The King’s Speech And Communication Disorders

The King’s Speech is a 2010 British film directed by Tom Hooper and starring Colin Firth. Colin Firth won the Oscar for Best Actor, thanks to his performance as George VI. The film also stars Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bohnham Carter. The film was received with good reviews, where mainly the quality of the actors’ performances was praised. But apart from their brilliant work, we should highlight the significance of the costumes and cinematography that transported us to the era of King George VI.

The king’s speech , the story of a tribe

The King’s speech brings us closer to the most private life of a historical character: King George VI of Great Britain, and it does so in a majestic way. Its impeccable script and its high artistic and cinematic quality made the film win an Oscar for best original screenplay, among others. It is definitely an excellent work of art that brings us closer to a forgotten problem in movies: stuttering.

Through a historical character, we immerse ourselves in insecurity and anxiety that conquers the people who suffer from this communication disorder. The fear of public speaking, the anxiety it conveys and the rudimentary techniques of the time, make George VI an insecure man. A man filled with fear. Ghost that will make him feel unable to deliver a speech on a par with his political position, and ultimately as king.

With the help of a speech therapist, Lionel Logue, Georg VI starts a therapy that makes him engage in a strong friendship with Logue. This allows him to resolve his deepest fears, more than help him with his communication problem. At the same time, the film’s viewers see a more humane side of the royals and enjoy the challenges Logue proposes. At the same time, they are not only introduced to the problems of being a tribe, but also to the history of the 20th century. Not so sensational, but elegant and pleasant: this is The King’s Speech, a film that ironically leaves us speechless.

George VI and Lionel Logue

George VI, known as Bertie by his family, unexpectedly became king. He was the second son of King George V, and therefore it was his older brother, Edward VIII, who should have taken the throne. He actually ruled for a short period of time. His education was strict and worthy of British royalty. However, he always knew he would not rule, and thus the pressure and responsibility always fell on his older brother.

His first communication problems had already occurred in childhood, which happens to most children, around 4 or 5 years of age. His position as Duke of York, son of kings and member of the British royal family put him in situations where he had to give speeches during public events. This aggravated his situation: the anxiety made the stuttering even worse. He experienced the fear of speaking in public and a lot of insecurity. He tried many doctors and methods that promised to cure his stuttering condition, without success.

However, Lionel Logue had no degree in medicine. During his early life in Australia, however, he received a degree in rhetoric and performing arts. After World War II, he dedicated himself entirely to being a speech therapist. He began working in London, where the Duke of York found him.

Logue diagnosed Bertie with a lack of coordination between the larynx and the diaphragm. This helped Bertie overcome her stuttering thanks to relaxation exercises, tongue curls and other less frequent practices. Eventually, thanks to his recognition, he became the founder of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists in 1944.

Logues method

In the film , we follow the therapy performed by Logue and the achievements of the future king. The therapy sessions ended up being a good friendship that lasted a lifetime. Bertie finds an ally in him, one he can trust and share his greatest fears with.

The therapy is not based solely on gurgling or introducing pebbles into the mouth, as other doctors suggested, but it is about discovering what caused Bertie to lose her voice.

At first, the duke shows reluctance to Logue’s methods. He is not willing to be treated like an ordinary man and will be called “His Royal Highness”. But Logue calls him Bertie, just like his closest relatives, and refuses to give him any special treatment.

In the end, Logue wins his trust, and we discover Bernie’s sad past. A childhood filled with bullying, one of his brothers’ deaths and one where he could not be himself . His strict education and the king’s strong demands made George VI a self-confident man, unable to give a speech. He was even forced to use his right hand when he was left-handed.

The king’s speech , besides the immersion in this communication disorder, shows us the most difficult part of royalty and being a public figure since birth. At the same time , the friendship between the two characters brings George VI closer to the reality of his people. To the lives of those he rules. As he himself says in one of his first sessions: His knowledge of the world is non-existent, he only knows life in the castle.

The king’s speech , the voice of the people

David Seidler, author of the manuscript, suffered from stuttering in childhood and found George VI inspiring and able to relate to him. Therefore, he decided to investigate how he overcame his condition. He also spoke to Logue’s son, who shared some of his father’s notebooks with him.

In addition, one of his grandchildren Mark Logue wrote a book called ” The King’s Speech: How one man saved the British Monarchy “. This book inspired the title of the film. The project was delayed for a few years until 2010, when we could finally appreciate the fantastic end result.

Thanks to the great quality of the film and its performing artists, we now have the opportunity to get closer to this royal figure. A stuttering man who became the voice of an empire in a very sensitive moment. Just when World War II was about to break out.

A moment where it was crucial that the leaders had the charisma to convey calm to their citizens. A moment in which George VI had to face his greatest fear and take control of an unexpected situation: to become king of the British Empire.

Can a tribe become a good public speaker? Demosthenes, mentioned in the film, did so with great effort already in ancient Greece. George VI, thanks to Logue’s unwavering help and the support of his wife, was able to convey the calm that the British so desperately needed.

In one scene of the film we can see George VI hear Hitler’s speech. Although he does not understand the language, he looks insecure when he sees Hitler’s charisma in public.

The scenes with the speeches are so real that we can almost feel the anxiety and anguish of the king in front of a microphone. Where he stands in front of the critical gaze of the audience . The King’s Speech is a wonderful piece that takes us on a journey into the past. It invites us to face one of the most common fears.