The King’s Speech

Our ability to communicate with each other is something so fundamental to our identities that it can be truly terrifying to lose. Likewise, it is petrifying to have a physical condition that hinders that ability, especially if we are put in a position where we have to rely on that ability. Public speaking is a scary prospect, even for those who can physically do it. We can imagine how much worse it is for someone who cannot. This is illustrated beautifully in the opening scene of The King’s Speech when Prince Albert “Bertie,” Duke of York (Colin Firth) and second son of King George V (Michael Gambon), is tasked with addressing a crowd at Wembley Stadium. As he tries to give his speech, it is obvious he suffers from a strong stammer, something that worsens under stress and is a great embarrassment to him. The words come hard, and many in the audience look away either in embarrassment or pity. 

This is, of course, a true story and an interesting one from Britain’s history. Prince Albert, after all, was not meant to be King. His older brother, Prince Edward of York (Guy Pearce), who was still young at the time, was in line to assume command from his father, George V. Albert was content to be the Duke of York, remaining as far outside the spotlight as he possibly could for a man in his lineage. But Edward was in love with a married woman, Wallis Simpson (Eve Best). She is initiating a divorce from her husband, and the two intend to wed. With the death of the king, Edward assumes the position, but to be the King means to be the head of the church, and the church forbids divorce. Edward chooses love over position, advocating the throne. This thrusts his younger brother into the position of King of England, a nightmare for the man who feels he does not have a strong voice to lead his people with, especially as tensions are on the rise from Germany in the build-up to World War II. 

All of this is the backdrop to the real story, details to set the stage for what we are actually here to see: the friendship of Prince Albert with Lionel Logue, the man who helped him find his voice and became his lifelong friend in the bargain. The film fast-tracks their friendship rather than emphasizing how long they actually worked together leading up to the historical events depicted here. This is creative license and it makes for a great dramatic film. It’s approximately 75% factual, but that doesn’t really matter. The gist of it is true, just the timeline is askew a bit. 

Choosing to open the film on Prince Albert’s speech at Wembley is a brilliant move. It humanizes the man when we tend to look at members of the royal family as almost a different species from the rest of us. We tend to glamorize celebrities, whether it be movie stars, musicians, or royalty, but the reality is they are just as human as the rest of us. By seeing Albert struggling to get words out as the microphone stands in front of him like an intimidating foe, we are able to see and understand his struggle before we even have an opportunity to learn about him in any other capacity. 

And it’s important that we see his humanity, first and foremost. Even before we hear the first stammers coming from his lips we see him approaching the microphone with a look of absolute dread and terror. We know something is wrong but we don’t at first know what that is. Shortly after this opening speech, we are introduced to his wife, Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter), and their two daughters. While we are introduced to Albert’s fiery temper in the film, we never see that temper in action when it comes to his family. Instead, we see it during his first on-screen appointment with a speech therapist. In this scene, Albert is being treated to an outdated idea of filling his mouth with marbles to try and correct the stutter. This, of course, proves to be inefficient, and he nearly swallows the marbles, spitting them out in rage and frustration. We get the impression that Albert has been to see nearly every speech therapist in Britain to no real success.

Elizabeth ends up being the one who finds genuine help for her husband. Albert’s father, the King, informs his son after giving his 1934 Royal Christmas Message that the wireless will play a significant role going forward with the royal family. It provides a means for the family to enter into the homes of their subjects in a way that has never been available before, and the people need to be able to hear the confidence of their ruler. Albert’s brother has been neglecting his responsibilities, making it necessary for Albert to step up and get training in the new technology. Meanwhile, Elizabeth has found Australian-born Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush), who uses unusual methods to get results. Their first appointment does not go well, but Lionel, using loud music to mask out Albert’s voice, records him reciting Hamlet’s “To be, or not to be” soliloquy. Later, when Albert plays the record back, he is astonished to hear that he spoke the words nearly perfectly. 

