A Fateful Call for Colin Firth - New York Times (blog)

It wasn't a total rout for "The King's Speech" Sunday night at the Baftas, the British version of the Oscars. The ur-British movie did take home trophies for best film, best British film, best original screenplay, best score and best acting prizes for Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter and Colin Firth. But David Fincher won best director for "The Social Network," which also took best adapted screenplay for Aaron Sorkin. Mr. Sorkin attended, Mr. Fincher did not – he's shooting "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" – so his award was accepted by his stars Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield. But it was Mr. Firth's speech that was the hit of the event in London on Sunday night. (Mr. Firth also won a Bafta last year, for "A Single Man.")

"I like coming here," he began. "Thank you, Bafta. Consistent with the fact that almost every turning point in my life has hinged on the banal and the arbitrary, such things as broken kitchen appliances and unsent e-mails, the day in which I had to make my first meeting with Tom Hooper," the director of "The King's Speech," "I had to postpone a routine but possibly somewhat uncomfortable medical examination," he continued. "I'm pleased to report that the meeting with Tom was a lot more edifying than the encounter I'd been anticipating, but as the work went on, it became apparent that Tom's working methods were every bit as thorough" – pause for laughter – "as surprising, and as effective as those of my doctor. So perhaps one never truly escapes one's fate."

Natalie Portman won best actress for her role in "Black Swan," but the pregnant star did not travel to the ceremony. "The Social Network" also won for editing, and "Inception" took home three design awards. And it was a good week for Alexandre Desplat, the composer of "The King's Speech." In addition to his Bafta award, he earned seven nominations from the International Film Music Critics Association, including two for best score, for "The King's Speech" and "The Ghostwriter." He also received a nod for composer of the year.