The King's Speech, the historical drama film directed by Tom Hooper and written by David Seidler, is set to air on television this Good Friday (April 18)
TV Parul Sharma 14:00, 10 Apr 2025
Colin Firth as the King, Helena Bonham Carter as the Queen Mother, and a wealth of history and drama at its core – what more could you want from a film?
The Oscar-winning movie The King's Speech is scheduled to air on television this Good Friday (April 18). Directed by Tom Hooper, the historical drama has received high praise for its screenplay, performances, and direction.
Written by David Seidler, The King's Speech is largely a biographical tale of King George VI - played to Oscar-winning standards by Firth - and his battle to conquer his stammer with the assistance of Australian speech and language therapist Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush).
As they collaborate, an extraordinary friendship blossoms between them, leading to a profound and meaningful connection. After his brother abdicates the throne, the new king is forced to deliver his first wartime radio broadcast in 1939 when Britain declared war on Germany.
With an impressive 94 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, The King's Speech promises to be a compelling watch. In June 2009, the UK Film Council awarded the film's production £1 million, reports the Mirror.
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The film was later premiered at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival on Colin Firth's 50th birthday, where it received a standing ovation and went on to win the esteemed People's Choice Award.
Proving to be a colossal box-office hit, the film raked in over a staggering £250million worldwide against a modest budget of less than £10 million.
The film also features a stellar cast with Guy Pearce, Michael Gambon, Timothy Spall, Derek Jacobi, Freya Wilson, and Jennifer Ehle, and earned rave reviews from critics for its stunning art direction, compelling screenplay, visual brilliance, performances, and soundtrack. A critic noted: "The King's Speech is the rare work of art that's also an immense crowdpleaser.
"The King's Speech" clinched four Oscars at the 83rd Academy Awards – bagging Best Actor for Firth, Best Director for Hooper, Best Original Screenplay for Seidler, and Best Picture – out of 12 nominations, the most any film received that year, marking a standout performance during the awards season.
Critics lavished praise on Colin Firth's Oscar-winning turn, one saying that "Firth strikes a perfect balance between his abrasive traits and the vulnerability that coaxes our empathy," with another commenting: "It is no wonder that Colin Firth was awarded with the highest prizes with this role. Such great acting."
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One reviewer said: "The King's Speech is a joy, and I adore it," whilst another person shared their emotional response: "By the film's end I was in tears: a pathetic critic-thing whimpering in the half-dark, knocked into resistlessness by the power of storytelling."
Audience reviews for the film have been overwhelmingly positive; one review read: "A very moving film with amazing performances. It beautifully tells the story about King George VI, his family, and his only friend," while another enthuses: "A regal masterpiece stuffed with great performances, great sets and great cinematography."
One viewer was deeply impressed by the movie's impact, added: "The King's Speech is an amazing film with great directing, editing, visuals, and performances. If you are someone who is interested in King George VI and the Royal Family, you would without a doubt like this film, even if you aren't interested in them I think you would still enjoy it because it is just a great film. The film manages to make a story of a King struggling to say words into something quite powerful and moving."
