Mechanical music galore in The King's Speech

[JHolmesesq]

I've just got back from seeing this film - I loved it.

It was nice to see proper perioud gramophones and radios being used in this production, Bertie had a lovely HMV Monarch Junior (I think) - and I found it fascinating with their representation of the BBC Empire Service broadcasts, the long corridor full of instruments for each country.

It was also refreshing to hear some decent music - Al Bowlly's "Shout For Happiness" provided the perfect mood for Simpson's wild party!

I was most interested in Logue's speech recording device - was it simultaneously playing music through the headphones, or was Bertie listening to the music on his picnic gramophone and the machine was transcribing his speech?

[barnettrp21122]

I was most interested in Logue's speech recording device - was it simultaneously playing music through the headphones, or was Bertie listening to the music on his picnic gramophone and the machine was transcribing his speech?[/quote]

I really liked the film too. I think in the above sequence Bertie was hearing just very loud playback of the music in the headphones, at the same time reading aloud the Shakespeare into the separate recording device. I think he literally couldn't "hear himself think" while speaking with the musical distraction, and the results were surprising.
Bob

[Henry]

I agree: good film! The Brits do a really great job with the drama, whether stage or screen. They have the authentic tradition and the actor training, and it shows. By the way, we (wife and I, both classical musicians) were very aware of the irony that all of the background classical music was by German or Austrian composers (Mozart, "Figaro" overture, Beethoven Sym. 7 mvt. 2 and C minor Piano Concerto (no.3), as Great Britain was on the brink of war with Germany.

[JHolmesesq]

By the way, we (wife and I, both classical musicians) were very aware of the irony that all of the background classical music was by German or Austrian composers (Mozart, "Figaro" overture, Beethoven Sym. 7 mvt. 2 and C minor Piano Concerto (no.3), as Great Britain was on the brink of war with Germany.

Haha, that is quite a bit ironic now you mention it - good spot!

I'm glad the 1930s were recreated in such detail, nothing wound me up more when I watched Benjamin Button recently and saw that they had an Indian crapophone in the fil....

[JohnM]

I agree: good film! The Brits do a really great job with the drama, whether stage or screen. They have the authentic tradition and the actor training, and it shows. By the way, we (wife and I, both classical musicians) were very aware of the irony that all of the background classical music was by German or Austrian composers (Mozart, "Figaro" overture, Beethoven Sym. 7 mvt. 2 and C minor Piano Concerto (no.3), as Great Britain was on the brink of war with Germany.

British royal family is of mostly German extraction so the music is actually rather appropriate!

[Henry]

British royal family is of mostly German extraction so the music is actually rather appropriate!

True enough. The whole topic is rather complicated; see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Windsor

The principal subject of the movie is discussed here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_VI_ ... ed_Kingdom

[De Soto Frank]

Saw the film last weekend and enjoyed it thoroughly.

I wondered if there would really have been that many external horn-machines still in business circa 1936 ?

[estott]

EMG and Expert were making their distinctive external horn machines through the 1930's

[gramophoneshane]

EMG and Expert were making their distinctive external horn machines through the 1930's

As late as 1943 if I remember correctly.

[Swing Band Heaven]

I would of thought that something like an HMV 800 radiogram would of been more likely myself.