THE KING’S SPEECH

UK, 2010, 118 minutes, Colour.
Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter, Guy Pearce, Michael Gambon, Claire Bloom, Derek Jacobi, Jennifer Ehle, Timothy Spall, Anthony Andrews, Eve Best.
Directed by Tom Hooper.

King George VI does not seem a likely contender for a film hero. There have been several films and mini-series on his brother, Edward VIII, and his abdication. Helen Mirren made George’s daughter, Elizabeth, a very interesting subject as The Queen. Nevertheless, here is a period drama that is strong on character and tension, insightful on the monarchy and its crisis in the mid-30s with the abdication and the outbreak of World War II, with George as the reluctant king. He also had a debilitating stammer. And it is the stammer that makes the film.

The film opens with his Duke of York 1925 speech at Wembley, a humiliating experience of awkward silences, and ends with his regal speech that stirred all of Britain and the empire.

Colin Firth has been around a long time and made impact with his Mr Darcy in Pride and Prejudice in the 1990s. But, in recent years, despite some reputation for being stolid, he has made quite an impact with Easy Virtue, A Single Man and many other roles. As George VI, he shows how you can still make an impact as a stolid man who has a desperate speech impediment and a bad temper. You believe that Firth is George VI and Firth makes you believe he has a stammer. He is well supported by Helena Bonham Carter as Elizabeth, who was an extraordinary strength for him during his reign – and did live on into this century as the Queen Mother. Good to see Helena Bonham Carter do something normal after her recent films, including the deranged Bellatrix in the Harry Potter films.

But, the point and the central relationship of the film is one of friendship and mentoring.

The speech therapist, Lionel Logue, a would-be actor from Australia, and subject to English sneering (especially from Derek Jacobi, sneerer par excellence as the Archbishop of Canterbury), but who possessed great self-confidence and skill in helping clients overcome their disabilities. Much of the film shows the interaction between the two men, not always easy, especially for the Duke who confesses that he has not met and does not know any ordinary people. (Some easily offended audiences may be surprised by some of the four letter aspects of Logue’s methods.)

Geoffrey Rush is at his best as Lionel Logue, a genial man who has learned his craft by experience and is determined that the Duke will speak confidently and that he will succeed when he makes king’s speeches. Jennifer Ehle (Elizabeth Bennett to Firth’s Darcy in Pride and Prejudice) appears as Logue’s wife, Myrtle.

Fans of British film and television will be delighted with many of the character actors who appear: Michael Gambon who brings George V to life, Claire Bloom as Queen Mary, Anthony Andrews as Stanley Baldwin, Timothy Spall as Churchill and Guy Pearce as Edward VIII.

As background to the speech therapy, which took place over years, we are invited to watch the formal style of George V and Queen Mary in bringing up their children at a distance, to feel the unprecedented national and political effects of Prince of Wales, David’s lack of interest in being king and his passion for Wallis Simpson (who is not presented sympathetically), the reluctance of the retiring Bertie to becoming king, the advances of Hitler and the declaration of war against Germany. It is well-known how much the British people admired the royal family, especially during wartime when they felt that the family was one with the people. The film offers solid grounds for this, which will do monarchists a power of good and will draw from republicans some quiet admiration.

The screenplay creates the characters well. Tom Hooper (Red Dust, Elizabeth I, The Damned United) has directed with wit and polish. Writer David Seidler had a speech impediment when he was young and admired George VI. The Queen Mother was willing to have her husband’s story told but only after she had died. So, here it is, belatedly but still most welcome.

1. The acclaim and awards? Popularity?

2. The film for Britain and royalists? For American audiences? Worldwide audiences? Members of the Commonwealth? For royalists, for republicans?

3. The fine production values, the re-creation of the 20s and 30s, the United Kingdom, London, the palaces, the world of royalty, the ordinary world of Lionel Logue and Harley Street? Westminster Abbey? Authentic feel, the period, costumes and décor, the score?

4. The strong cast, quality, embodying historical characters?

5. The title, the opening with the microphone, Bertie and his approach to the microphone, his fears? The contrast with the end, his giving the speech about the war, his achievement?

6. The British royal family, the visuals of their lineage, the kings and their portraits, Queen Victoria, the references to other monarchs and history, especially George III? The world of George V, Queen Mary? Their sternness, seeing the children infrequently, the effect on the children and their affectivity, the separation of adults from children? The attitude towards commoners, their lack of experience in meeting ordinary people? The place of the royal family in the British mentality and heart?

7. The microphone, Wembley 1925, the Duke of York and his fears, the crowd, his attempting his speech, the stammer, the silences, people’s reactions? The scenes with the doctors and their variety of therapies, the duke having to speak with marbles in his mouth? His frustration, his not wanting therapy? George V and his challenge to his son? The family mockery when he was young? The scene with David and his mocking him? Elizabeth and her love for her husband, support, concern to help him?

