SBIFF - Geoffrey Rush & The King's Speech

SBIFF Montecito Award: Geoffrey Rush; Ensemble Award: Colin Firth, Helena Bonham Carter & Cast of The King’s Speech

Riding the weekend’s seismic shift in Oscar momentum (having topped the DGA and SAG awards), the cast of The King’s Speech arrived at the Arlington Theatre Monday to pay tribute to the night’s Montecito Award recipient, Geoffrey Rush. At the same time, in an unprecedented (and uncannily prescient) turn, the SBIFF also presented the film’s cast with the Ensemble Award.

A large crowd turned out for the red carpet arrivals, which included local luminaries and festival jurors Christopher Lloyd (gamely making his way on crutches) and Billy Baldwin, who gave ample time to all media from veterans to the eager cadre of junior-high cubs.

Director Tom Hooper was a blink-of–the–eye blur as he hurried into the theater, in stark contrast to Rush, who (literally just off a flight from Sydney) chatted at length with reporters and fielded questions from all outlets. Colin Firth created a stir as he engaged a crowd of shrieking girls at the top of the line and stunned a group of teen reporters with an impromptu photo-op before heading inside. Final arrival, Helena Bonham Carter didn’t disappoint in a striking black dress, hamming it up for photographers with an array of provocative and playful poses.  

Pete Hammond once again handled hosting duties as he introduced an opening montage of Rush’s work - an eclectic rogue’s gallery of, well, rogues - scoundrels, Elizabethans, eccentrics, elocutionists, pirates, a Panamanian tailor, Peter Sellars and even a pelican (the voice of Nigel in Finding Nemo) encompassing a career spanning 40 years.  Rush also holds the distinction of being one of only 25 performers to have won the “Triple Crown” of acting, scoring an Oscar, Emmy and Tony, among countless other honors. Hammond, pointing out that Rush now has his own postage stamp in Australia, prompted the actor to reply, “You can lick my back for 55 cents.”

Hammond welcomed Rush to the stage, and as the actor bounded up the stairs amidst a rousing standing ovation, it was clear that this man was in his element. Which makes perfect sense, as Rush’s aforementioned four decades as a performer have been predominantly on the boards, from Brisbane to Broadway (his passion for stagecraft so fierce in fact, that the actor hopped a flight back to Australia immediately following the ceremony to star in a local production of Diary of a Madman).  

Expressing an early aspiration to place the word “Actor” as the occupation on his tax return for as long as possible, Rush traced his remarkable journey from stock performer in a country that had no movie industry until the 1970’s, to an indie-film golden-era standout in the 90’s, to full-blown big screen star and unlikely action/adventure hero (despite an acute fear of horses, the inability to drive a car and absence of requisite leading-man “pecs”).

The discussion was punctuated by a wide array of astutely chosen film clips (kudos to the production team) showcasing the actor’s bold choices, range and prowess, most notably in Shine, Quills (as the Marquis de Sade), Shakespeare in Love, The Tailor of Panama, The Life and Death of Peter Sellars, Pirates of the Caribbean and of course, The King’s Speech.

It was then that Colin Firth appeared to present the Montecito Award to Rush, announcing, “Geoffrey, I’m here to lick your back.” Firth then hilariously related, tongue firmly in cheek, how the King’s Speech crew daily lamented Rush’s departure after filming, much to his chagrin. On a more serious note, Firth also expressed admiration for Rush’s ability to raise the performance level of those around him without inflated ego or Hollywood histrionics. Director Tom Hooper then stepped in to present the cast with the Ensemble award, and to “stem this unmitigated expression of man-love” between the two leads. As Hooper, Rush, Firth and Bonham Carter accepted their trophy and took final bows, the audience was witness to a potential precursor of February 27th.

A word of advice for Mr. Rush: Purchase a large stack of pre-printed tax forms with word “actor” permanently etched in the occupation space.

And to the King’s Speech cast: Take heed of your film’s title and practice… you’re going to need to get used to making speeches.