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"The King's Speech" tells the story of a man compelled to speak to the world with a stammer. It must be painful enough for one who stammers to speak to another person. To face a radio microphone and know the British Empire is listening must be terrifying. At the time of the speech mentioned in this title, a quarter of the Earth's population was in the Empire, and of course much of North America, Europe, Africa and Asia would be listening — and with particular attention, Germany.

The king was George VI. The year was 1939. Britain was entering into war with Germany. His listeners required firmness, clarity and resolve, not stammers punctuated with tortured silences. This was a man who never wanted to be king. After the death of his father, the throne was to pass to his brother Edward. But Edward renounced the throne "in order to marry the woman I love," and the duty fell to Prince Albert, who had struggled with his speech from an early age.

In "The King's Speech," director Tom Hooper opens on Albert ( Colin Firth ), attempting to open the British Empire Exhibition in 1925. Before a crowded arena and a radio audience, he seizes up in agony in efforts to make the words come out right. His father, George V ( Michael Gambon ), has always considered "Bertie" superior to Edward ( Guy Pearce ), but mourns the introduction of radio and newsreels, which require a monarch to be seen and heard on public occasions.

At that 1925 speech, we see Bertie's wife, Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter), her face filled with sympathy. As it becomes clear that Edward's obsession with Wallis Simpson (Eve Best) is incurable, she realizes her Bertie may face more public humiliation. He sees various speech therapists, one of whom tries the old marbles-in-the-mouth routine first recommended by Demosthenes. Nothing works, and then she seeks out a failed Australian actor named Lionel Logue ( Geoffrey Rush ), who has set up a speech therapy practice.

Logue doesn't realize at first who is consulting him. And one of the subjects of the film is Logue's attitude toward royalty, which I suspect is not untypical of Australians; he suggests to Albert that they get on a first-name basis. Albert has been raised within the bell jar of the monarchy and objects to such treatment, not because he has an elevated opinion of himself but because, well, it just isn't done. But Logue realizes that if he is to become the king's therapist, he must first become his friend.

If the British monarchy is good for nothing else, it's superb at producing the subjects of films. "The King's Speech," rich in period detail and meticulous class distinctions, largely sidesteps the story that loomed over this whole period, Edward's startling decision to give up the crown to marry a woman who was already divorced three times. Indeed, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor (as they became) would occupy an inexplicable volume of attention for years, considering they had no significance after the Duke's abdication. The unsavory thing is that Wallis Simpson considered herself worthy of such a sacrifice from the man she allegedly loved. This film finds a more interesting story about better people; Americans, who aren't always expert on British royalty, may not necessarily realize that Albert and wife Elizabeth were the parents of Queen Elizabeth II. God knows what Edward might have fathered.

Director Tom Hooper makes an interesting decision with his sets and visuals. The movie is largely shot in interiors, and most of those spaces are long and narrow. That's unusual in historical dramas, which emphasize sweep and majesty and so on. Here we have long corridors, a deep and narrow master control room for the BBC, rooms that seem peculiarly oblong. I suspect he may be evoking the narrow, constricting walls of Albert's throat as he struggles to get words out.

The film largely involves the actors Colin Firth, formal and decent, and Geoffrey Rush, large and expansive, in psychological struggle. Helena Bonham Carter, who can be merciless (as in the "Harry Potter" films), is here filled with mercy, tact and love for her husband; this is the woman who became the much-loved Queen Mother of our lifetimes, dying in 2002 at 101. As the men have a struggle of wills, she tries to smooth things (and raise her girls Elizabeth and Margaret). And in the wider sphere, Hitler takes power, war comes closer, Mrs. Simpson wreaks havoc, and the dreaded day approaches when Bertie, as George VI, will have to speak to the world and declare war.

Hooper's handling of that fraught scene is masterful. Firth internalizes his tension and keeps the required stiff upper lip, but his staff and household are terrified on his behalf as he marches toward a microphone as if it is a guillotine. It is the one scene in the film that must work, and it does, and its emotional impact is surprisingly strong. At the end, what we have here is a superior historical drama and a powerful personal one. And two opposites who remain friends for the rest of their lives.

Note: The R rating refers to Logue's use of vulgarity. It is utterly inexplicable. This is an excellent film for teenagers.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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The King's Speech (2010)

Rated R for language

118 minutes

Directed by

• David Seidler

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The King's Speech

The story of King George VI, his unexpected ascension to the throne of the British Empire in 1936, and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch overcome his stammer. The story of King George VI, his unexpected ascension to the throne of the British Empire in 1936, and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch overcome his stammer. The story of King George VI, his unexpected ascension to the throne of the British Empire in 1936, and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch overcome his stammer.

• David Seidler
• Colin Firth
• Geoffrey Rush
• Helena Bonham Carter
• 832 User reviews
• 486 Critic reviews
• 88 Metascore
• 108 wins & 206 nominations total

• King George VI

• Lionel Logue

• Queen Elizabeth

• Archbishop Cosmo Lang

• Private Secretary

• BBC Radio Announcer

• Robert Wood

• BBC Technician

• Dr. Blandine Bentham

• Laurie Logue

• Myrtle Logue

• Valentine Logue
• Anthony Logue

• Princess Elizabeth

• Princess Margaret

• Theatre Director
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Did you know

• Trivia Nine weeks before filming began, Lionel Logue's grandson, Mark Logue , discovered a large box in his attic that contained his grandfather's personal papers. The box held Lionel Logue's diary, his appointment book, notes from his speech therapy sessions with King George VI , and over 100 personal letters to Logue from the King. It also contained what is believed to be the actual copy of the speech used by George VI in his 1939 radio broadcast announcing the declaration of war with Germany. Mark Logue turned his grandfather's papers, letters, and diary over to director Tom Hooper and screenwriter David Seidler , who used them to flesh out the relationship between Logue and the King. Geoffrey Rush and Colin Firth also read through the material for insight into their characters. The exchange in this movie between Logue and King George VI following his radio speech ("You still stammered on the 'W'." / "Well, I had to throw in a few so they knew it was me.") was taken directly from Logue's diary. Firth insisted that it should be included in the movie.
• Goofs In the final speech, King George VI has one blue eye and one brown eye. Colin Firth had lost a contact lens.

