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London 1934


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At first, I wasn't sure where to post this: in London Ceremonies? In off-topic? But then when I sat down to start typing, I recalled that the first scene in the film, THE KING'S SPEECH happened at the British Empire Games of 1934 at Wembley! It's when the Duke of York opens the British Empire Games (and then a light went on in my head--OMG! that was the Commonwealth Games!)

I just came from this MAGNIFICENT, MAGNIFCENT film this afternoon. I cannot recommend it highly enough...especially if you are an anglophile (as most of this Board is anyway)!! It's been a long time since I came out a film feeling ennobled, exhilirated...and all for the price of a matinee admission. It's bad enough that I am sucker for British period films, but this one just BOWLED me over completely. Colin Firth gave such a magnificent performance as the stuttering, insecure George VI that I am pinning my bets on him to win Best Actor. (I was not too crazy about THE QUEEN (the one with Helen Mirren) but this more than makes up for it!) I was just a little sad that my father is no longer around to have enjoyed this wonderful film because my father was very much a closet monarchist!!

Geoffrey Rush as Lionel Logue and Helena Bonham Carter (who I've taken a dislike to laterly because of all her villanous roles (Harry Potter, Sweeney Todd) was quite endearing. Above all, Colin Firth gave such a performance that you forgot that he looks a lot more simpatico than the real George VI but that the king was also a vulnerable human being!! I really felt for the monarch I know so little about...other than being QE2's father.

Of course this caps a wonderful 48 hours which began Sunday night when Masterpiece Theatre started DOWNTON ABBEY. And again, I was in costume-drama-heaven with it!!

Thank you, England for giving us such THEATRICAL HISTORY and Danny Boyle & co. would be fools NOT to use the priceless trove of British literature for the 2012 Opening Ceremonies!!!

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Why thank England?

The Queen Mother was of Scottish Nobility and the Windsor family has German ancestry

Since 1707 the Royal Family has been ruling the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, so if you want to thank England for giving us such theoatrical history then you would be referring to the period before 1707

I'm not getting at you i just hate it when people think of Britain they mostly think or say England, especially in the states and it just gets to me, especially when they talk about the war, as many people from Scotland, Wales and Ireland fought and died aswell

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Why thank England?

The Queen Mother was of Scottish Nobility and the Windsor family has German ancestry

Since 1707 the Royal Family has been ruling the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, so if you want to thank England for giving us such theoatrical history then you would be referring to the period before 1707

I'm not getting at you i just hate it when people think of Britain they mostly think or say England, especially in the states and it just gets to me, especially when they talk about the war, as many people from Scotland, Wales and Ireland fought and died aswell

Colin,

#1 - It's my prerogative to thank whom I want.

#2 - U're taking this whole thing too seriously. I'm in a happy mood these past 48 hours because of 2 wonderful films that ARE INHERENTLY VEDDY, VEDDY ENGLISH!! Where did I slam or perjure the other 3 peoples of the UK? Please let me enjoy my time without having to be lectured about it. Start your own thread for your issues.

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Actually, i think the start was at some Exhibition of British Industry in 1926. It was later on in the film that Bertie did the opening for the Empire Games at Wembley.

No, R. The opening sequence was the Closing Ceremony of the Empire Games.

Here's a 22-min behind-the-scenes feature. The film starts off at the BBC studio and then cuts to the live coverage at Wembley. http://blogs.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2011/01/10/watch-behind-the-scenes-look-at-the-kings-speech/

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As Roltel points out, the opening scene isn't from any Olympic Games but rather from the opening of a British Exhibition at Wembley Stadium.

With respect to the movie, I personally loved it. It was by far the best piece of cinema I have seen in at least the last 12 months. Moving, engaging and well acted. I loved the cheeky reference to Perth too.

Firth and Rush were superb.

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As Roltel points out, the opening scene isn't from any Olympic Games but rather from the opening of a British Exhibition at Wembley Stadium.

I'm confused. I really thought it was the Closing Ceremony of the 1934 (then) British EMpire Games...because if I'm not mistaken, the time-date was "1934." Rob or anyone, when you see this film, can you kindly note the opening sequence...whether it was indeed the 1925 British Empire Exhibition or the 1934 event?

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  • 2 weeks later...

I saw this movie yesterday and thought it was superb too. If this looses the best picture to "The Social Network" I will be greatly annoyed.

Scotguy - you have some serious issues. Please resolve them and stop making it everyone elses problem.

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Why thank England?

The Queen Mother was of Scottish Nobility and the Windsor family has German ancestry

Since 1707 the Royal Family has been ruling the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, so if you want to thank England for giving us such theoatrical history then you would be referring to the period before 1707

I'm not getting at you i just hate it when people think of Britain they mostly think or say England, especially in the states and it just gets to me, especially when they talk about the war, as many people from Scotland, Wales and Ireland fought and died aswell

Honestly Baron, he's right.

See, it's all very, very simple. :lol:

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George V, George VI & Edward VIII were all born in England. They may well be British, but they are also English. There is nothing wrong with what Baron said.

Thank you, Lee. And really, with all the FAR MORE important issues in the world, I think this identity crisis of the British Islanders should just stay at home.

I mean...this UK-quadruple-schizophrenia should not be foisted on outsiders.

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And if I want to move my sheep from Guernsey to Brigadoon? What citizenship papers will they use? :lol:

I think Monty Python might've made a funnier video. But really, we outsiders have more important things to think about. ;)

Funny you should mention Monty Pyhton. I'm almost certain "God" in that video is "God" from the Holy Grail.

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