8. Elizabeth, as a person, her marriage to Bertie, as Duchess of York? Her continued support, love, her care for her daughters? Taking her husband to specialists? 1934, going to visit Lionel Logue? As Mrs Johnson? The character she assumed, the discussions with Logue, his questions, explaining that her husband could not change his work, a type of indenture? At home, Bertie with his children, the long sequence of his telling the penguin story? Their response?

9. Lionel Logue, Geoffrey Rush’s interpretation? Harley Street, the small house, the rooms, not having a reception, his being in the toilet? His ordinary manner, the Australian background (and the British looking down their nose at this)? His attempt at acting, his performance as Richard III and his being rejected? His receiving Mrs Johnson, the poster about Sydney Harbour Bridge? His rules and his being strict? The questions, her not wanting to return? Her actually returning, bringing the duke, his wariness, his anger, short fuse, talking with Logue? His feeling awkward in talking with an ordinary person? His being very private, not wanting his life revealed to Logue? Logue asking him to record the ‘To be or not to be’ speech, playing the music loudly, giving the duke the record?

10. Lionel at home, his love for his wife, with his boys, talking, the model planes – and later Bertie working on these? The discovery of the truth about the Duke of York, his response?

11. How well done were the sessions for speech training, therapy, his coaching him, the different methods? The effect of the swearing and the outlet for Bertie? Progress, Bertie and his increasing self-confidence? The walk in the park, Logue pushing Bertie, Bertie’s hostile reaction, Logue going to see him and his refusal to see him?

12. George V, as king, as emperor? His illness, his discussions with the doctor? The visit of Bertie? The issue of David and the inheritance? His death? Queen Mary, stern, the family at the table and the meal, her control? The formalities, the funeral and the grieving?

13. David and his relationship with Wallis Simpson? The audience’s attitude towards David, towards Mrs Simpson? David and his life, his lack of interest in politics, dreading becoming king? His discussions with his father? With Bertie? Thinking that Bertie was more suitable to be king, yet accusing him of wanting to be king? His accession to the throne, the party at Balmoral, following every whim of Wallis Simpson, the party? Elizabeth and Bertie arriving, Elizabeth and her snubbing of Mrs Simpson? David and his not wanting to continue as king, the scene of his making the decision, signing the document, the reaction of the politicians, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the concern?

14. Bertie, the discussions, his becoming king, taking the name of George VI, Elizabeth becoming the queen, the acceptance, the princesses and their reaction to the new situation, curtseying to their father?

15. The expectations on George VI, his having to speak, his making contact with Logue, his apology? The renewal of their friendship? Myrtle and her discovery of the identity of Lionel’s client? Elizabeth and her being in the outer room, having a cup of tea? The training sessions? The build-up to the coronation, the discussions about the routines and protocols, Bertie wanting Logue to be present, in the box, the attitude of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Archbishop of Canterbury’s character, being present with the royal family, snobbish? His investigation of Logue’s background? The king accusing Logue of being a phony? Logue’s explanation of his background, in Australia, wanting to be an actor, performing in Perth, World War One, the shell-shocked soldiers, his ability to help them to speak again? His going into practice – and his explaining that he had never called himself a doctor? The rehearsal, sitting on the throne, Bertie’s reaction, claiming that he had a voice?

16. Logue’s life, the background of his acting, the war, the shock therapy, the clients, the little boy who welcomed the Duke of York into the room?

17. The build-up to the king’s speech, Logue and the preparation, the support, the king going into the room, everybody trying to build him up, Logue present in the studio, the special studio, Logue conducting the speech like music, the pauses, the swear words, the return to the official room, the official photo in front of the microphone? The king and his family going out onto the balcony? The range of people shown listening to the speech, the acclamation for the royal family outside Buckingham Palace?

18. The background of politics, Stanley Baldwin and his prime ministership, underestimating Hitler, his discussions with the king, his resignation? The contrast with Churchill, Churchill’s suspicions of Hitler? Churchill and his mentioning to the king that he had a speech impediment?

19. The royal family watching the film of the coronation? The newsreel and the Archbishop of Canterbury? The sequences with Hitler, the device of introducing Hitler into the film, the outbreak of World War Two, the princesses asking what Hitler was saying, the king not knowing but commenting how vividly he said it?

20. The life of George VI, his relationship with the people of Britain and the empire, the moral support during the war, with ordinary people, Elizabeth and her role? The role of the princesses? Imagining what might have happened had Edward VIII continued on the throne as different from George VI? This heritage – even with the difficulties of the royal family during the 20th century?