Great Films of the 21st Century: The King's Speech (2010)

We haven't quite gotten to the point yet where movie theaters are fully open. But we're getting closer. For those of you who will still stream movies at home for the time being, the films I've reviewed for "Great Films of the 21st Century" are certainly worth your time.

The King’s Speech

Director: Tom Hooper

Stars: Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter, Guy Pearce, Derek Jacobi, Michael Gambon.

Rated: R (for some language)

Running time: 1:58

Some have greatness thrust upon them.

“The King’s Speech” opens with the man who would become King George VI of England attempting to speak publicly at the opening of the British Empire Exhibition in the mid-1920s.

He stands before a massive crowd that has fallen dead silent so they can hear every word. Under the intense pressure and scrutiny, with the eyes of thousands upon him and a menacing-looking red light indicating the microphone is live, he can’t get the words out. He stutters uncontrollably.

As Duke of York, the man known to his family as Bertie before he became king didn’t have to speak much. But with each public speaking engagement, Bertie looks upon it with utter dread. And those speaking engagements have become more frequent with the wider use of newsreel footage and radio.

As his father, King George V said in one scene, before radio, the king would only be expected to make the occasional public appearance and make sure he doesn’t fall off his horse. But now, with more ways of communicating and the mounting threat coming from Germany, the king is expected to be much more of a public figure.

We can see the possible genesis of his stammer. Bertie lacks confidence. Add to that being raised in a cold atmosphere at home and having his own family beat him down emotionally. His father shouts out simplistic remedies such as “take your time” or “just get it out.” Even as adults, his brother isn’t above the childish mimicking of Bertie.

But Hooper’s film doesn’t get into convenient explanations for why George VI stuttered.

He had sought treatment throughout the kingdom to no avail. Some therapists had him smoke under the assumption that it would open his airways and aid in enunciation (it was a common fallacy in the early 20th Century that smoking actually helped one's breathing). One therapist had him fill his mouth with marbles and then try to read from a script. His coaching was just as simplistic as the king’s. “Enunciate” the therapist shouted. Even the most skilled speaker couldn’t speak with a mouth full of marbles. It’s like someone telling someone diagnosed as clinically depressed, “Oh it’s all in your head. Just be happy.”

Bertie’s wife, the woman who would become Queen Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter), stumbles across Lionel Logue, a therapist from Australia who uses some rather unorthodox methods. Singing the lines, using music in the background and using a profanity-filled tirade are the tricks he uses. Logue is confident in his methodology and it seems to do the trick.

As war looms, the English look to the throne for guidance and reassurance. His brother Edward VIII (Guy Pearce) doesn’t have the strength of character to match Bertie. But he’s next in line after their father.

Edward VIII takes the throne briefly but it is too much for him. He’s a bit of an epicurean to begin with. And he is having an affair with a married woman from Baltimore. He cannot marry her and be king. So he abdicates, leaving Bertie to assume the throne.

There is no escaping public speech now for him.

Colin Firth plays King George with such skill. Mimicking a stutter/stammer is hit or miss with some actors. Firth, who has established himself over the last decade as one of our best living actors, gets it right. I found myself whenever he would start to stammer wanting to finish his lines for him. He evokes sympathy because we see how hard he tries, how he struggles and how frustrated he gets. Each time he seems to choke on his own words, we can almost feel some of the agony tearing at his character.

Besides this being about George VI controlling his stutter, it’s also about his unlikely friendship with Logue. One might expect Logue to be excessively deferential to a member of the royal family. But he realizes that will do Bertie no good. “My castle, my rules,” he tells him. But Logue shows a deft touch. He seems to know when to be firm and when to back off.

Geoffrey Rush may be overlooked in this role and that would be unfortunate. He is a steadying influence for Bertie. And Bertie has the presence of mind to know Logue has been a tremendous influence.

As good a story as this is, it goes nowhere without someone to play George VI convincingly. And Firth is superb. And for such a role, it netted him an Oscar for Best Actor. That year, Firth became on of 10 actors to with the Academy Award, BAFTA Award, Critics' Choice Award, Golden Globe Award and SAG Award for the same performance. Four more actors have achieved the same since.