“The King’s Speech” Speaks to All of Us

Even though I happened to be the youngest person in the theater by a good twenty years when I went to see it, I loved The King’s Speech enough to see it a second time the very next day.  If you haven’t already seen the movie, I implore you to go while it’s still in theaters.  There is a very good reason it won four of its twelve Oscar nominations, including

Best Picture, Directing, and Original Screenplay.  Featuring the acting talents of Colin Firth, whose performance as King George VI won him the Oscar for Actor in a Leading Role; Geoffrey Rush, nominated for Actor in a Supporting Role; Helena Bonham Carter, nominated for Actress in a Supporting Role; and Michael Gambon to name a few, The King’s Speech was an overdue tribute to the British king who led the nation through WWII.

The film begins with Prince Albert (Colin Firth) and his wife Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter) searching for a doctor to help with Albert’s stammer. Albert lived at a time when the manner in which royalty needed to act was shifting; no longer did they have simply have to look regal, they needed to be able to address the public via the newly popularized radio.  This transformation of the royal persona turned his unfortunate stutter from merely a family embarrassment into a major concern.  After many failures, the royal couple stumbles upon an Australian commoner, Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush), whose unorthodox approach to speech therapy includes insisting that he and “Bertie” treat each other as equals. It turns out that this is just the breakthrough Albert needs.

Matters deteriorate, however, when, after the death of Albert’s father, King George V, his brother Edward VIII decides that pursuing the woman he loves, Wallis Simpson, takes precedence over his obligations as the new king.  When Edward abdicates the throne to marry Simpson, Prince Albert takes his place.  It is a role for which he feels ill-prepared and overwhelmed, but Albert’s love for his nation and his sense of duty give him the fortitude to work all the harder to overcome the stammer that made public speaking torture.  Elizabeth’s unwavering love for Albert makes it so that, together, they could assume a role that neither really wanted, but perform it well nonetheless.

I believe what makes this film great is its multifaceted portrayal of George VI both as a king and as a person. The royal aspect was well documented in history after his coronation, but the personal side was barely examined.  This film shows those aspects of a king which history did not so readily portray.  Yes, the story follows King George VI as he contends with the successive obstacles of his father’s death, his brother’s abdication, and the growing threat of Hitler, all while overcoming a speech impediment.  However, it is just as much a story of the friendship between Lionel and “Bertie” as it is of George VI.  It shows his close, loving relationship with his wife, an unusual trait in royal marriages in those times, as well as the equally close relationship with his daughters.  While many Americans’ believed the love story of the time to be that of King Edward VIII, who abdicated the throne in order to marry Wallis Simpson, The King’s Speech shows that the true relationship of devotion was that of Albert and Elizabeth. The film is incredible, and it deserves every one of its awards.