The King's Speech

In keeping with our theme this week of looking into Fictional and Dramatic Elements of film making (Petrie & Boggs, 2012, Page 34), I watched The King's Speech rather intently, watching for symbolic references and other elements.

The "King" is King George VI (played by Colin Firth), who ascended to the throne in 1937, after his older brother abdicated the throne in order to get married to an American divorcee.
King George's real name is Albert.  He is married to Elizabeth and they have two daughters, Elizabeth and Margaret.

The movie opens in 1925 when Albert (then the Duke of York) was tasked by his father, King George V, to speak to the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley Stadium, and we see right away that the Duke has a severe speech impediment.  The look on his face as he struggles to get the words out, as well as the look on the face of all who are listening at the stadium, speak volumes.

Elizabeth is determined to help Albert with his speech and enlists the help of several doctors.  Nothing works.  She finally enlists the help of an Australian named Lionel Logue.  Lionel is not like any of the other doctors and works at getting to know Albert (who he calls Bertie) and the root cause of his impediment (I felt a little like the movie Good Will Hunting was creeping in at this point). 

During the course of these sessions with Lionel, tensions rise within the Royal Family and the leadership of Great Britain because of the failing health of King George V and also with the impending conflict with Nazi Germany.  King George V dies and Albert's older brother becomes King Edward VIII.

We learn through his conversations with Lionel, that Albert is quite conflicted.  Lionel noticed that Albert was using his right hand and asked if he was naturally right-handed.  Albert replied that he was actually left-handed but was forced to change since it wasn't proper to be left-handed.  He also told Lionel that he felt more closeness to his nanny's than he did to his family - except for his first nanny, who loved his brother more than him and would always pinch him as she was presenting the boys to their parents so that he would cry and his parents would ask to have him taken away.  He went on to say that she would punish him by not feeding him and that this went on for three years before his parents found out.  He also had a brother named Johnny who was epileptic and died at 13.  His parents had kept Johnny out of the public eye because of his seizures.

In addition to Albert's internal conflict, there is the conflict within Albert to hold the monarchy together by supporting his brother, even though he knows he shouldn't be King.  When he expresses his concerns and the seriousness of the situation to Lionel, Lionel tells him that he would make a great King.  Albert is offended by this and storms away.

Later, we see that Albert does indeed become King, after Edward abdicates.  We don't see much of the
conflict within the family at this time, but it must have been intense.

(Now) King George VI makes it through his coronation with the help of Lionel, but only after he finds out that Lionel is not a doctor and tries to push him away.  Lionel doesn't leave. however, and explains his training and background to King George, who then asks him to stay.


The larger conflict, however, is still to come.  As time progresses toward 1939 and war with Germany, the Prime Minister comes to the King and tells him he is going to resign because he didn't prepare the country well enough for the threat posed by Hitler and the Nazis.  He is succeeded by Neville Chamberlain, as Great Britain prepares for another World War.
On the day war is declared, King George needs to make a speech to rally the British people - and the world (via radio), as they begin the war efforts.  Lionel is there to support him as he gives an impassioned speech, with exactly the right tone, that unites the entire British Empire.
Albert thanks Lionel for his help and his friendship and then goes out to greet his subjects as the nation rallies around their King.


As we look at our text and the various topics within Chapter 3 that could apply to this movie,  I first think of the title The King's Speech and the play on the word speech, which could easily have been his manner of speaking, or speach.  You could also go back to the use of the word speech and realize the importance of the King being able to communicate effectively to his people - especially when war had been declared when he had to give the most important speech of his life.

This is a terrific movie.  I think I've said that about each one of the films we've watched, but it's true! 

References:
Petrie, D., & Boggs, J. (2012). The art of watching films. (8th ed. ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages.