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Where the Truth Lies (2005)

“Where the Truth Lies” takes the viewer on a two-part journey stretching from the east coast to the west coast and covering a great deal of scandal in between.

 We begin with Vince Collins (Colin Firth) and Lanny Morris (Kevin Bacon). They are a two-man team beloved by Americans in the 1950’s.  Success, fame, mob ties, fancy hotel rooms and a scandal. 

 The movie’s beginning finds the comedy duo flying to New Jersey from Miami.  They’ve just arrived when the naked body of a student from Miami, who had been writing an article about the famous comics thus intimately involved with both men, appears in their hotel bathtub. Though she’d been researching the two, the police find no other tie from Vince and Lanny to Maureen O’Flaherty (Rachel Blanchard) and the case is ruled death by overdose.

 Cleared of any wrongdoing, the duo splits anyway. No further information is uncovered about Maureen’s death and both men fade into the background as the case turns cold.

 We flash forward fifteen years. In the 1970’s, Karen O’Connor (Alison Lohman) is charged with helping write the biography of Vince Collins. In attendance at the very event in Miami that started the scandal connecting Vince and Lanny to Maureen, Karen was fascinated to learn the real truth behind that scandal.

 As she begins writing for Vince, chapters from a tell-all about the duo’s history, written by Lanny Morris, are sent to Karen from none other than Lanny himself. Intrigued, she happens to meet Lanny on a flight, but conceals her true identity. The two have an affair, but Karen is ultimately exposed later in Los Angeles when Vince and Lanny arrange to meet each other.

 Threats, blackmail, drugs, sex and betrayal lead Karen down a dark road with Vince and Lanny as she discovers the nasty truth of what the two did decades ago in Miami. Ultimately, the writer has loyalty to neither man and chooses to expose the truth on her own terms.

Colin FIrth's Role:

Vince Collins is a dark character. One half of a famous comedy duo in 1950’s American, he hides a secret about his private life that threatens to destroy him. Unwilling to be exposed, he is willing to go as far as he must to protect his image.

 Firth deviates from his traditional character in this role. In “Where the Truth Lies,” Firth is far from the lovable, stuff Brit. He is dark, he is brooding, he is desperate. Vince Collins is outwardly attractive and inwardly haunted by his sexuality and the truth of his participation in Maureen’s death.

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What A Girl Wants (2003)

Amanda Bynes plays “Daphne Reynolds, an eccentric teenager living an ordinary life in New York with her mother, Libby (Kelly Preston). She goes to school, works part-time, and has a boring life…until one day when it is all turned upside down.

 Never having met Lord Henry Dashwood, her father (Colin Firth), she embarks on a journey across the pond in order to truly understand her father and her paternal heritage.

 Upon her arrival, she meets and nice boy named Ian and learns her father is one of the best-known politicians in England. Her presence in England is warmly accepted by Lord Dashwood, who had been unaware of her existence. However, Lord Henry Dashwood and his political ambitions are put in jeopardy by the arrival and public displays of the loud American girl, a favorite of the British paparazzi’s quest for tabloid fodder. Intent to be the only two objects of Henry Dashwood’s affection and quite keen to promote Henry’s rise to be Prime Minister, Henry’s fiancée and her daughter, Glynnis and Clarissa, do everything in their power to force Daphne to turn her back on the Dashwood legacy.

 Daphne’s attempts to be less of a fish-out-of-water and more of a socially-acceptable debutante only result in more public fiascos, which begin to weigh on the fragile father-daughter relationship.

 When the British gossip become too much to bear, Daphne must make a choice between pleasing her father or herself. She tries her hardest to conform to the societal norms; but, ultimately decides she, like her mother years before, cannot. Henry Dashwood is informed of the turn of events that led his true love, Daphne’s mother Libby, to leave without telling him of Daphne’s existence. Henry breaks off his engagement to Glynnis, resigns from political life, and flies to New York. The ending finds this long-separated trio reunited at long last.

Colin Firth's Role:

In “What a Girl Wants,” the character of Lord Henry Dashwood is played by Colin Firth. Firth’s portrays Dashwood as the typical British politician. Henry is dutiful, has a picture-perfect fiancée, and his blue-blooded heritage allows him to move easily in high-brow, exclusive social circles. Henry seems content with his life; however, early on, we do see glimpses that Henry is eager to break free from the buttoned-collars and stuffy suits. Perhaps break the chains of patriarchy once and for all? The decision to become Prime Minister, we realize quickly, is one Dashwood is not entirely certain of, though he easily acquiesces to his fiancée. Slowly, we watch as the carefree style of his daughter, Daphne, changes him gradually until he finally chooses to abandon his aristocratic legacy. His spontaneous decision to reunite with his long-lost love, Libby, finds him giving his daughter what she wanted all along: a father to dance with at for the Father-Daughter dance.

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Trauma (2004)

Starring Colin Firth as “Ben,” “Trauma” is a psychological drama exploring aspects of grief. 