King George VI : All that... work... down the drain. My own... b... brother, I couldn't say a single w-word to him in reply.

Lionel Logue : Why do you stammer so much more with David than you ever do with me?

King George VI : 'Cos you're b... bloody well paid to listen.

Lionel Logue : Bertie, I'm not a geisha girl.

King George VI : Stop trying to be so bloody clever.

Lionel Logue : What is it about David that stops you speaking?

King George VI : What is it about you that bloody well makes you want to go on about it the whole bloody time?

Lionel Logue : Vulgar, but fluent; you don't stammer when you swear.

King George VI : Oh, bugger off!

Lionel Logue : Is that the best you can do?

King George VI : [like an elocution lesson] Well... bloody bugger to you, you beastly bastard.

Lionel Logue : Oh, a public school prig could do better than that.

King George VI : Shit. Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!

Lionel Logue : Yes!

King George VI : Shit!

Lionel Logue : Defecation flows trippingly from the tongue!

King George VI : Because I'm angry!

Lionel Logue : Do you know the f-word?

King George VI : F... f... fornication?

Lionel Logue : Oh, Bertie.

King George VI : Fuck. Fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck and fuck! Fuck, fuck and bugger! Bugger, bugger, buggerty buggerty buggerty, fuck, fuck, arse!

Lionel Logue : Yes...

King George VI : Balls, balls...

Lionel Logue : ...you see, not a hesitation!

King George VI : ...fuckity, shit, shit, fuck and willy. Willy, shit and fuck and... tits.

• Crazy credits In the end credit roll, Philip Clements is listed twice as Assistant Sound Editor.
• Connections Featured in Breakfast: Episode dated 22 October 2010 (2010)
• Soundtracks Le nozze di Figaro Overture Written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart [During the first therapy session when King's voice is being recorded]

User reviews 832

• Oct 8, 2010
• Just what time frame are we talking about here?
• What causes Bertie's stammer?
• Why couldn't King Edward marry Wallis Simpson?
• December 25, 2010 (United States)
• United States
• United Kingdom
• Official Site
• Nhà Vua Nói Lắp
• Elland Road Football Stadium, Elland Road, Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, UK (as Wembley Stadium at start of film)
• The Weinstein Company
• UK Film Council
• Momentum Pictures
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• $15,000,000 (estimated)
• $138,797,449
• Nov 28, 2010
• $472,088,310

Technical specs

• Runtime 1 hour 58 minutes
• Dolby Digital

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The King's Speech

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What to Know

Colin Firth gives a masterful performance in The King's Speech , a predictable but stylishly produced and rousing period drama.

Critics Reviews

Audience reviews, cast & crew.

Colin Firth

King George VI

Geoffrey Rush

Lionel Logue

Helena Bonham Carter

Queen Elizabeth

King Edward VIII

Timothy Spall

Winston Churchill

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Movie Review | 'The King’s Speech'

The King’s English, Albeit With Twisted Tongue

By Manohla Dargis

• Nov. 25, 2010

British films that make it to American screens these days often fall into two distinct niches: life is miserable and life is sweet (to borrow a title from the director Mike Leigh, who oscillates between the two). Given its quality headliners and high commercial profile (ding-dong, is that Oscar calling?), it’s no surprise that “The King’s Speech,” a buddy story about aggressively charming opposites — Colin Firth as the stutterer who would be king and Geoffrey Rush as the speech therapist — comes with heaping spoonfuls of sugar.

The story largely unfolds during the Great Depression, building to the compulsory rousing end in 1939 when Britain declared war on Nazi Germany, world calamities that don’t have a patch on the urgent matter of the speech impediment of Albert Frederick Arthur George (Mr. Firth). As a child, Albert, or Bertie as his family called him, the shy, sickly second son of King George V (Michael Gambon, memorably severe and regal), had a stutter debilitating enough that as an adult he felt compelled to conquer it. In this he was aided by his wife, Elizabeth (a fine Helena Bonham Carter), a steely Scottish rose and the mother of their daughters, Elizabeth, the future queen (Freya Wilson), and Margaret (Ramona Marquez).

Albert meets his new speech therapist, Lionel Logue (Mr. Rush), reluctantly and only after an assortment of public and private humiliations. (In one botched effort, a doctor instructs Albert to talk with a mouthful of marbles, a gagging endeavor that might have altered the imminent monarchical succession.) As eccentric and expansive as Albert is reserved, Logue enters the movie with a flourish, insisting that they meet in his shabby-chic office and that he be permitted to call his royal client, then the Duke of York, by the informal Bertie. It’s an ideal odd coupling, or at least that’s what the director Tom Hooper would have us believe as he jumps from one zippy voice lesson to the next, pausing every so often to wring a few tears.

To that generally diverting end, Albert barks and brays and raps out a calculatingly cute string of expletives, including the four-letter kind that presumably earned this cross-demographically friendly film its R. With their volume turned up, the appealing, impeccably professional Mr. Firth and Mr. Rush rise to the Acting occasion by twinkling and growling as their characters warily circle each other before settling into the therapeutic swing of things and unknowingly preparing for the big speech that partly gives the film its title. Before you know it, Elizabeth (Ms. Bonham Carter), the future dumpling known as the Queen Mother, is sitting on Bertie’s chest during an exercise while he lies on Logue’s floor, an image that is as much about the reassuring ordinariness of the royals as it is about Albert’s twisting tongue.

It isn’t exactly “Pygmalion,” not least because Mr. Hooper has no intention of satirizing the caste system that is one of this movie’s biggest draws. Unlike “The Queen,” a barbed look at the royal family after the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, “The King’s Speech” takes a relatively benign view of the monarchy, framing Albert as a somewhat poor little rich boy condemned to live in a fishbowl, an idea that Mr. Hooper unwisely literalizes by overusing a fisheye lens. The royals’ problems are largely personal, embodied by King George playing the stern 19th-century patriarch to Logue’s touchy-feely Freudian father. And while Albert initially bristles at Logue’s presumptions, theirs is finally a democracy of equals, an angle that makes their inequities go down in a most uneventful way.

