Firth wins Golden Globe - but what chance an Oscar?

Colin Firth won the Golden Globe for best actor (drama) last night for his brilliant performance as the stammering George VI in The King's Speech. By all rights, he should now have a very good chance of winning an Oscar at the Academy Awards ceremony at the end of February.

But will he? Or has a smear campaign against the film ruined his chances?

As the Sunday Times reported yesterday, several entertainment journalists in Los Angeles, and, more importantly, many voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have received an anonymous email claiming that The King's Speech represents a "whitewashing of history".

The anonymous writer argues that while the film tells a heart-warming story of a royal prince - and then king - fighting to get over his speech impediment, it fails to deal with the Royal Family's complicated relationship at the time - the years immediately preceding World War Two - with Hitler's Germany.

The email was sent out in December and, as far as some Academy members are concerned, may now be history. Firth and the producers of The King's Speech will be hoping so.

But many of the Hollywood grandees who make up the Academy are members of Jewish families who emigrated to the United States before and during World War Two, almost all of whom lost relatives in the Holocaust. For them, it could be a deciding factor.

The anonymous email refers to an episode not covered by the film - King George VI's efforts to hinder the emigration of Jews into Palestine. As the Sunday Times reported, in the spring of 1939, just months before war was declared and he had to make his climactic speech to the nation, King George instructed his private secretary to write to the Foreign Secretary, Lord Halifax.

Having learnt that "a number of Jewish refugees from different countries were surreptitiously getting into Palestine", the King was "glad to think that steps are being taken to prevent these people leaving their country of origin".

As a result of the King's request, the Foreign Office telegraphed Britain¹s ambassador in Berlin asking him to encourage the German government to check "the unauthorised emigration" of Jews.
 
Of course, this episode from seven decades ago has little to do with whether or not Colin Firth gave an Oscar-worthy performance in The King's Speech.
But it will not be lost on conspiracy theorists that while Firth was rewarded last night for his acting, the film received no other awards, despite being nominated for seven Globes, including best film (drama), which went to The Social Network.

The King's Speech team will find out whether members of the Academy have been swayed by the smear campaign when the Oscar nominations are announced on January 25, and the awards themselves are handed out on February 27.

GOLDEN GLOBE FILM AWARDS - THE KEY WINNERS:

Best film (drama): The Social Network

Best film (musical or comedy): The Kids are All Right

Best director: David Fincher - The Social Network

Best actor (drama): Colin Firth - The King's Speech

Best actress (drama): Natalie Portman - Black Swan

Best actor (musical or comedy): Paul Giamatti - Barney's Version

Best actress (musical or comedy): Annette Bening - The Kids are All Right

Best supporting actor: Christian Bale - The Fighter

Best supporting actress: Melissa Leo - The Fighter

Best foreign language film: In a Better World - Denmark

Best animated feature film: Toy Story 3

Best screenplay: Aaron Sorkin - The Social Network ·