 Fresh from a coma, Ben awakes to the news his wife Elisa (played by Naomie Harris) has been killed in a car crash. The gravity of the news sends him into a state of shock and necessitates weeks in the hospital. When he returns home, we are introduced to his neighbour Charlotte (played by Mena Suvari).  Charlotte is a friendly, welcoming part of Ben’s new routine and even helps introduce him to a medium when it becomes clear Ben needs more information about the car accident.

 At the same time Ben and Elisa were in the accident, a popular singer Lauren Parris was murdered. All of England is abuzz with rumour and speculation regarding her death and this horrific tragedy is all over the news. Soon, the police make a connection between Elisa and the murdered pop star.

 They question Elisa’s husband and this forces Ben, who is already mentally unstable, to question Elisa’s death. Ben tries to appeal to Elisa’s family for more information and speaks to her sister Carrie. Carrie tells Ben to move on and leave the family alone.

 Charlotte takes him, again, to visit the medium. The medium tells him Elisa is indeed alive.  At this point, Ben begins to lose his clarity on what is real and imagined, finding himself constantly bombarded with visions of Elisa and concerned he might have been the one that murdered the pop singer. He approaches Carrie again, after a vision of a photo linking him to Lauren. Carrie admits Ben was following Elisa. She tells Ben the marriage had broken down before the car accident and coma. 

 Elisa appears at Ben’s apartment and admits that she is not dead. She tells Ben they invented the story because she wanted nothing to do with Ben. This propels Ben further into his descent toward insanity.

 Finally, Ben begins to question whether or not Charlotte is real. They have a confrontation in the apartment, Ben’s insanity causes him to snap. He kills Charlotte, believing she was not real.

 Colin Firth's Role:

Ben is a character demonstrating, quite dramatically, the effects of grief, trauma, and deceit. At the onset, we are aware Ben has lost his grip on reality. He has been in an accident, has lost his wife, and is uncertain of what has happened.

 His attempt to return to his home and regain a normal life have a reverse effect. He is made a stranger in his own home and nothing normal happens. The recent murder of a well-known pop singer only causes him to spin further out of control.

 The psychological torture of not truly understanding the difference between visions of his dead wife and possibly true sightings of her causes the unstable Ben to investigate further. He uses her family, the police, his psychiatrist, his friend, his neighbour, and a medium to try and bring a semblance of normalcy to his life. Unfortunately, every twist and turn delves Ben further into insanity.

 Though he did not do anything wrong before the movie started, the movie ends with the tragic character killing the only person who wanted to help him, his neighbour Charlotte.

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Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a gripping ride through Cold War Espionage. Starting from the very beginning a top agent is shot in communist Hungry causing an international incident. “Control” and George Smiley are forced to retire from British Intelligence also known as “The Circus”. Control soon dies, and Percy Alleline takes his place. Bill Hayden (Colin Firth) is Alleline’s right hand man. They quickly launch operation “Witchcraft”.

Soon after these initial events Smiley is brought out of retirement by an intelligence officer following an M16 lead, to investigate the very men who took his place at “the circus”. As Smiley begins interviewing people several things become clear; Bill Hayden was having an affair with his wife, and everyone knows something, no one knows everything.

While investigating; the very M16 Agent who sought to bring Smiley out of retirement is found hiding in his house. He tells Smiley a tale that only deepens the mystery and leaves him even less convinced on who to trust. He then learns that the agent shot in Hungry has returned. The agent tells smiley that Control sent him to Hungry to uncover the Soviet mole. Code names were assigned to five suspects “Tinker” (Alleline), “Tailor” (Hayden) “Soldier” (Bland), and even “Beggarman” (Smiley). 

Knowing that all these men regularly meet their “Witchcraft” contact, Smiley deduces that he is actually the handler for the mole. With the help of the M16 agent Smiley sets a trap. He has the original agent announce that he knows who the spy is. Thus prompting the mole to arrange an emergency meeting with his handler. The plan plays out flawlessly and the mole is revealed to be “Tailor” Bill Hayden. Before Smiley can return him to the Soviets he is killed by the original agent. Smiley however, is made Chief of “The Circus”.

Colin Firth’s Role

Colin Firth plays “Tailor” Bill Hayden a double agent who is purposefully sleeping with Smiley’s wife. Bill Haydon’s back story and character are loosely based on real-life double agent Kim Philby. Bill Haydon claims to have been recruited in the 1930’s by the Soviets, and that he was only sleeping with Smiley’s wife in order, to discredit any suspicions Smiley may bring forward about him. In the movie Hayden betrays an agent sent to Hungry to uncover his true identity and he is the driving force behind operation “Witchcraft”. The operation gives him easy access to his handlers and also serves to trick both British and American Intelligent agencies into offering up information to the Soviets. Firth’s portrayal of Bill Haydon has been revered as one of the best in the movie, his dialogues are often repeated and some of the most memorable from the film.

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Then She Found Me (2007)

Then She Found Me is an American comedy-drama loosely based on a 1990 novel with Helen Hunt at the helm in her debut directing effort. The movie starts with April Epner, a religious fanatic and teacher, having a very bad day. Her adoptive mother dies, her husband leaves her suddenly, and shortly after her biological mother contacts her, which shocks April as she has had no contact with the woman since birth. To make matters more intriguing, her mother claims that her biological father is Steve McQueen, an acclaimed celebrity, and April rejects her mother’s efforts to rebuild their mother-daughter relationship.

 Soon, April also meets an divorced single father named Frank (played by Colin Firth), whose child is one of her students. They talk endlessly on the phone, but when they go out on their first date, they end up in the apartment of her biological mother, who is also a famous talk host throwing a big party.

 April discovers that she is pregnant with her ex-husband’s child, and she is happy to be pregnant as she has always wanted to be a mother. However, this causes Frank to leave suddenly, and Ben returns. She realises that her biological mother lied to her and gave her up for adoption a full year after she was born, instead of just a few days after her birth as she was originally told, and this causes great conflict within April.

 Soon, she miscarries, and her brother Freddy has to console her. The movie ends with April embarking on a spiritual journey to come to terms with all that has happened, and reflecting on what this means for her personal relationship with God.

Colin Firth’s Role:

 Colin Firth plays Frank, April’s lover who leaves her after she finds out that she is pregnant with her ex-husband’s child. Firth worked for minimum wage on the film, as he was impressed with the director’s dedication and passion for the project. Helen Hunt tried to produce the movie for ten years but was unable to do so because no studio wanted to take the risk of putting such a big project in the hands of a debut director, and she had to raise funds and call in favors from her friends in the acting profession, like Matthew Broderick (who played the part of Ben) in an attempt to finally see her dream come to fruition.

 There were substantial differences between the source material and the movie, and the movie was panned by fans of the book. However, Firth’s performance, as well as Hunt’s own performance in the role of April Epner, was praised by critics who thought that they managed to deliver very emotional and affecting performances in the main roles. However, the fundamental issues in the script and the problems with technical issues like sound and music meant that the film only received mediocre reviews by most major critics.

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The Turn of the Screw (1999)

A ghost story set in the 19th century, The Turn of the Screw is a television movie based on the novella by Henry James. A young governess is hired by Master (played by Colin Firth) to look after his niece and nephew. He lives in London and does not take any great interest in the welfare of the children. Miles, the boy, attends a boarding school, while his sister Flora stays at a country estate. Master gives the governess full authority over the children and insists that he is not to be bothered.

 The governess begins her duties at the country house, where Miles soon arrives, having been expelled for mysterious reasons that she does not dare ask about. It is implied that there are grim reasons behind the expulsion, but Miles appears to all as a perfectly normal little boy. A man and a woman, two ghostly figures, are seen by the governess as she goes about her duties, and the housekeeper reveals that they are Miss Jessel, the previous governess, and another employee.

 The two had a relationship and sexually abused the two children. The governess is sure that the two children are aware of the ghosts, and this is proved when she witnesses Flora talking to one of the ghosts. The housekeeper takes Flora away to visit her uncle, and Miles and the governess are left alone at home, talking about his expulsion. A ghost appears at the window, and Miles tries to speak to it, but the governess protects him, and discovers that Miles has fainted and the ghost has vanished.

 It is implied that Miles dies at the end of the original novella, but this is left ambiguous in the film.

Colin Firth’s Role:

 Colin Firth plays the role of Master, the uncle to Miles and Flora, who lives in London and does not want anything to do with the children at his country estate called Bly. He hires a governess to take care of them (and replace the first one, Miss Jessel) and instructs her never to communicate with him. His first meeting with the governess is sexually charged, and his appearance in the film only consists of about five minutes where he convinces the governess to go to Bly and take care of the two children. Master does this by seducing the governess with his words, in an attempt to convince her to place her trust in him.

 He has been praised by fans for being ‘perfect’ for the role and being able to deliver his few lines well, adding to the gothic and suspenseful theme of the entire film. Alongside his fellow actor Jodhi May, who played the governess, Firth was convincing to critics as a somewhat sleazy member of London high society who did not care for the children of his deceased sibling.

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The Last Legion (2007)

The Last Legion is a historical film based on a 2003 Italian novel, depicting the fall of the Western Roman Empire and other events in the 5th century of ancient history. Arthurian legends are referenced in the film, and the story revolves around the ‘sword of Julius Caesar’, which later is shown to be the sword that Arthur pulls out of the rock.

 Narrated by a British tutor named Ambrosinus, former Druid and tutor to Romulus, the heir to the Roman throne, the story starts when a barbarian goth leader demands a third of Roman land from the current emperor. He is rebuffed, and later that day, Romulus meets the legendary general of a special legion, whose name is Aurelius (played by Colin Firth). Romulus is crowned soon after, but the Goths attack, and Aurelius’ legion is decimated.

