Something I didn't know about re-cutting a movie is that apparently, if Harvey recuts it to get the family-friendly rating, it has to be pulled from theaters for no less than 90 days before it can go back in? THR informed me of that yesterday which makes me think he wont do it. If they re-cut it tomorrow and started the 90 day process, it would only go back into theaters a month after the Oscars. Makes it hard to capitalize on hype when it's not in theaters. It'll still skyrocket if they win, regardless of the rating.

Is this rating because of the high expletive content or the tobacco smoking?

In the UK, The King's Speech is a 12A. For those unfamiliar, that means you have to be 12 to go see it alone or see it with an adult at any age.

Which is far more fitting for the content, in my opinion.

The rating system in the U.S. reflects - sadly - our rather weird obsessions: Movies can show someone getting decapitated and it's a PG-13. But certain types of sex acts and/or use of the "F-word" is an immediate R-rating. In the case of "The King's Speech," it's ridiculous. It's basically because of one scene, but the use of the F-word (and S-word) is all in service to the character and plot, not just indiscriminate swearing, but rather a key transformational moment in the movie. If I had listened to the MPAA, I would not have taken my 10 year-old son to the film. I checked out the parental advisory and took him. He said "Speech" is his favorite movie of all time.

It's a beautiful film.

I don't think I've left the cinema feeling that happy in a long time.

Definitely my pick for Best Picture, though not necessarily my favorite picture of 2010 (that goes to Black Swan).

I didn't even know the film was Rated-R. I never walked out feeling like my younger cousins couldn't attend. If I had to pick a film of the Best Picture nominees I'd like to take them to see, it would be The King's Speech. Little did I know that would make me a bad older cousin. Go figure.