This is the first moment where we get a true glimpse of how good Helena Bonham Carter is in this film. At times, we can forget that she has a successful career outside of Tim Burton and Harry Potter films. She is so good here and can say so much with so little. As Albert is listening to his own voice on the record, the camera pans up to show that she has entered the room and is just as shocked to hear her husband’s voice as clear as it is. To be fair, his recitation is not perfect, but it is significantly better than anything we have heard him speak thus far. Seeing her face is like seeing someone witnessing a miracle. There are no tears shed in this moment, but you can tell they are threatening. 

We also get scenes with Logue and his family. An important theme of this film is familial support. Without the support of his loving wife, Albert would not have found Lionel, and Lionel’s family is what keeps him going. Both men love playing with their kids, and it becomes something the two men bond over. We never learn anything about Lionel’s relationship with his own father but we learn plenty about Albert’s relationship with King George V which was anything but affectionate. The relationship that builds between Albert and Lionel ends up becoming far more deep than that of a king and his subjects. It’s antagonistic at times, and it is threatened once Albert discovers that Lionel is not a licensed doctor. But enough trust has been built up between the two men that after a tense conversation and a bit of mental manipulation, Albert is able to understand the situation and realize that results matter more than a degree. He also realizes that Lionel has never tried to pass himself off as a doctor; that misunderstanding came entirely from himself.

What is most impressive is how utterly convincing Colin Firth is at portraying a man with this kind of speaking disorder. This is not an easy feat, and often actors attempting it come across as false. There are no false notes to be found here, and Colin does such a fine job at portraying it that it was called out specifically by many associations dedicated to this condition. But it goes beyond just the stuttering. He also nails the frustration one goes through when trying to utter words that stubbornly refuse to come out. It is maddening to have the words form so perfectly in your mind only to get stuck in your throat. This is an authentic look at not only the physical aspect of this disability but also the mental aspect. The only false note comes from the script, not the actor, as it strongly suggests that the stutter could be linked to stresses and his treatment in his youth, connections that are not backed up by science. 

The finale of the film takes place in 1939, just as Nazi Germany declares war. This necessitates Albert, now crowned King George VI, to address his people. Lionel is brought with him to Buckingham Palace to help him through the address and, through some mental and physical tricks, is able to help him get through the speech with the bare minimum of trouble. It’s not a perfect recitation, but it is enough. We are then told that Lionel was always present during any address the King George VI gave going forward. 

There is an impression that when this film was released in 2010, it was yet another drama that hit big with critics but no one bothered to see. Yet that isn’t really the case here. It made over $400 million at the box office on a mere $15 million budget. Yet in the years since its release, it has kind of been forgotten. People tend to look at a film like this and think it is a stodgy period drama that will have limited appeal, and that is simply not the case. I saw it when it was new and knew it was a special film that had holding power. Watching it again fifteen years later, it has not lost that power. We’re invested in the relationship between these two friends, and we can relate to Albert and his struggles, not because we have the same struggles but because it makes him more human and thus more relatable. 

Academy Award Nominations: 

Best Picture: Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, and Gareth Unwin (won)

Best Director: Tom Hooper (won)

Best Actor: Colin Firth (won)

Best Supporting Actor: Geoffrey Rush

Best Supporting Actress: Helena Bonham Carter

Best Original Screenplay: David Seidler (won)

Best Art Direction: Eve Stewart and Judy Farr

Best Cinematography: Danny Cohen

Best Costume Design: Jenny Beavan

Best Film Editing: Tariq Anwar

Best Original Score: Alexandre Desplat

Best Sound Mixing: Paul Hamblin, Martin Jensen, and John Midgley

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Release Date: December 23, 2010

Running Time: 119 Minutes

Rated R

Starring: Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter, Guy Pearce, Timothy Spall, Derek Jacobi, Jennifer Ehle, and Michael Gambon

Directed by: Tom Hooper