 Romulus is captured, but Ambrosinus saves his life and they are exiled to a dilapidated estate faraway from Rome. Romulus discovers Caesar’s sword in the estate, with a message about how the one who owns the sword will rule over Rome. He keeps the sword, and soon Aurelius leads a tiny band of legionaries to rescue them. They go to the port, where they have been told that they will be given an opportunity to escape to the East, but they are betrayed and slip away in great danger.

 They escape to Britain, and initially settle down with the townspeople, who hate the Romans but do not know who Romulus is. After his cover is blown, they decide to make one last fight at Hadrian’s Wall, and miraculously, with some help from a legion they thought obsolete, they win and manage to kill several Goth leaders. Romulus throws the sword away where it becomes lodged in a stone, and Ambrosinus reveals that his druid name is Merlin. This sets the stage for the future Arthurian chronicles, and the movie ends happily as Aurelius gets married and raises Romulus as his own son.

Colin Firth’s Role:

 Colin Firth plays Aurelius, a true historical character who takes on the role of a father figure to the Roman emperor Romulus after his own parents are killed. As the general of a legion that dies early in the movie, Aurelius has to assemble his own rag-tag gang of warriors that fight against the Goths with great success, aided by the Ninth Legion who they thought had already betrayed them.

 The movie was panned by critics, who thought that Firth was unable to bring out the ‘joie de vivre’ and spontaneity required for his character, but others praised Firth for committing to the historical role and showing mastery of action scenes, which he had rarely done earlier in his career.

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The King's Speech (2010)

The King’s Speech illuminates the struggles of King George VI (Colin Firth) as he fights to overcome a speech impediment and prove his worthiness for the throne of England. This award winning movie opens to King George (The Duke of York at the time) attempting to stumble through a speech while countless Britain’s watch . 

Defeated and frustrated King George VI (“Bertie”) has lost all hope for a cure. His wife searches out a renowned speech therapist by the name of Lionel Bridge. Lionel is known for unorthodox methods but ensures that he can cure anyone who wants to be cured. Lionel shows how controversial his methods are as he refers to the future king as “Bertie” and even wagers a shilling “Bertie” could recite Hamlet’s soliloquy while listening to a song simultaneously. Convinced he failed “Bertie” leaves angrily. Later “Bertie” listens to the recording of himself reciting Hamlet. He finds he did so with crystal clear accuracy.

Shortly after “Bertie’s” father dies, and his brother ascends the throne as King Edward VIII. Edward’s reign is thwart with scandal and comes to an abrupt end when he abdicates. Suddenly “Bertie” finds himself King George VI. Unable to ignore his speech problems any longer he brings Lionel to the Westminster. Shortly after arriving, Lionel mocks the establishment. The King sees it as blatant disrespect and showers Lionel with a sudden burst of angry eloquence.  

War is declared on Nazi Germany, and the King must make another live broadcast speech. Suddenly Lionel’s techniques make sense, and he insists on having Lionel by his side during the broadcast. Only Lionel and the King are in the room as he speaks flawlessly with Lionel’s guidance. By the end, the King is speaking freely.

Colin Firth’s Role

Colin Firth actually plays three different personas. He is the Duke of York an Aristocrat, who is struggling with public humiliation while experiencing countless pressures from his Father King George V. He is “Bertie” father to Margaret and Elizabeth (the future queen) where Firth conveys a deep sense of grief as he attempts to stumble through a simple story for, his children. Finally, he is King George VI, who triumphantly speaks to the people of England and helps carry them through war.

This role won Firth Best Actor in both the, 83rd American Academy Awards and the 64th British Academy Awards. The 68th Golden Globe Awards and the 17th Screen Actors Guild Awards both for Best Actor, and several others.  

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The Importance of Being Earnest (2002)

Oscar Wilde’s play, “The Importance of Being Earnest,” is turned into a star-studded romantic comedy in this 2002 film.

 It is all very simple. There is a man named John Worthing living in England in the late 19th century. Worthing is living a rather typical Victorian life, with one major exception. John Worthing, played by Colin Firth, has a double life. “Jack,” as he is known at his estate in the country, occasionally travels to London to visit his rebellious brother, Ernest. There is a catch.

 Ernest doesn’t exist. Jack really travels to London to get away from the country’s boredom and to visit his love, Gwendolen (Frances O’Connor). Gwendolen Fairfax believes she can only love Ernest, who is the rather shy and smitten but debatably not-so-naughty Jack. Gwendolen’s aunt, Lady Bracknell (Judi Dench), has a very difficult time excepting Ernest’s past, which is Jack’s true past, having been abandoned as a child. Being that this is based on an Oscar Wilde play, this scheme, picturesque landscapes, a hot air balloon, and grand English estates simply are not enough.

 Rupert Everett plays Jack’s cohort and Gwendolen’s cousin, Algernon "Algy" Moncrieff. Algy is decidedly naughty, unlike Jack, and the only one who knows of Jack’s schemes in London. Algy is in full support of Jack’s desire to make up a person…because Algy is doing this as well. In the city, he is Algernon, devotedly earnest. However, Algy travels out of the city to visit his ailing friend, Bunbury. Bunbury doesn’t exist.

