The 2010 film, The King’s Speech looks back at the British Royal Family back in the 1920s and 1930s. The story focusses on ‘Bertie’ (Prince Albert), who then became King George VI, and his struggle against his stammer.
Image from Wikipedia
There are moments in the film where the audience is taken back in time and can almost share the discomfort that crowds of people must have felt. The scene where Bertie is speaking at the close of the 1925 British Empire Exhibition at Wembley Stadium shows just how difficult his public life must have been. His duty to speak to the public cannot be avoided and as history shows, it would only increase with time.
Image from Wikipedia
It is amazing to watch how the film progresses. The techniques used by Lionel Logue are extremely unorthodox, and for anyone who knows anything of the British Royal Family, completely unthinkable. I sat open-mouthed at the ways in which Logue spoke to the prince. I was astounded to think that elements of the film had historical truth.
It is not surprising that the film has been nominated for BAFTAs and Academy Awards (Oscars). A truly deserving film!
|“As the actor of the year in the film of the year, I can’t think of enough adjectives to praise Firth properly. The King’s Speech has left me speechless.”
|— Rex Reed, New York Observer
This film is yet another example of the popularity of films regarding British Royals. ‘The Queen’, ‘Elizabeth’ and ‘Young Victoria’ have all be great successes.
|“Not a great deal was written about His Majesty’s speech therapist, Lionel Logue, certainly not in the official biographies. Nor was much published about the Royal stutter; it appeared to be a source of profound embarrassment.”
|— David Seidler
It is not surprising that official biographies failed to mention Lionel Logue. His personality and work ethic tend not disagree with royal protocol.
King George VI
Films such as this always make me want to find out more about the historical facts. I wanted to read more about the abdication of King Edward VII.
I was surprised and shocked to discover that he had met Adolf Hitler against the advice of the British Government in 1937. I was also shocked that it has been suggested that Hitler planned to reinstate Edward as the British monarch had history turned out differently.
The amazing support of King George’s wife, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother), really came across well in the film. It is amazing to think that she outlived her husband by almost 50 years. She had not planned for a life in the public eye, yet she went on to be such a figure of resistence in the Second World War and then in recent times helped to stabilise the popularity of the monarchy as a whole.
The film also depicts the shift from Edward to George which ultimately resulted in Queen Elizabeth II being one of the greatest British monarchs of all time.
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