Each character has his moments, instances when Bertie the closed book tentatively opens and Logue’s arrogance gets away from him, but both are too decent, too banal and the film too ingratiating to resonate deeply. Albert’s impediment certainly pales in comparison with the drama surrounding his older, popular brother, David, later King Edward VIII (a fantastic Guy Pearce), and his married American divorcée, Mrs. Wallis Simpson (Eve Best). After King George V dies, David assumes the crown and continues to carry on with Mrs. Simpson, a liaison that, because of its suggestively perverse power dynamics — at a party, she orders the new king (yoo-hooing “David”) to fetch her booze — hints at a more interesting movie than the one before you.

That film does have its attractions, notably in its two solid leads and standout support from Mr. Pearce. Mercurially sliding between levels of imperiousness and desperation, he creates a thorny tangle of complications in only a few abbreviated scenes, and when his new king viciously taunts Bertie, you see the entirety of their cruel childhood flashing between them. By the time he abdicates in 1936, publicly pledging himself to Mrs. Simpson (“the woman I love”), turning the throne over to King George VI, Edward has a hold on your affections. Those would surely lessen if the film tagged after him when he and Mrs. Simpson subsequently took their post-abdication tour around Germany, where they had tea with Hitler and the Duke returned the Führer’s Nazi salute. Like many entertainments of this pop-historical type, “The King’s Speech” wears history lightly no matter how heavy the crown.

The King’s Speech

Opens on Friday in New York and Los Angeles.

Directed by Tom Hooper; written by David Seidler; director of photography, Danny Cohen; edited by Tariq Anwar; music by Alexandre Desplat; production design by Eve Stewart; costumes by Jenny Beavan; produced by Iain Canning, Emile Sherman and Gareth Unwin; released by the Weinstein Company. Running time: 1 hour 58 minutes.

WITH: Colin Firth (King George VI), Geoffrey Rush (Lionel Logue), Helena Bonham Carter (Queen Elizabeth), Guy Pearce (King Edward VIII), Jennifer Ehle (Myrtle Logue), Eve Best (Wallis Simpson), Freya Wilson (Princess Elizabeth), Ramona Marquez (Princess Margaret), Claire Bloom (Queen Mary), Derek Jacobi (Archbishop Cosmo Lang), Michael Gambon (King George V), Timothy Spall (Winston Churchill) and Anthony Andrews (Stanley Baldwin).

“The King’s Speech” is rated R (Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian). Coarse language.

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Film review: The King's Speech

• DVD: The Elia Kazan Collection

United Kingdom / Australia / USA 2010

Reviewed by Philip Kemp

Our synopses give away the plot in full, including surprise twists.

London 1925. King George V’s younger son, Albert Duke of York, has to give a speech at the opening of the British Empire Exhibition. His nervous stammer makes his words unintelligible.

Nine years later. Bertie (as he’s known to the family) has tried various speech therapists without success. His wife Elizabeth hears of an Australian therapist, Lionel Logue, whose unorthodox methods are said to be successful. She visits Logue, calling herself Mrs Johnson, and asks him to come and see her husband. Logue tells her that his patients must come to him. Intrigued by Logue’s outspokenness, Elizabeth persuades Bertie to visit him. Bertie starts making progress under Lionel’s eccentric guidance.

George V dies, and Bertie’s self-confident, philandering brother David succeeds to the throne as Edward VIII, but his association with American divorcee Wallis Simpson causes concern – especially when he announces that he intends to marry her. The Archbishop of Canterbury and Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin tell him he must abdicate. Bertie, realising he may become king, is angry and terrified; he quarrels with Lionel and tells him their sessions are over.

Edward VIII abdicates; Bertie succeeds him as George VI. Elizabeth persuades him to consult Lionel again, and with the therapist’s help he negotiates the responses at his coronation without disaster. On 3 September 1939, Neville Chamberlain declares war with Germany. With Lionel guiding him, the king makes a nine-minute radio broadcast rallying his people. Afterwards he and his family stand on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, cheered by a vast crowd.

“Surely,” asks Aussie speech therapist Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush), “a prince’s brain knows what its mouth’s saying?” Albert Duke of York, the future King George VI (Colin Firth), throws him a weary glance. “You’re not well acquainted with royal princes, are you?” he retorts.

In its handling of royalty, The King’s Speech neatly has it both ways. We’re given the mystique of the king’s figurehead position and the danger (especially at the outbreak of war) of this emblematic role being undermined by his crippling stammer. “The nation believes that when I speak, I speak for them,” he tells Logue. “And I can’t speak.” At the same time, David Seidler’s screenplay takes mischievous glee in exposing the absurdities of royal protocol. When Albert’s wife Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter), sheltering behind a pseudonym, first comes to consult Logue, he suggests that her husband should simply change jobs to one that doesn’t involve public speaking. He’s not allowed to, she tells him. “Indentured servitude?” he inquires. “Something of that nature, yes.” Later, when Logue dismisses the speech therapists Albert has previously consulted as “idiots”, the duke protests, “They’ve all been knighted.” “Makes it official then,” responds Logue.

This dual attitude – at once reverential and disrespectful – aligns Tom Hooper’s film with John Madden’s Mrs Brown (1997), which likewise featured a plainspoken, non-English outsider coming to the aid of a psychologically distressed royal. (Logue’s insistence on calling his royal patient ‘Bertie’ recalls Brown addressing Queen Vic as ‘wumman’.) Firth and Rush make for a no less diverting double-act than Judi Dench and Billy Connolly, to the point where their antics (which include convulsive jaw-wobbling and rolling on the floor) threaten to take over the movie – though Bonham Carter’s Elizabeth, a fount of emotional warmth in a family sorely in need of it, holds her own with more than a hint of mischief. Instructed by Logue to sit on her husband’s stomach and bounce up and down, she chirps gaily, “This is actually quite good fun.” Other supporting roles risk toppling into caricature – not least Timothy Spall, reprising his orotund Churchill from Jackboots on Whitehall – though Michael Gambon effectively sketches in George V as a hidebound old monster, regarding the radio microphone with patrician distaste: “This family has been reduced to those lowest of creatures. We’ve become actors .”