 Knowing Jack is in the city being unearnestly Ernest, Algy takes full advantage and travels to the estate. Algy announces he is Ernest and meets Cecily (Reese Witherspoon), who has been placed in Jack’s care. Cecily quickly falls for the rebellious Ernest, who proposes. As Ernest.

 Both Jack and Gwendolen find themselves at the Manor in Hertfordshire and all four are together with both Gwendolen and Cecily in a state of confusion. They are both engaged to Ernest. In the end? Ernest has two fiancées, while Jack and Algy have zero. Thus, the importance of being Ernest.

Colin Firth's Role:

John “Jack” Worthing is a rags to riches story. An abandoned baby, he was rescued by a wealthy man and given a chance to rise above his station in life. He takes care of the granddaughter of his benefactor, but the country life does tend to bore him, necessitating both a reason for a quick exit to the city and the dual persona of “Ernest.”

Oddly enough, Jack has an intense appreciation and respect for propriety. Though his puruist of Gwendolen is encumbered by her domineering and purse string-holding aunt played by Judi Dench, he refuses to engage in behavior that might damage Gwendolen’s reputation and proposes marriage immediately. Jack is unlike any of Colin Firth’s previous characters.

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The Hour of the Pig (1993)

The Hour of the Pig, a dark drama set in 15th-century France, is centered on the theme of ‘animal trials’, a medieval practice to find out if animals were causing supernatural problems in society. Centered on the journals of Bartholomew Chassenee, a lawyer who defended the accused animals, the movie opens with the lawyer Courtois (played by Colin Firth) and his clerk Mathieu, moving to a rural village.

 They soon take on numerous cases concerning animals. Courtois fails to convince the court to acquit a woman named Jeannie, who is hanged for witchcraft. As she dies, she delivers a cryptic message to Courtois, telling him to “look to the boy”, and blesses the village. Courtois then takes on the case of a pig who is accused of murdering a Jewish boy. One of the owners of the pig, a Moor named Samira, tries to convince him to save the pig with sexual favors. He declines, though gives her money to buy two pigs for the coming winter.

 Courtois’ work draws the attention of Seigneur d’Auferre, a noble with two mentally ill children, who tries to bribe Courtois with his daughter’s hand in marriage. Samira and Courtois continue their relationship, which soon becomes public, and the Seigneur attempts to threaten Courtois into letting the villagers kill the pig. Just as the case is about to reach a conclusion, the Advent festival forces the court to adjourn.

 Courtois finds the skeleton of another Jewish boy, which leads him to believe that a human serial killer is instead at fault. Meanwhile, Samira is nearly arrested after drawing a knife on the Seigneur’s son, when Courtois bravely saves her. On the way home, they save a boy from a masked horseman. The next day, Courtois tells the Seigneur that he has solved the case – the Seigneur’s son is the killer.

 The pig is acquitted after a farmer Courtois saved in a previous case brings in a duplicate pig, which he claims is guilty. The movie closes as a knight rides into town, as Jeannine had foretold, and strips to reveal that he is infected with the plague.

Colin Firth’s Role:

Colin Firth plays Richard Courtois in a breakout role, described as a dedicated and upstanding lawyer who is unaccustomed to the provincial superstition of the local townspeople. He was the filmmakers’ first choice of actor, and was able to deliver the heroism and intellect of the title character. As the protagonist, he falls in love with a Moor woman named Samira, and navigates the racial tensions of the era.

  His previous title role in Milos Forman’s Valmont prepared him for the role in that he was able to channel the thoughts and actions of a medieval character, and able to convey the intricacies of the time period though his stage presence. His ability to bring forward the comedy of the script was also praised by many critics.

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Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003)

This movie is based on a book, by the same name, which was inspired by a painting of the same name. The painting itself is paramount in the storyline and a crucial part of the connection of Griet (Scarlet Johannson) and Johannes Vermeer (Colin Firth). 

 Set in the mid 17th century, the story focuses most of its attention on Griet, a young woman struggling to support her family under the harsh conditions of a working class poor girl in the Dutch Republic. The breadwinner of her family, her father, is unable to work having recently gone blind. Griet is accepted as a maid in a local household of Johannes and Catharina Vermeer.

 Johannes Vermeer is a painter. Though content in his career, more so than his marriage to Catharina (Essie Davis), Vermeer depends upon the financial support of his patron, Van Rujiven is played by Tom Wilkinson, to ensure the household’s finances. Vermeer’s career is carefully guided and manipulated by his wife and her mother.

Griet does not find the household work to be pleasant, but she soon finds a positive part of her daily routine: cleaning Vermeer’s studio. During this time, the two talk  about painting. Vermeer uses the time to teach Griet and she is a willing and interested pupil. It is also during this time that Griet becomes the object of Van Rujiven’s affection. Vermeer’s mother-in-law (Judy Parfitt) takes full advantage of this and recommends using Griet to stabilize the relationship between painter and patron.

 Vermeer refuses to hand Griet over to his patron’s household; choosing, instead, to broker a deal. He will pain a portrait of Griet. Van Rujiven accepts and Vermeer and Griet begin the task.

