Oscar buzz for winner at Toronto film fest

Rediff.com's Arthur J Pais reports from the Toronto International Film Festival.

A life-affirming, often funny story of an heir to the British throne who has a dreaded stutter, and how an unorthodox speech therapist helps him overcome the severe handicap, The King's Speech received The Cadillac People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival.

The movie had received the most Oscar buzz at the 35-year-old festival, which ended on Sunday.

Many People's Choice winners at TIFF -- which screens over 250 feature films from more than 60 countries, and is also attended by many Oscar voters -- have gone on to receive many Oscar nominations. The winners include American Beauty and Slumdog Millionaire.

King's Speech was inspired by real life story of George VI (played by Colin Firth), father of Queen Elizabeth II, who ascended the throne following the abdication of his brother. This was the era when radio had become popular and public figures were expected to mesmerize the listeners especially during difficult times.

The film is not just about a man surmounting a challenge (with the help of his wife, played by Helena Bonham Carter) but also the story of a slow brewing friendship between two unequal men. The relationship starts awkwardly since the therapist (Geoffrey Rush) has no respect for royal protocol.

The British-Australian production, which will be released in November, has been directed by Tom Hooper.

'An emotionally stirring Oscar magnet,' declared the headline in the British paper The Guardian. 'If it can sustain its Toronto momentum at the London film festival and beyond, a best picture nod for Hooper's sublime yarn is surely on the cards as well.'

Michael Phillips in Chicago Tribune called the film, 'brisk, witty and poignant…..' He added: 'Perhaps the festival gala screening attracted an unusually warm audience, but the climactic wartime speech referenced by the title provoked a whopping round of applause. All kinds of audiences, I suspect, are going to find this one irresistible. As the son of a mother who worked as a speech therapist, it made me especially pleased about its lightly worn inspirational qualities -- qualities that never get in the way of everything else that works in The King's Speech.

'Colin Firth, following up on his Oscar-nominated role in A Single Man, now can claim a place among Britain's finest film actors with his performance,' wrote Hollywood Reporter.

It beat other well-regarded and popular films like Clint Eastwood's Hereafter, Robert Redford's The Conspirator and Andy De Emmony's West Is West (featuring Om Puri and Ila Arun).

One of the reasons why the film will have a wide appeal, in addition to the story of a man overcoming a big handicap, is its humour. Rush tells Firth, at one point, that previous contenders who tried to cure him of the stammer, were idiots.

"They've all been knighted," Firth answers.