When British cinema gets it wrong, we get it spectacularly wrong but when we get it right, we can produce some of the finest movies around. I'm glad to say that The King's Speech definitely falls into the latter. This is a triumph.
The second son of King George V has a problem; he stammers, especially when forced to make public speeches. Having seen doctors who claim they can cure him, his wife, Elizabeth, is desperate to find someway of getting him over it and so heads to a small street in London where she meets speech therapist Lionel Logue, an Australian failed actor who doesn't bow down to ceremony. Reluctantly Bertie, the nickname for the royal, meets Mr Logue and so begins an awkward working friendship while Bertie has to deal with the death of his father, his brother's relationship with Wallis Simpson and his eventual crowning just before war breaks out.
A lot has already been written about Colin Firth's extraordinary performance but it is incredible. Tipped to win this year's Oscar, here is a man who cannot control his speech problems and so is equally frustrated, angry and slowly losing any will to correct it until he is forced to. You genuinely feel his pain and it is, without a doubt, Firth's performance of a lifetime.
Geoffrey Rush is perfectly cheeky as Logue, a man who is unfazed by his student's status and he delivers another pitch perfect performance. As does Helena Bonham Carter as the future Queen Mother. With a sparkle in her eye, she brings a human touch to her persona.
That's one of the things that works so well. You get a feeling that these are more than Royal, they are human, they are just like everyone who views them. They are all played with affection and never with any malice.
Tom Hooper's direction is also interesting. He could have quite easily pointed the camera at his actors and let them do the work, but his framing makes it even more fascinating to watch.
One word of warning, however, is the language. This is a 12A in the UK, and yet there are a few scenes in which the F word is uttered, nah, shouted more often that Hugh Grant's opening gambit in Four Weddings and a Funeral. Amazing how times have changed.
Along side a historical story that very few would actually know about, this is an incredibly uplifting tale of an underdog fighting against the odds. It is witty, touching, and very moving but it will leave you with a real spring in your step. Come Oscar night, expect this to carry off a handful of awards, none more so than for Mr Firth.
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