in places, the film is still a pretty accurate portrail of a reluctant king.  Albert or Bertie to his friends and family, George VI to us (yes, I know it's confusing!) was a very unassuming character who overcame the stammer that could have blighted his entire life and although would never have imagined he'd be King of England, because he'd lived in the shadow of his infamous, older brother Edward, he did a half decent job of it!

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