Although he plays up the odd-couple comedy, Hooper knows how to bring out the anguish behind the humour (as he did in 2009’s The Damned United and his 2006 TV movie Longford ). Bertie’s stammer, he makes clear, stems from years of abuse in an emotionally dysfunctional family, browbeaten by his martinet of a father and overshadowed by his far more self-assured older brother David (the future Edward VIII, played by Guy Pearce as a preening socialite). There’s a telling moment when, on the death of his father, David collapses in tears into the arms of his mother Queen Mary (Claire Bloom). Behind her son’s back the old lady’s hands flap bemusedly; hugging was evidently never on the British royal curriculum.

Rush excels himself in a rich, humorous performance, slyly sending up his reputation for occasional hamming with some interpolated passages of ripely overacted Shakespeare. But ultimately this is Firth’s film, confirming his status as one of our finest screen actors, with a matchless line in agonisingly repressed Brits. Though he never overplays the pathos of the reluctant future king, he makes us feel it in the simplest lines. “What are friends for?” Logue asks rhetorically at one point. Bertie stares at him bleakly.

“I wouldn’t know,” he responds.

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The King's Speech Introduction Introduction

Release Year:  2010

Genre: Biography, Drama

Director:  Tom Hooper

Writer: David Seidler

Stars:  Colin Firth , Geoffrey Rush , Helena Bonham Carter

This movie was destined to be a smash hit. After all, it brings together all the greatest dramatic elements: a world war, a reluctant king, and a speech impediment.

Wait, what was that last one?

Yes, ladies and gentlemen: The King's Speech is the preeminent movie about stuttering and speech therapy. Does that sound like a boring slog, or something that would have you nodding off into your bucket of extra buttery popcorn?

But The King's Speech is a movie about stuttering in the way that, say, Good Will Hunting is a movie about petty crime, or Cast Away is a movie about tropical islands, or The Shawshank Redemption is a movie about the legal system. Basically, the King's speech (impediment) is a challenge to be overcome… much like a life of petty crime for Will Hunting, a claustrophobic tropical key for Chuck Noland, or false imprisonment for Andy Dufresne.

Except for once crucial difference: King George VI is the King of England at the dawn of WWII, and his voice and inspirational speeches can spell the difference between high morale and a complete lack of faith in fighting for England against the Nazis. 

To paraphrase Will Hunting , "How do you like them high stakes?"

So ol' George (or Bertie to his friends) seeks the advice of Lionel Logue, a lovable weirdo who helps him erode his stuttering problem even as the biggest conflict of the 20th century is kicking into high gear.

This isn't your grandma's historical movie, either. (Even though your grandma probably thinks Colin Firth is dreamy.) Instead of creating a sweeping epic in glorious Technicolor, director Tom Hooper created a movie about the tortured psychology of one of the most famous men of the 20th century. It takes place mostly in the musty garret of an underemployed speech therapist...not in grand ballrooms. It's darkly lit...not filled with lush period piece panoramas. In short, it's a totally surprising take on a pretty established genre.

What The King's Speech does to historical drama is as out-of-left-field as a rom-com set in the Pentagon or a sci-fi epic set in Urban Outfitters.

But, hey, Tom Hooper's bizarre, intimate vision worked. This movie swept the 2011 Academy Awards, nabbing not only the Best Picture statuette but also little gold men for Colin Firth, Tom Hooper, and screenwriter David Seidler.

Oh, and the best part? This story of perseverance, kingly duty, fast friendship and the threat of the Nazis is based on a 100% true story. Although the film took a few liberties with the subject matter (speech therapist Logue probably never had the cojones to sit on St. Edward's Chair, for example), the story is basically lifted straight from the history books. 

So yeah, hold tight to those clichés about truth being stranger than fiction.

Why Should I Care?

We're going to take a stab at being a fortuneteller: when we look within the swirling depths of our crystal ball, we see into your innermost soul. And what do we see? Crippling insecurity.

No, we're not actually psychics. And we're not being mean, either. We're just giving you one of the fundamental truths about humanity: whoever you are—prince or pauper, Kylie Jenner or a girl who thinks she might as well be invisible—you feel insecure. That's just the way it is. (At least until you become a senior citizen: those Early Bird Special eaters seem to have an abundance of self-confidence.)

But that's the beauty of The King's Speech : it deals with that brutal life truth.

The King of England is just as insecure as the rest of us. It's not always good to be king. It requires more than just lookin' good in a fancy hat—in King George VI's case, you have to give speeches that rally an entire nation/empire against the threat of Nazi world domination. And when you're stuck with a stutter as a result on childhood trauma, making it through those speeches sounds more insurmountable than Mt. Everest.

Don't be fooled: The King's Speech isn't a feel good, saccharine movie. This is, after all, based on a completely true story. We don't see King George miraculously cured through The Power Of Hard Work or The Magic Of Friendship. We see him sweat, get angry, swear more than a sailor on shore leave, give up, get back in the speech therapy saddle, and swear some more. In short: we see him work.

We're not usually ones for spoilers, but we're going to give something away here: George isn't ever actually cured of his stutter. Instead, he learns to give speeches through his stutter. And the result is more inspirational than any thousand "Hang In There" posters: the for-real King George VI gave dozens of for-real speeches during for-real WWII… and he was beloved for it, occasional stutter and all.

Oh yeah—and King George entered into a lifelong friendship with his speech therapist. Yeah: a king (and his wife, the dang queen ) became best buds with a lower-class nobody because that selfsame nobody lent the king a friendly ear—along with some elocution lessons—at a time when nobody else would.

