Kilt on Colin Firth in movie "The King's Speech"

[figheadair]

That's got to be right - the Modern Douglas I mean. The producers seemed such sticklers for accuracy that they would go to great lengths to not make a mistake.

I assume that's a tongue in cheek comment. There's no brown in Modern Douglas

[Sir William]

I can't comment on the tartan worn by Colin Firth (though I did wonder what it might be) but I can say I enjoyed the film immensely. I stuttered as a child so I can appreciate his efforts to overcome the affliction.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

As a tartan historian this, and similar, costume errors really get me going. The costume designer only had five and a half weeks from commission to filming so would have had to work from stock material but it would still have been possible to do things right. It's not as though a film like this doesn't have the budget it's just poor research and sloppy attention to detail.

I can fully understand "tartan spotting". What I don't get is (a) being angry when the tartan in a movie isn't 100% "accurate" and (b) impugning the professional integrity of the costumer as a result, or rather the cause of that inaccuracy.

First, I think you owe Jenny Beavan an apology for suggesting that she did poor research or was in any way sloppy in her attention to detail simply because Balmoral tartan may not have been available for use in shooting "The King's Speech". Given that she had 28 days to costume more than 100 people (principals and extras) and did it with impeccable attention to detail I think your remarks (unless you,too, have won an Academy Award for costuming) are uncalled for.

Second, the budget for "The King's Speech" wasn't at all big. It was, in motion picture terms, a rather small $15 million, more than half of which was spent on post-production (CGI for backgrounds, etc). To put this into perspective a single one hour TV sitcom episode can come it at $2-4 million. This means that the actual cost of the film (CGI excepted) was about $7.5 million. If you take out the cost of the principle cast (Colin Firth, Geoffry Rush, Helena Bonham Carter, etc.) which I would reckon to be $3-5 million, you are looking at a picture that probably cost around $3.5 million to make. For my money Jenny, and everyone else connected with the picture, more than delivered the goods.

Supposing for one minute you were in Jenny Bevean's place, and you had to come up with a kilt and a matching suit in Balmoral tartan, which, for whatever reason, was unavailable given the time constraints placed on her. What would you have done? You have, at best 28 days.

Rather changes the perspective, doesn't it?

[Biathlonman]

Given the film's careful attention to period detail and design, I'd still be surprised if that kilt is "wrong" when they got so much else exactly right. After all, that's one of the great strengths of UK productions.

I think his medals and stars were carefully put together for his Admiral of the Fleet's uniform, for example.

I guess we're still waiting for a definitive tartan ID on this. If XMarks can't crack this, nobody can.

What weighty matters we deal with in this space.

[xman]

Given the film's careful attention to period detail and design, I'd still be surprised if that kilt is "wrong" when they got so much else exactly right. After all, that's one of the great strengths of UK productions.

I think his medals and stars were carefully put together for his Admiral of the Fleet's uniform, for example.

I guess we're still waiting for a definitive tartan ID on this. If XMarks can't crack this, nobody can.

What weighty matters we deal with in this space.

You have not been reading the thread well enough. I have taken the prize!
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...81/#post943593

[OC Richard]

I don't get "angry" when I spot an inaccuracy in a film, but I can't check my knowlege at the theatre door and when I do spot something that sticks out as wrong it damages my "willing suspension of disbelief".

I was totally into Saving Private Ryan until the Russian T-34 made its appearance. They tried to pass it off as a Tiger.

My doctor explained to me once that he can't watch House or any other medical drama for the same reason.

[macwilkin]

I don't get "angry" when I spot an inaccuracy in a film, but I can't check my knowlege at the theatre door and when I do spot something that sticks out as wrong it damages my "willing suspension of disbelief".

I was totally into Saving Private Ryan until the Russian T-34 made its appearance. They tried to pass it off as a Tiger.

My doctor explained to me once that he can't watch House or any other medical drama for the same reason.

I always go to a historical movie with very low expectations, so that way I will be pleasantly surprised when the movie gets some of the story correct.

T.

[macewan]

Colin Firth wears a kilt as King George VI in The King's Speech. There is a YouTube Extended Tribute Trailer here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9_5am-29n0 where you can see him in a kilt at 2:22.

It was an enjoyable way to spend a morning at the movies, and I could definitely recommend it as a "thumbs up" from this member of the rabble. Even though the kilted section was less than 10 minutes overall.

-OK

we are wondering if that is the Macewan tartan kilt that he wears in the movie

[BoldHighlander]

I don't get "angry" when I spot an inaccuracy in a film, but I can't check my knowlege at the theatre door and when I do spot something that sticks out as wrong it damages my "willing suspension of disbelief".

I was totally into Saving Private Ryan until the Russian T-34 made its appearance. They tried to pass it off as a Tiger.

I could forgive the T-34/85 disguised as a Tiger (how many operational Tigers are still available? *), which, once physically modified, looked almost identical to a PzKpfw VI Tiger, more so than the M60 "Patton" tanks that were used extensively in the 1960's & 70's as a German Panther/Tiger stand-in (usually with just a paint job modification) in such movies as "The Battle of the Bulge" and (ironically) "Patton".

What I couldn't abide is veteran Rangers, bunched up, walking through occupied territory loudly carrying on like a bunch of school kids on a Sunday lark!
Now that's FUBAR!

*answer: there are 4 complete original Tigers, w/ only 1 still operational.

Okay, I know...


p.s. -- to see photos of one of the Saving Private Ryan Tigers being used by the 9th SS Reenactment Society in the northeastern US, go here.

[MacGuffin]

While watching the film I thought that the tartan that George VI (Firth) is wearing was the Holyrood tartan or something similar.

On another note, the film is really good and I highly recommend it.