The King's Speech (www.the-usher.com)

"My husband's work involves a great deal of public speaking"

With his father, King George V (Gambon) becoming extremely ill and his older brother gallivanting in America with a married woman, second in line to the throne the Duke of York (Firth) has to make more public appearances. Terrified of public speaking because of his stutter, his wife Princess Elizabeth (Carter) has taken him to every speech therapist in London but to no avail. Heading to Harley Street she employs the services Lionel Logue (Rush), an Australian dialect coach with unusual methods. As the pair work on relieving his stutter, his father passes away and his brother Edward (Pearce) takes the throne but as the new King’s relationship with Wallis Simpson (Best) becomes a problem and the country heads to war with Nazi Germany, the pressure starts to mount on the soon to be king to be able to speak to the nation.

When it comes to telling stories about the British Royal family, Hollywood, critics and audiences around the world tend to take notice but does ‘The King’s Speech’ have what it takes to becomes a cinematic royal appointment?

The British monarchy has been the subject of many a poem, play, novel, documentary and film throughout the ages and there are many stories to tell. In modern times, the monarchy are completely covered by the media, with reporters and photographers from around the world following their every move and making it almost impossible for any of the current royals to keep anything from their gossip hungry and demanding public. This was very different in the time of King George V reign.

In the 1930s, media coverage was increasing with the King now expected to speak to the nation on the radio but while allowing the public the hear the voice of their monarch on the thousands wirelesses around the country, this was a whole new way of public speaking. For King George’s second born son Albert, the whole process filled him with fear. With his father’s health failing, this brother David causing controversy while courting a divorcee and Adolf Hitler revitalising the German war machine, Albert, or Bertie to his family, now had more responsibility for public speaking but he suffered with a terrible stammer. On the assistant of his family and with the help of his wife Elizabeth, Bertie seeked an answer to his problem from the great medical mines of Harley Street in London. It was Elizabeth who discovered the man who would change his life however and he was speak therapist Lionel Logue. With the death of this father King George, this brother David becoming Edward VIII but wanting to give it all up to be with his divorcee Wallis Simpson and the Country been on the verge of war with Nazi Germany, the pressure on a nervous man who just wanted to be a naval officer want making his stammer even worse. While many a Royal story may see them dealing with responsibilities and duties that another one outside of the monarchy could only ever imagine, the story of a man dealing with a speech impediment is one that many more people can connect with. This is what makes ‘The King’s Speech’ such a success.

A Royal story needs some regal performances and ‘The King’s Speech’ has a trio of actor who are on the top of their games. Helena Bonham Carter is no stranger to playing royalty or appearing in costume dramas but as Elizabeth, the soon to be Queen and mother to Queen Elizabeth II, she is a shining light. Delightful throughout and playing the adoring and supportive wife, Helena Bonham Carter is a joy to watch. Oscar winning actor Geoffrey Rush has a successful career of mixing huge Hollywood blockbusters with smaller budget, character driven pieces and his role as speech therapist Lionel Logue gives him the chance to shine again. This is a role made for Rush and he definitely makes it his own. Lionel was a man who had to stand up to a King for his process to work and while this may be classed as a supporting role for Geoffrey Rush, this is really a joint starring role as Lionel is just as important as King George VI. Playing Bertie, the second son with the stammer who would become King George VI is Colin Firth. One of Britain’s versatile and much loved actors, Colin Firth has made a career from starring in everything from romantic comedies, teen movies, musicals, historical epics, musicals and character driven dramas like his Oscar nominated turn in ‘A Single Man’. As Bertie, he shows again why he is a classed as an actor of the highest caliber, making the soon to be king a vulnerable man under extreme pressure but with a willingness to serve his nation by overcoming his greatest stumbling block. This is Firth at his best and a performance that will be long remembered. There is also excellent support from Michael Gambon as George V, Guy Pearce as Edward VIII, Jennifer Ehle as Mrs. Logue, Derek Jacobi as Archbishop Cosmo Lang and Timothy Spall as Winston Churchill.

Brilliantly written by David Seidler, expertly directed by ‘The Damned United’ helmer Toby Hooper and astonishing performances from every member of the cast, ‘The King’s Speech’ showcases everything that is good about British filmmaking and is now the new Royal Standard for films about the monarchy.

Special Features:

Commentary with director Tom Hooper
An Inspirational Story of an Unlikely Friendship: The Making of the King’s Speech
Speeches from the real King George VI
Production sketches from Academy Award-nominated production designer Eve Stewart
Interview with Mark Logue (Co-author of The King’s Speech: How One Man Saved the British Monarchy)
Photo gallery including A Look Behind The Scenes

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2011