So do yourself a favor. The next time you're feeling alone in the vast universe of your own insecurity, wrap yourself in a blanket and watch The King's Speech. We guarantee it: after you're done watching, you'll want to go out do whatever you thought you couldn't manage before. Learn German. Write a novel. Take a chance on love. Wear a crop top. Buzz your head.

Because if King George can overcome four decades of self-loathing and make a rousing wartime speech, you can do anything. (Except fly. You can't fly. Don't try it.)

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Movie Review: The King’s Speech (2010)

• Mariusz Zubrowski
• Movie Reviews
• 2 responses
• --> December 27, 2010

One of the requirements to holding any kind of public office is a sharp tongue. That being said, a king with a speech impediment is simply coated with irony; it sounds like a great political satire. However, director Tom Hopper ( The Damned United ), alongside screenwriter David Seidler ( Malice in Wonderland (the 1985 T.V. movie, not the Snoop Dogg album, just to be clear) and Tucker: The Man and His Dream ) have taken a more historical (and thus realistic) route, tapping into the criminally underappreciated story of King George VI. The King’s Speech chronicles the hijinks and hoopla surrounding the king of Britain, Albert Frederick Arthur ‘Bertie’ George (or as he’d refer to himself, Ge-Ge-Ge-orge), a real-life “stutterbug” who inherited the throne from his brother, Edward VIII, when he relinquished the crown in order to marry an American socialite. In the film, Colin Firth plays the famous ruler with Geoffrey Rush rounding out the cast as Lionel Louge, George’s personal speech therapist who becomes the center of a much unexpected friendship. Although The King’s Speech does tackle the controversies surrounding the royal family, as well as the uprising of Hitler’s campaign, it remains more of a personal story — a tale of companionship and acceptance that though rather predictable, is also very well-done.

From the film’s very first scene, the humiliation is present in Firth’s character — made explicitly clear by the actor’s mannerisms. For George, a crowd of supporters and a microphone are far scarier than any political figurehead. Sometimes his condition, a life-changing impediment that almost completely shrouds his intellect, is presented humorously — poking fun at Hitler’s talent in public speaking — whereas in others, it is handled carefully — never bordering on being derogatory. But regardless of what context Seidler sculpts the character in, Firth gives a heavy-handed role that is sure to land him an Oscar nomination at the upcoming Academy Awards (making this year’s ceremony a real clash of the titans, with Firth, Jeff Bridges, and Ryan Gosling expected to garner nods).

However, a majority of the film’s likability is because of Firth’s chemistry with Rush, George’s unorthodox counterpart. Although they do not consider themselves equals in the first few moments of their relationship, the bond between them gradually blossoms. It eventually becomes a beautiful partnership — one that can overcome any obstacle, and it is this that stops George from becoming a one-note, heartless king, allowing him to become shockingly human. Adding to the effect is the versatile Helena Bonham Carter as Queen Elizabeth, whose role in George’s characterization is key — without Elizabeth, who George treats with the utmost of respect, his relationship with Lionel, which begins tumultuously, would have been tainted. Audience members, who watch as George throws tantrums and verbally abuse Louge, would have associated George as nothing more than a dignified brute, but because of Carter’s character, who is employed with immaculate precision, George’s motives are clear — he’s just insecure.

It’s just a shame that Seidler is forced to separate the characters in order to move the plot along. When apart, The King’s Speech is at its weakest — being left wide open to uneeded superfluities which caused me to lose focus and interest (you may think otherwise, if you’re into the entire political scheme of things).

Fortunately, the majority of the film isn’t about politics, instead succeeding because of its very touching human component. And thanks to the chemistry between the film’s leading actors, The King’s Speech goes past being just a good film to being a gr-gr-gr-gr-eat film.

Eventually I'll put something nifty here. Until then, know that I'm watching you. Closely.

Movie Review: Justice League (2017) Movie Review: My Scientology Movie (2015) Movie Review: The Magnificent Seven (2016) Movie Review: Creed (2015) Movie Review: The Green Inferno (2013) Movie Review: Sicario (2015) Movie Review: Terminator Genisys (2015)

'Movie Review: The King’s Speech (2010)' have 2 comments

January 25, 2011 @ 10:34 am Fowler

12 Oscar nominations! It is a good movie, but that good?

Log in to Reply

January 25, 2011 @ 6:45 pm Mariusz Zubrowski

The Academy loves these buddy-buddy tales of triumphant. But some of the nominations are pushing it.

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The king's speech.

The King's Speech stars Colin Firth as King George VI, the present Queen's father, and tells the story of the King's relationship with his unorthodox Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue.   Chance makes George the King just as radio is taking off as a mass medium. As King he must speak not only to the nation but to the people of the British Empire, across the world, as war looms. Struggling from childhood with a nervous stammer, George, known to his family as Bertie, the second son of King George V never expects to be King.  But his older brother Edward abdicates the throne to marry the American Wallis Simpson.  George VI's wife, Queen Elizabeth - the future Queen Mother - is tireless in her belief in him. Having tried all the traditional doctors, they put their faith in the Australian outsider, Logue.   The film movingly and humorously reveals the relationship of Royal and colonial commoner as they face the abdication crisis then the greatest test of all - the approach of the Second World War. The King must inspire the nation and the Empire on the radio. But will he be able to speak?  Will his friendship with Logue save him?

Production status

Last updated 27th February 2011

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See-Saw Films 26 Lloyd Baker Street London WC1X 9AW UK T +44 (0)20 3301 6268 F +44 (0)8449 945 035 http://www.see-saw-films.coms

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FilmNation 150 W22nd Street 9th Floor New York, NY 10011 USA

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The King's Speech (2010)

The king's speech.

