Who knew? Seriously. Don't get me wrong. I've been a fan since the days of Pride and Prejiduce, and the weight and discomfort you brought to the role of Mr. Darcy. I liked the way your eyes would shine when you smiled and lets face it, you did look pretty good coming out of that lake after your swim.
And then when you essentially replayed the same role in Bridgit Jones Diary. I was charmed. Perfect casting, really. And well, when you played the same role in St. Trinians, a movie, I suspect Rupert Everett strongarmed you into. And well, I hope it gave you a lovely addition to your house.
And then A single man came out, and you were perfect in it. A role that had some familiarity and a whole ton more depth than I'd seen from you before.
And then I went to see the King's speech. And again, you are playing a stodgy Englishman, but the depth you show, how you bring such wounded dignity to this man who stammers at the worst possible time.
It's a role I literally cannot picture anyone else in. I just had no idea you were so good. Sorry about underestimating you. Clearly I won't do it again. And it did help that you were surrounded by Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter, and that the script is pretty wonderful, but anyone else could have been simply good and you were spectacular.
Looking forward to your oscar speech.
10 comments:
Ain't that the damn truth. He was positively brilliant! I cannot wait until he walks across the stage to receive that little golden guy.
Ha! Love this. And I've been in love with Colin Firth since 1991. That was the year I saw him on stage in the west end of London in a play I barely remember, except that it was an artsy challenging play, and he was in it. So was Donald Pleasence who died a few years later... But I digress...
And now that I think of it, I was already in love with Colin a year before, after I saw him in Valmont. The way better than Dangerous Liaisons version of that story.
I also literally ran into him in Leicester Square on that same trip to London in 1991, no doubt on his way to the theatre, but was too stupid to say, "Wow. I love you," and instead said, "Excuse me," like any good Canadian. But I expect it was already too late for me by then anyway... I think he was married to (or at least having a baby with) fellow Canadian Meg Tilly. :( Otherwise, I'm sure we'd be happily married right now.
I really want to see this! I'm having trouble convincing hubby. "It sounds boring," he says. "I know," I reply, "But apparently it really isn't!" I may have to go by myself.
So cool that you ran into him, Maureen. Of course if he did not already have someone, he would have been instantly smitten and the rest would have been history.
I will have to debate you on the Dangerous Liasons thing, though. Glenn Close and John Malkovich win hands down for me.
Simone, you should go see it. The dialogue in it is wonderful and it's not boring in the least.
And Maureen, I'm not surprised you ran into Colin Firth.
Simone, we'll have to have that debate. For me, the casting in Valmont was WAY better. I had a lot of trouble believing either Malkovich or Close were those characters because neither are attractive enough to have seduced so many people or to be able to have anyone they wanted. And he wasn't charming enough.
But maybe that's because I'd seen Firth and Benning (both very beautiful) in the roles first. I also liked Faruka Balk in the young girl role better than the obviously too old for the part Uma Thurman.
The one weak link in Valmont for me was Meg Tilly. But maybe that's because I'm jealous that she stole my man. ;)
Don't get me wrong. I think the cast of DL was good, too... but having seen Valmont first, I was constantly comparing and DL came up short.
Plus, how can you compare Henry Thomas to Keanu Reeves? Henry Thomas was so sweet and innocent and earnest in his chivalry and Keanu, well, as usual he was just silly.
DL had a bigger budget and was more Hollywood, but I liked Valmont better.
Maureen, I'm sure Colin still thinks of you often.
Maureen, I agree with you on the casting in Valmont, except that I thought Meg Tilly was perfect! She exuded much more innocence than Michelle Pfeiffer as the faithful wife, which I might add was actually the only decently cast character in Dangerous Liaisons!
Rosemarie, I think you and I are in sync on this. Meg did come off very innocent and pious. I also think Michelle Pfeiffer was the closest thing to good casting in DL. But I didn't totally believe she was that ruined... Meg Tilly was destroyed. The more I think of it, the more you're right. the Milos Foreman version of that movie is SO much better. :)
Also, trivia I heard somewhere... Meg Tilly was cast to play Mozart's wife in Amadeus, but got sick? or hurt herself? and so had to be recast. But Foreman loved her and so called her when casting Valmont.
I'm such a Johnny-come-lately to the whole Colin Firth thing. I'd seen him in things, and liked him well enough (or didn't even recognize him, "The English Patient" f'rinstance) but lightening didn't strike until March when I saw..."St. Trinian's." (I know, right?) Just in time to catch "A Single Man" in the theater. Took me 5 months to track down everything listed on imdb - and guess what? He's always been amazing! Check out the pre-Darcy stuff like "Apartment Zero" or "Tumbledown" or "A Month in the Country." Amazing, heartbreaking, fabulous.
I did like "Dangerous Liaisons" better as a movie, though, because even though I thought the casting was completely wrong, I loved the relationship between Glenn Close and John Malkovich (their characters, I mean). That made the movie for me, and everything else was secondary. Whereas I didn't feel any chemistry at all between Colin and Annette Benning, which meant the whole raison d'etre for everything else that happens in the movie was lost.
"The King's Speech" - NOT BORING! FUNNY AS HELL! GO GO GO!
TimWarp
HUGE Colin Firth fan here. I also convinced Dear Daughter One that no one else has ever played or will ever play Darcy as well as Colin. She and I have yearly Pride and Predjudice viewing marathons. When an actor can captivate both mothers and daughters he's a winner.
And as for The King's Speech? Wonderful. Funny. Sweet. And, what else, Captivating. Took both teen daughters to it and they loved it as well.
I really hope Colin goes to the Oscars. I'll be waiting.
Nelsa
P.S. And, Maureen? After all these years you never told me that story of bumping into Colin? I'm so very jealous...
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