 Kept a secret from Vermeer’s jealous wife, but not his meddling and conniving mother-in-law (Judy Parfitt), the peaceful daily routine is shattered when Vermeer’s mother-in-law conspires against her daughter. The pearl earring borrowed for the portrait belonged to Catharina, who is devastated when she sees the portrait. She attempts to destroy the painting; Vermeer then stands in silence as Griet is sent from the house forever.

Colin FIrth's Role:

Johannes Vermeer is a tormented artist. He lives in a household with a strict, Catholic wife and six children. His outlook on future happiness appears bleak, but he is content in his studio, where he is away from the cold, harsh reality made for him by his wife and her mother.

 Vermeer is immediately attracted to the serenity and light surrounded the young maid, Griet. Her quiet and demeanor is a pleasant distraction from the chaos around him. The arrival of his patron and Van Rujiven’s threat to remove Griet brings out the protective side of Vermeer, who will stop at nothing to keep Griet in the house and in the studio.

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The English Patient (1996)

The English Patient is an award-winning film (9 Academy Awards, including Best Picture), based on a novel by a Sri-Lankan/Canadian novelist. Set around the time of World War II, the story is told through chronological skips and flashbacks, and opens with a nurse in a hospital in the final days of World War II. She is caring for an ‘English patient’ who is burned badly, and who is reluctant to speak.

The movie skips to the 1930s, when a Hungarian nobleman named Count Laszlo is mapping the Sahara Desert. He and his partner Madox are academics who are not aware of the brewing war, and his patrons Geoffery (played by Colin Firth) and Catherine Clifton are equally oblivious. Geoffery is a businessman who neglects his wife, and Catherine and Count Laszlo begin an affair. Laszlo is jealous of Geoffery, whereas Catherine is cripplingly guilty.

The Count finds the famous Cave of Swimmers just before the war starts, but the outbreak of war brings the excavation to a close. Madox leaves, and Geoffery Clinton discovers the affair. He crashes his plane into the Count’s camp, narrowly missing the Count and killing himself. Catherine is seriously injured, and the Count leaves her for three days in an attempt to get help. The Count is dehydrated and does not speak English well, and has a hard time explaining their situation. Losing his temper, he is arrested by the British. He escapes, finding himself behind German lines, and trades his maps to the Germans in exchange for petrol. He flies Madox’s plane back to Catherine, but she has already died.

He fits her body into his small plane and takes off, but they are shot down by a German anti-aircraft gun. He is badly burned in the explosion, and Catherine’s body is vaporised. Bedouin tribesmen rescue him, and he is sent to the hospital as the ‘English patient’. Unfortunately, he is in critical condition, and asks to be euthanised. The nurse obliges with a fatal dose of morphine.

Colin Firth’s Role:

Colin Firth plays Geoffery Clifton, an English businessman who is also working for the British intelligence. He is in Africa with his young and beautiful wife Catherine, overseeing the archaeological dig of the Swimmer’s Cave which he helped fund. He is constantly at odds with Count Laszlo, who is having an affair with his wife. Firth’s role in the movie was not given the same amount of attention as the two title roles, both of which won Oscars for best performance, but his energy and flair have been praised in characterising Geoffery as a character who has full of life at the beginning of the movie, but who became darker as the film progressed and culminating in his suicidal attack on Count Laszlo out of jealousy.

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The Accidental Husband (2008)

The Accidental Husband is a romantic comedy film by an American director, revolving around a New York firefighter named Patrick Sullivan and a radio advice talk show host, Dr Lloyd. Patrick’s fiancee breaks up with him after hearing advice from Dr Lloyd, which infuriates Patrick. When he hears that Dr Lloyd is to be married soon, he hacks into government registries to indicate that she is married to him, so that he will have a chance to confront her.

 Dr Lloyd finds out when trying to register her marriage to her gentleman fiance Richard, and goes to get Patrick to annul the fake marriage. In a twist of events, Patrick becomes attracted to her and makes her spend time with him, delaying the annulment for as long as he can.

 As Patrick and Emma go out to taste wedding cakes (for her wedding with Richard), they meet Richard’s business partners, who are thinking of breaking off their deal with Richard. Patrick continues masquerading as Richard and charms the partners into continuing with the deal, saving Richard’s business. Patrick continues to charm Emma by taking her to an Indian ceremony where he proves that he can be suave and attractive, and though she escapes after confronting her attraction towards him, he does not give up.

 The story culminates in an argument where Emma realises that Patrick has been stalking her and using her to conduct his vendetta, and she leaves him. The two are both miserable as Emma prepares to marry Richard. On the wedding day, however, Richard announces to Emma that he wants to let her marry the man who will make her happy, and Emma marries Patrick after chasing out all the guests with a false fire alarm. The film ends with a montage of their life together a year later, where Emma is pregnant and they are very much in love.