After the death of his father King George V (Michael Gambon) and the scandalous abdication of Prince Edward VII's (Guy Pearce), Bertie (Colin Firth) who has suffered from a debilitating speech impediment all his life, is suddenly crowned King George VI of England. With his country on the brink of war and in desperate need of a leader, his wife, Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter), the future Queen Mother, arranges for her husband to see an eccentric speech therapist, Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush). After a rough start, the two delve into an unorthodox course of treatment and eventually form an unbreakable bond. With the support of Logue, his family, his government and Winston Churchill (Timothy Spall), the King will overcome his stammer and deliver a radio-address that inspires his people and unites them in battle. Based on the true story of King George VI, The King's Speech follows the Royal Monarch's quest to find his voice. The multi-award-winning cast includes Helena Bonham Carter (Alice In Wonderland) as Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, Guy Pearce (The Hurt Locker), Derek Jacobi (The Golden Compass), Timothy Spall (The Damned United) and Michael Gambon (Harry Potter).

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The King’s Speech

Inciting Event:  Watching Bertie, the Duke of York, go through another ineffective and humiliating “treatment” for his stammer with another respected doctor. Bertie’s wife Elizabeth gets the name of Lionel Logue, a speech therapist, and visits him to see if he can help her husband.

First Plot Point:  After a disastrous first meeting with Lionel Logue, and another stressful and humiliating meeting with his father, King George V, whom everyone loves, Bertie listens to a recording Lionel made of him (Bertie) reading Hamlet perfectly, with no stammering. Bertie realizes it’s possible. He can’t not try.

First Pinch Point:  Even before the death of their father the king, it’s apparent Bertie’s older brother David, the Prince of Wales, is going to make a very unsuitable king. After David is crowned King Edward VI, Lionel suggests Bertie would be a much better king. This is basically treason and Bertie says so, but Lionel pushes his point. He and Bertie argue, and Bertie breaks off their sessions.

Midpoint:  David abdicates and the thing Bertie has been dreading happens: He must become king, which means not just speaking in public, but being an inspiring leader, something he never dreamed he was capable of doing. But now he must.

Second Pinch Point:  Bertie calls in Lionel to help him get through the coronation. During the rehearsal, Bertie is informed Lionel is not an actual doctor. He’s embarrassed for training with someone who isn’t “qualified.”

Third Plot Point:  Lionel explains how he got into speech therapy and in the process shows Bertie that results are more important than “letters behind a name.” Bertie now has full confidence in Lionel, to the point that now he’s standing up to the people who had always intimidated him to defend Lionel. He’s embracing the role of king.

Climax:  With guidance from Lionel, Bertie gives the speech of his life, explaining to the country why they are going to war again so soon after the horrible experience of the Great War. This speech will define him as a king capable of leading his nation through its worst crisis. By the end of the speech, he believes it himself.

Climactic Moment:  After the speech, Bertie thanks Lionel, calling him “Lionel” for the first time, instead of “Dr. Logue.” For the first time, instead of calling him “Bertie,” Lionel calls him “Your Majesty.”

Resolution:  It’s very quick. Bertie goes out on the balcony with his family and we can see now that he’s fully embraced the role and responsibility of being king.

Notes:  Besides being well structured, this movie is a great example of how to introduce the tension right away, then keep raising it gradually by constantly upping the stakes through the course of the story. At the beginning of the movie, Bertie–and the viewers–don’t know that by the end he’ll be looking at the same goal, of successfully making a speech, but by then the stakes will be so much higher.

(Submitted by Marnie Werner.)

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The King's Speech

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• Charles Armstrong
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• #54 Best Movies Based on a True Story
• #56 Best Biopics/Biographical Movies
• #71 Best British Movies
• "It’s a prizewinning combination, terribly English and totally Hollywood, and Firth is, once more, uncanny"  David Edelstein : New York Magazine
• "A riveting, intimate account at how a British king triumphed over a speech impediment"  Kirk Honeycutt : The Hollywood Reporter
• "A crowning achievement powered by a dream cast -- digs vibrant human drama out of the dry dust of history (...) One of the very best movies of the year (...) Rating: ★★★½ (out of 4)"  Peter Travers : Rolling Stone
• "Each character has his moments (...) [but the film is] too ingratiating to resonate deeply"  Manohla Dargis : The New York Times
• "At the end, what we have here is a superior historical drama and a powerful personal one (…) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 4)"  Roger Ebert : rogerebert.com
• "The two leads keep the movie afloat with their light-footed class warfare. This Anglican buddy romance is buoyed by a spicy history lesson about the scandalous marriage of the duke's elder brother"  J.R. Jones : Chicago Reader
• "Firth and Rush work marvelously together, generating an amusing 'Odd Couple' chemistry that’s unabashedly theatrical"  Eric Kohn : IndieWire
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The king's speech.

Directed by Tom Hooper

Find your voice.

The King's Speech tells the story of the man who became King George VI, the father of Queen Elizabeth II. After his brother abdicates, George ('Bertie') reluctantly assumes the throne. Plagued by a dreaded stutter and considered unfit to be king, Bertie engages the help of an unorthodox speech therapist named Lionel Logue. Through a set of unexpected techniques, and as a result of an unlikely friendship, Bertie is able to find his voice and boldly lead the country into war.

Colin Firth Geoffrey Rush Helena Bonham Carter Guy Pearce Timothy Spall Michael Gambon Jennifer Ehle Derek Jacobi Freya Wilson Ramona Marquez Richard Dixon Robert Portal Eve Best Paul Trussell Adrian Scarborough Andrew Havill Charles Armstrong Roger Hammond Calum Gittins Dominic Applewhite Ben Wimsett David Bamber Jake Hathaway Patrick Ryecart Teresa Gallagher Simon Chandler Claire Bloom Orlando Wells Tim Downie Show All… Dick Ward John Albasiny Danny Emes Anthony Andrews John Warnaby Roger Parrott Dean Ambridge Julianne Buescher James Currie Graham Curry Tony Earnshaw Sean Talo

Director Director

Producers producers.

Iain Canning Simon Egan Emile Sherman Gareth Unwin Erica Bensly

Writer Writer

David Seidler

Casting Casting

Editor editor.

Tariq Anwar

Cinematography Cinematography

Danny Cohen

Assistant Directors Asst. Directors

Chris Stoaling Martin Harrison

Executive Producers Exec. Producers

Paul Brett Geoffrey Rush Tim Smith Bob Weinstein Harvey Weinstein Mark Foligno Deepak Sikka

Lighting Lighting

Paul McGeachan

Camera Operators Camera Operators

Zac Nicholson Danny Cohen

Additional Photography Add. Photography

Martin Kenzie

Production Design Production Design

Eve Stewart

Art Direction Art Direction

Leon McCarthy David Hindle

Set Decoration Set Decoration

Special effects special effects.

James Davis III

Visual Effects Visual Effects

Danny S. Kim Thomas M. Horton Melinka Thompson-Godoy Derek Bird

Choreography Choreography

Scarlett Mackmin

Composer Composer

Alexandre Desplat

Sound Sound

Peter Burgis Catherine Hodgson Martin Jensen Paul Hamblin John Midgley Lee Walpole Gerard McCann Andie Derrick

Costume Design Costume Design

Jenny Beavan

Makeup Makeup

Paul Gooch Christine Whitney

Hairstyling Hairstyling

Nana Fischer Carmel Jackson Alex Rouse Frances Hannon

The Weinstein Company UK Film Council Momentum Pictures Aegis Film Fund Molinare Investment FilmNation Entertainment See-Saw Films Bedlam Productions

Releases by Date

06 sep 2010, 10 sep 2010, 21 oct 2010, 05 dec 2010, 12 dec 2010, 16 dec 2010, 29 jan 2011, 05 feb 2011, 16 feb 2011, 28 feb 2011, 25 apr 2011.

• Theatrical limited

26 Nov 2010

22 dec 2010, 23 dec 2010, 25 dec 2010, 26 dec 2010, 07 jan 2011, 21 jan 2011, 27 jan 2011, 28 jan 2011, 02 feb 2011, 03 feb 2011, 04 feb 2011, 10 feb 2011, 11 feb 2011, 17 feb 2011, 18 feb 2011, 23 feb 2011, 24 feb 2011, 25 feb 2011, 26 feb 2011, 03 mar 2011, 04 mar 2011, 10 mar 2011, 17 mar 2011, 01 apr 2011, 11 may 2011, 24 feb 2012, 28 apr 2013, 02 sep 2011, 15 sep 2011, releases by country.

• Theatrical M
• Premiere Bahamas International Film Festival
• Theatrical EA

Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

Bosnia and herzegovina.

• Theatrical 12
• Premiere Toronto International Film Festival
• Premiere Beijing International Film Festival
• Theatrical S
• Theatrical U
• Premiere Berlin International Film Festival
• Theatrical 0
• Theatrical IIB
• Theatrical 12A
• Theatrical G
• Theatrical N-13

Netherlands

• Premiere International Film Festival Rotterdam
• Theatrical AL
• Physical AL DVD, Blu ray
• Theatrical AL RTL 4

New Zealand

Philippines.

• Theatrical M/12

Russian Federation

• Theatrical 16+
• Premiere Belgrade Film Festival

South Korea

• Premiere Barcelona
• Theatrical APTA
• Premiere Göteborg International Film Festival
• Theatrical Btl

Switzerland

• Premiere BFI London Film Festival
• Premiere Telluride Film Festival
• Theatrical R
• Theatrical Re-release

United Arab Emirates

• Premiere Dubai International Film Festival

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Popular reviews

Review by Evan ★★★ 22

Best Picture...? Seriously...?

Review by sophie ★★★½ 15

when i told my dad this beat the social network for best picture he said that "this was the better film". in other unrelated news, i am now seeking to be legally emancipated from my father.

Review by Will Sloan ★

Without an ounce of hyperbole, I am telling you that Tom Hooper is one of the very worst directors to ever attain "professional" status. This is a nightmarish visual experience. The wanton violations of the 180-degree rule. The bizarre compositions in which characters are pointlessly consigned the extreme right or left of the frame with acres of dead space next to them. The way his camera will arbitrarily shift into Terry Gilliam-vision. His inability to consider what the impact of a space should be, and how to correctly communicate that idea visually. People rightly give Kevin Smith a hard time for his visual illiteracy, but Tom Hooper is so much worse.

What's funny about royalist kitsch like this and The…

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colin firth invented the chubby bunny challenge

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Review by Sammie ★★★★ 3

Hitler bad, Colin Firth good.

Review by kayla ౨ৎ ★★★ 2

colin firth yelling random curse words is considered a form of therapy

Review by issy 🥝 ★★★★ 8

I'm always surprised when I re-realise that Colin Firth was never a part of the Harry Potter films, he should've been in them, I'd take anything really. He could be the guy who wears the green CGI outfit in place of that huge spider Aragog in the forbidden forest and it'd be good enough for me just give me Colin Firth's name in the credits of at least one (1) Harry Potter film or give me death

Review by 🇵🇱 Steve G 🇵🇸 ★★★★ 16

The Box Office Bashing Season: 2003 to 2014

As I've wittered on about at length numerous times before, I'm no fan of the Oscars.

However, I do think sometimes they are used as a rather lazy brickbat to beat certain films with. It seems that you can't make certain films with certain directors and certain casts backed by certain studios or producers without them immediately being labelled as 'Oscar bait'. It's a cynical and sad world we live in as film fans that there are films out there that have been made with the pure objective of winning Oscars, obviously.

But then certain films quite possibly end up as collateral damage. The King's Speech, for instance, was never going to…

Review by Edgar Cochran ✝️ ★★★★ 12

Please spell me out the "clichéd" and "formulaic" elements in The King's Speech, because even if it is a doubtful Academy Awards conqueror, Tom Hooper built a proper historical account about the struggle of a man to become a symbol of national resistance in imminent war times that were about to shape the world. It has been accused of being "predictable" as well. Maybe that's because the story was based on true events? The art of cinema retelling true stories resides in the ability to properly, yet respectfully carry on the task of dramatization, one of the main successes of The King's Speech .

I applaud the performances and the execution. Dialogue handling was impeccable, and the cinematography was worthy of…

Review by thiccthanos idk 9

"You are going to go through life thinking movie goers don't like you cause your're oscar bait, and I want you to know from the bottom of my heart, that wont be true. It'll be because you beat the social network for best picture."

