The King's Speech

It’s been called “a master class in acting”. Not being an actor, I can’t comment on that, but as a movie, The King’s Speech is compelling, engrossing and thoroughly enjoyable. I'd heard nothing but good reviews from people, but still I didn't expect it to be as good as it was. But when it ended, I was astonished to find that two hours had passed; I could easily have sat for more (and I'm a restless person). Actually, I was rather  disappointed that it was already over; I was expecting to see more of the King’s life and speeches during the War.  (Perhaps someday there will be a sequel ... or perhaps this is a once-in-a-lifetime self-contained little gem that should maybe stay that way.)

It’s a simple story, really; a human story, the story of an already reluctant king with the additional hurdle of a serious stuttering problem. But with the help of unorthodox Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue (who ultimately became a cherished friend) King George VI was able to tame, if not completely overcome, it well enough to provide the series of wartime speeches that so inspired, sustained, and endeared himself to his people.

Queen Elizabeth II is the only reigning monarch I’ve ever known, so my knowledge of the era was pretty sketchy. I hadn’t realized how important King George’s wartime inspiration was, and just how much he meant to the entire Commonwealth that heard and drew strength from his talks. I knew the Queen Mother was beloved, but I thought it was mainly for her cheery disposition, but there was so much more behind it. And I didn’t actually realize this was a true story until I saw the end notes when the movie finished.

What a story it is!  An elder brother, born and groomed to be king, sacrificing it all ... supposedly for love, but probably also because he didn’t have the courage, maturity, or sense of duty to take on the role. And a younger brother who certainly didn’t want the job either (few would, I think, who realize the gravity of it) but had the sense of service and duty that ultimately made him the far better man for the position. A simple story, told simply – the bulk of the screen time was the King and Lionel struggling to make progress. And we were all there with him, rooting for him to just get one word out after another, and cheering (inwardly at least) when his inaugural BBC radio speech as King was successful. What a treasure of a movie, and what a privilege to learn more about this remarkable gentleman’s amazing story.