 Colin Firth played the role of Richard Braxton, Emma’s perfect-gentleman fiance who owns a business. Richard is characterised as the exact opposite of spitfire Patrick, having a wet and dreary personality as opposed to Patrick’s passionate stubborness. However, Richard is more well-to-do than Patrick, and genuinely loves Emma, taking her back even after she cheated on him with Patrick, and allowing Patrick to marry her at the end because he wanted her to be happy. Firth’s role in this romantic comedy as the one who does not get the girl was praised for his ‘hunk appeal’, but the movie received poor reviews due to a cliched story and a messy plot.

 Firth drew on his experiences playing ‘stiff Brits’, or stuffy gentlemen, and audiences lauded him for his ‘sincere’ acting, despite the lack of comedy in the script and poor direction on the part of the director.

[colinfirthalterego]

Steve (2010)

Steve is a film short with only three characters; Steve (Colin Firth), Man, and Woman. This intense yet mesmerizing short opens to Man and Woman fighting over bills, work, and everything under the sun. As Man takes a business call there is a knock at the door. Woman opens to find a middle aged man who seems shy and ill at ease. Steve introduces himself and tells woman he lives below them and there is a leak coming from their flat.

Upon inviting himself in he sits down and begins drinking tea uninvited. As Woman attempts to hash out the location and encourage Steve to let her help him look from below Steve makes up an odd excuse. He asks random questions about books and movies all while repeating himself in a turrets type fashion.

The following day Man and Woman are in a silent battle, the bell rings and it is Steve, this time he looks unkempt and states, that their music was too loud the night before. He insists on coming in for tea once again. In a very passive aggressive manner he speaks again about the music. Woman tells him they were gone the night before. Steve suddenly switches tones and begins talking about picnics.

The next day Man brings flowers to Woman and they are clearly on the verge of making up. Until a haggard looking Steve is there almost screaming about the post giving him their mail. The encounter escalates as Steve will not give it to them, though Woman has put together that he has been stealing it. He aggressively invites himself in for tea; forcing Man and Woman to sit. He goes on an eerie melancholy rant about their next steps and the how their tea will play out. “Put The Kettle On” Steve says.

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Colin Firth’s Role

Colin Firth plays the only named character in this film short. As Steve, he is an excellent mix of a pitiful and psychotic downstairs neighbor. Steve appears at first as a middle aged perhaps lonely man. As the film progresses that vibe turns to something darker and more sinister. Turrets like wording and extreme mood changes highlight Steve’s character. He goes from being very passive-aggressive to inviting Woman on a picnic. During his first visit he creates a wild story about his mother sleeping in the afternoon, though he looks normal. On his second visit, he swears hip hop kept him awake, and he is ragged looking. By the third visit, he is stealing Man and Woman’s mail and looks as though he slept outside. At the end of the film, it is hard to tell whether Steve is just desperately lonely, or about to murder Man and Woman.

[colinfirthalterego]

Stars in Shorts (2012)

Stars in shorts is a compilation of seven short films ranging in length from 8:00 to 25:00 minutes. Each piece is from a different director and stars top actors from the UK and United States.

The shortest of the films is “Sexting” a tale of the other woman, another other woman, and a wife. The first other woman decides it is time to come clean and invites the wife to a café.

At 9 minutes “After School Special” is a leader in the ranks of film shorts. A nanny and a father watching children play in tubes and tunnels. The father attempts to pick up the nanny and fumbles in the attempt. As the nanny finds him endearing the short throws a powerful twist that is controversial and borderline.

2012 Best Comedy short at the RI film festival “Friend Request Pending” shows that you are never too old for a little social networking. A mother inspired by her son’s courage, finds it in herself to friend request her own crush.

One of the longest films in the series is “Prodigal”. A Sci-Fi short that explores those who want to help, those who want to contain, and those who want to annihilate anyone with powers.

A down and out director takes matters to the darker side of failure when Disney gives him a break and then snatches it away in “Not Your Time”

“Steve” highlights the line between lonely desperation and psychosis. Colin Firth brings forth a sad yet dark side to the downstairs neighbor persona.

At the height of comedic prowess “Procession” follows a mother and a son through their antics while being forced to attend a funeral for someone they have never met. The film’s real comedic pleasure comes when it explores what happens when a procession gets lost.

Colin Firth’s Role

Colin Firth plays the only named character in “Steve” the sixth film in “Stars in Shorts”. As Steve he is an excellent mix of a pitiful and psychotic downstairs neighbor. Steve appears at first as a middle aged perhaps lonely man. As the film progresses that vibe turns to something darker and more sinister. Turrets like wording and extreme mood changes highlight Steve’s personality. He goes from being very passive aggressive to inviting Woman on a picnic. During his first visit he creates a wild story about his mother sleeping in the afternoon, though he looks normal. On his second visit he swears hip hop kept him awake and he is ragged looking. By the third visit he is stealing Man and Woman’s mail and looks as though he slept outside. At the end of the film it is hard to tell whether Steve is just desperately lonely, or about to murder Man and Woman.

[colinfirthalterego]

St. Trinian’s 2: The Legend of Fritton’s Gold (2009)

St. Trinian’s 2: The Legend of Fritton’s Gold is comprised of an unruly band of teenage girls, their Head Mistress Camilla Fritton, her former lover Geoffrey Thwaites (played by Colin Firth), and villain Sir Piers Pomfrey.

 As the story opens, the girls have been bribed by a mysterious caller asking them to find an old ring. They turn to their Head Mistress Miss Fritton for answers. She reveals that the ring is part of two that create a map leading to the treasure of Miss Fritton’s own ancestor the Pirate Fritton.

The first ring is then stolen by the caller identified as Sir Piers Pomfrey an oppressor of woman. Determined the girls decide to find the second ring. Another ancestor, the Reverend Fritton, hid the ring and left clues that lead the girls to the Reverends grave. With little choice, the girls dig up his body. Though the clue is deteriorated with rot; Annabelle is suddenly possessed by the good Reverend himself. The girls take this opportunity to ask where the ring is.

With the ring, they pursue Sir Pomfrey. This leads them to Geoffrey Thwaites. He reveals that Sir Pomfrey is a member of a secret society called AD1 and goes undercover to a meeting where he gains Sir Pomfrey’s trust and steals the ring.

Both rings create a map that leads to the legendary Globe Theater. Here, they find [G1] not gold but something more valuable. The Pirate Fritton was actually famed playwright William Shakespeare, and a woman. The adventure is not over just yet as Sir Pomfrey arrives to steal the proof and make off with it down the river Thames. The group fight back by taking the pirate’s ship on pursuit. Once close enough Miss. Fritton swings down and snatches the play out of Pomfrey’s hands.

Colin Firth’s Role

Colin Firth masters the art of comedic realism in his role as Geoffrey Thwaites the former lover of headmistress Miss. Fritton and the villain from the first St. Trinian’s movie. Geoffrey has lost his position as Minister of Education and become a drunken lovesick waste since the girls’ victory over him. He is given a chance to redeem himself by helping thwart Sir Pomfrey. Firth shows his acting prowess during his undercover scene when Geoffrey must enter into a raucous rant about woman as the girls and his love Miss. Fritton watch on. The rant is all in jest; he is only trying to gain the trust of the woman hating Sir Pomfrey. He succeeds in gaining Pomfrey’s trust and obtains the ring. He then has an opportunity to regain the admiration of Miss. Fritton while they act out Romeo and Juliet. In the end, the film leaves open the option for Geoffrey Thwaites to return in the Third movie.

[colinfirthalterego]

St Trinian's (2007)

The film is the latest in a line of six films, starting in the 1950s, focusing on the dysfunctional girls’ school of St Trinian’s and the adventures (or misadventures) of the students and teachers in the institution. This film departs from its predecessors by being a reboot of the entire series instead of a sequel, like the others were.

Annabelle Fritton is admitted to St Trinian’s, where she initially finds herself out of her depth. She is led around by an older girl who tells her about all the cliques, including the Emos, Geeks and ‘Posh Tottys’. She is bullied by the other girls in her dorm, with a particular prank resulting in her being covered in feathers. Drafted into the school hockey team after her father refuses to take her home and she throws a huge tantrum, hitting her phone across the lobby with a stick and destroying a marble bust, Annabelle soon realises that this school is void of any normalcy.

The girls soon strike a deal with a shady man named Flash Harry to brew vodka in the school lab, but this is thwarted when the Education Minister (played by Colin Firth) pays them a visit. His daughter Verity used to bully Annabelle back in her old school, which also happens to be the rival school of St Trinian’s. He discovers various horrifying breaches of the law in the school, for example the homemade vodka, which is terribly strong and knocks him out. He vows to shut down the school, and is thrown into a fountain.

 Unfortunately, the school has other problems, and the bank pays a visit to tell them that they will be shut down if they do not pay their debts. Annabelle’s father Carnaby reveals that he never liked her, and tries to sell off the school. Outraged, the girls decide to steal a famous painting to raise the money. They make Flash Harry stand in as a fake art dealer, dupe Carnaby into buying a fake painting, then steal the real one and return it to the authorities for a further monetary reward. The school is saved and the girls continue studying there, with Annabelle now a ‘true St Trinian’s girl’ after the girls give her a gothic makeover.

Colin Firth’s Role:

Colin Firth plays the Education Minister, Geoffrey Thwaites whose daughter is studying at Cheltenham, a posh girls’ school who is the rival of St Trinian’s. His character is revealed to have had a romantic relationship previously with the headmistress of St Trinian’s, who is a transvestite. He is knocked out by the vodka that the girls made after seeing one of them trapped in a tank of formaldehyde in the science labs, and later one of the Posh Tottys throw him into a fountain.

 Firth plays the nasty character of Mr Thwaites very well, and though the movie was criticised for being overly camp and ‘a zoo’, Firth was staunch in his performance as a dedicated father and archetypal boarding school villain, and praised by many viewers for his comedic part alongside Russell Brand, who played the duplicitous dealer, Flash Harry.