Review by hannah ★★★★★ 1

controversial opinion time: this masterpiece deserved every academy award it won

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The king's speech, common sense media reviewers.

Superb drama about overcoming fears is fine for teens.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

The film has a stirring message: Our biggest limit

The three main characters serve as strong role mod

A character struggles with his temper, which is fu

A king abdicates from the throne because of his in

Strong language includes "bastard," &quo

Some social drinking (sherry, whisky, wine).

Parents need to know that The King's Speech is an engrossing, fact-based drama that's rated R primarily for a few scenes of strong language (including one "f"-word-filled outburst). It has inspiring and empowering messages about triumphing over your fears. An indie about a king who stutters…

Positive Messages

The film has a stirring message: Our biggest limitations are the voices in our head that remind us of all of our imperfections and failures. But they're only voices, and our will and perseverance are stronger than our fears. Communication, integrity, and humility are major themes. The film has some classist overtones, but they’re placed within historical context.

Positive Role Models

The three main characters serve as strong role models: Lionel Logue, though somewhat untraditional in his approach to speech therapy (at least for the movie's time period), believes in himself so much that he's able to help others do so, too. The queen is a lesson in being supportive without condescension, and King George VI is a man not to be denied his life because of his past.

Violence & Scariness

A character struggles with his temper, which is fueled by frustration.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

A king abdicates from the throne because of his involvement with a divorcee. There are references to her "talents" behind closed doors.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Strong language includes "bastard," "bloody," "tits," "damn," "ass," "hell," and "bugger." And in one memorable scene, a man yells out a stream of words like "s--t" and "f--k."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

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Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that The King's Speech is an engrossing, fact-based drama that's rated R primarily for a few scenes of strong language (including one "f"-word-filled outburst). It has inspiring and empowering messages about triumphing over your fears. An indie about a king who stutters might not seem like typical adolescent fare, but don't judge a movie by the brief synopsis: Teens will enjoy it as much as the grown-ups will if they give it a chance. In addition to the swearing, there's some social drinking, but that all fades in comparison to the movie's surprisingly moving themes of hope and perseverance. Note: An edited version of the movie that removes/lessens some of the strongest language has been rated PG-13 and released separately. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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Community Reviews

• Parents say (65)
• Kids say (126)

Based on 65 parent reviews

Great Oscar winning about overcoming fears.

I loved this movie, what's the story.

In THE KING'S SPEECH, King George VI ( Colin Firth ), father to Queen Elizabeth II, inherited the British throne in 1936 after his brother Edward's controversial abdication to marry divorcee Wallis Simpson. Ultimately, he would lead the United Kingdom through World War II. But even before he ascended the throne, he was a man struggling with a persistent and troubling condition: He stammered. This was a source of deep despair for the soon-to-be king, who was known among friends and family members as Bertie. Despite his wife's ( Helena Bonham Carter ) best efforts and deep, abiding love, Bertie was stunted by rage and anxiety. But in this film based on true events, the king finally finds an ally in Lionel Logue ( Geoffrey Rush ), an Australian speech therapist who helps Bertie gain the confidence and will to overcome his fears and let his voice be heard, literally and metaphorically.

Is It Any Good?

It is a singularly gratifying experience to watch this film's three stars -- Firth, Bonham Carter, and Rush -- do what they do best: act. It's like watching a master class. They disappear into their characters and make them both interesting and understandable. That's not always the case with films about royalty. Often, they're a visual (and unremarkable) summary of what we know from books; here, they fascinate with their trials, triumphs, and, most of all, humanity. And for a movie steeped in a feel-good message -- "You don't need to be afraid of the things you were afraid of when you were 5," intones one man -- it's far from clichéd.

Credit, too, goes to director Tom Hooper and screenwriter David Seidler, who himself conquered a stutter and was inspired by the king. They have created characters so rich that they compel viewers to rush to the Web for some post-viewing research. We know a lot about today's royals, but they don't hold a candle to their predecessors -- or at least to the ones portrayed here. The movie makes history and self-help irresistible. Bottom line? The King's Speech is superb.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the messages in The King's Speech. What are viewers meant to take away from watching?

How does the movie portray stuttering and those who suffer from it? Does it seem realistic and believable? How does Bertie's struggle with stuttering affect him?

How did the queen pave the way for the king's success? Are they positive role models? Do you think the movie portrays them accurately? Why might filmmakers change some details in a fact-based story?

How do the characters in The King's Speech demonstrate communication and perseverance ? What about integrity and humility ? Why are these important character strengths?

Movie Details

• In theaters : November 26, 2010
• On DVD or streaming : April 19, 2011
• Cast : Colin Firth , Geoffrey Rush , Helena Bonham Carter
• Director : Tom Hooper
• Inclusion Information : Female actors
• Studio : Weinstein Co.
• Genre : Drama
• Character Strengths : Communication , Humility , Integrity , Perseverance
• Run time : 111 minutes
• MPAA rating : R
• MPAA explanation : some language
• Award : Academy Award
• Last updated : May 29, 2024

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The King's Speech

  R | biographical dramas | 1 HR 59 MIN | 2010

When his brother abdicates, George VI reluctantly dons the crown. Though his stutter soon raises concerns about his leadership skills, King George VI turns to an unconventional speech therapist, Lionel Logue, and the two forge a friendship.

The King's Speech

56 pages • 1 hour read

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-3

Chapters 4-6

Chapters 7-9

Chapters 10-12

Chapters 13-16

Key Figures

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

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Discussion Questions

Throughout the book, speeches function as an important motif. As the story returns to the need for the Duke/King to deliver a speech , his growing confidence and importance is charted. This is particularly true of the Christmas broadcasts, which begin as a seemingly insurmountable hurdle and finish as one of the King’s most vaunted achievements. Each new speech and broadcast demonstrate how well he is combating his speech impediment, helps to fortify the bond between him and Logue, and connects him to his subjects.

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