The Kings Speech
Here is another case of a true story being told using mind, body,
and spirit characters . In this case, a fourth character is transformed
by the other three. You can look back at my post about 'We Are Marshall' and 'Rudy' for more information about real-life stories and mind, body, and spirit characters.
In this film, a number of different names are used for each character. For example, King George VI (Colin Firth) is also called 'Albert,' 'Bertie,' or 'the Duke of York.' For this analysis, I will use the royal names George (for King George VI), Edward (for King Edward VIII, George's brother), and Elizabeth (for George's wife - not his daughter, who became Queen Elizabeth II).
Elizabeth is depicted in this film as the perfect supportive spouse. At one point in the film, she describes how she refused George's first two marriage proposals because she didn't want a 'royal life.' She finally decided that his stammer meant the public would leave them alone and leave the publicity to Edward and other members of the royal family. In this scene, she refers to him as 'my dear, dear man.'
She helps George find doctors to help with his stammer and speaks for him when she sees he is frustrated by their methods (My husband believes...). She goes to see Lionel Logue under an assumed name out of desperation. George is being required to speak publicly more frequently, with devastating results, and she wishes to ease his pain. She will not, however, force him into any decision. She merely opens the door and waits for George to enter.
Elizabeth is supportive when George finally agrees to see Lionel and even participates in the exercises, making comments like, 'You alright, Bertie?' and 'This is actually quite good fun.' When Mrs. Logue comes home early and surprises them in the middle of a session, she maintains her royal bearing, but she is kind to the woman, who is shocked and dismayed that royalty are in her home.
When George goes to the microphone for his war address, Elizabeth escorts him and takes his coat. George starts warming up and Elizabeth quickly checks to ensure the microphone is turned off. When everything is set, she reassures him, saying, 'There you are, darling.'
Lionel is an out-of-work, Australian actor who takes on stammer students on the side to make a little extra money. He is not a doctor, but gained a lot of experience and success working with shell-shocked WWI vets. He knew stammering was more of a mental problem than a physical one. He displays this knowledge by telling George he was not really right-handed and coaxing him into revealing how he was tortured by his nanny.
Lionel shows very little deference to George's royal position. He says they must be equals during their sessions. To drive this point home, he insists on calling George 'Bertie' and when George disagrees with anything, Lionel's response is, 'My castle, my rules.' When George says he will come back next week, Lionel says, 'I shall see you every day.'
Lionel knows Shakespeare through and through. He practices with his sons and auditions for a production. It is his training in the theater that helped him get his start with speech therapy. In their first session, Lionel has George read from Hamlet.
Lionel tries to convince George he has the potential to be a good king and to build his confidence, but his direct line of reasoning is taken by George as treason. Lionel is only trying to expose fear and does not see what he is saying as treasonous. Later, he sits on the ceremonial throne upon which George will be crowned. When George becomes indignant, Lionel says, 'I don't care how many royal assholes have sat...,' trying to illustrate that being a king is not a matter of ceremony, but rather a matter of inner strength.
Finally, when George is practicing his war address, Lionel keeps him on task when he tries to digress and avoid the matter.
George's older brother was supposed to insulate him from the public eye. He was supposed to inherit the throne, leaving George in the relative obscurity for which Elizabeth had married him. Unfortunately, Edward lacked the mind and spirit qualities of duty and loyalty. He only cared about his own pleasure.
George recounted to Lionel how he never had to embarrass himself in front of women because Edward always 'arranged introductions.' When it didn't hurt Edward, he was happy to protect George from embarrassment. When Edward decides he wants to marry an American divorcee, Wallis Simpson, he doesn't care about the effect that decision will have on his brother or his country.
Wallis obviously has control of her relationship with Edward. He loses his royal bearing by giving in to her terse request to bring out more champagne at a party. He is more concerned with the party and with keeping Wallis happy than with his duty as brother and as King. He even goes so far as to tease George when he feels threatened by the direction George is taking the conversation.
Edward, and to some extent their father, George V, gave George the problem he had to overcome. Lionel Logue gave him the tools to overcome it, and Elizabeth gave him the desire and the gentle push he needed to want to overcome it. A true transformation through the use of mind, body, and spirit.
In this film, a number of different names are used for each character. For example, King George VI (Colin Firth) is also called 'Albert,' 'Bertie,' or 'the Duke of York.' For this analysis, I will use the royal names George (for King George VI), Edward (for King Edward VIII, George's brother), and Elizabeth (for George's wife - not his daughter, who became Queen Elizabeth II).
The Spirit Character: Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter)
Elizabeth is depicted in this film as the perfect supportive spouse. At one point in the film, she describes how she refused George's first two marriage proposals because she didn't want a 'royal life.' She finally decided that his stammer meant the public would leave them alone and leave the publicity to Edward and other members of the royal family. In this scene, she refers to him as 'my dear, dear man.'
She helps George find doctors to help with his stammer and speaks for him when she sees he is frustrated by their methods (My husband believes...). She goes to see Lionel Logue under an assumed name out of desperation. George is being required to speak publicly more frequently, with devastating results, and she wishes to ease his pain. She will not, however, force him into any decision. She merely opens the door and waits for George to enter.
Elizabeth is supportive when George finally agrees to see Lionel and even participates in the exercises, making comments like, 'You alright, Bertie?' and 'This is actually quite good fun.' When Mrs. Logue comes home early and surprises them in the middle of a session, she maintains her royal bearing, but she is kind to the woman, who is shocked and dismayed that royalty are in her home.
When George goes to the microphone for his war address, Elizabeth escorts him and takes his coat. George starts warming up and Elizabeth quickly checks to ensure the microphone is turned off. When everything is set, she reassures him, saying, 'There you are, darling.'
The Mind Character: Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush)
Lionel is an out-of-work, Australian actor who takes on stammer students on the side to make a little extra money. He is not a doctor, but gained a lot of experience and success working with shell-shocked WWI vets. He knew stammering was more of a mental problem than a physical one. He displays this knowledge by telling George he was not really right-handed and coaxing him into revealing how he was tortured by his nanny.
Lionel shows very little deference to George's royal position. He says they must be equals during their sessions. To drive this point home, he insists on calling George 'Bertie' and when George disagrees with anything, Lionel's response is, 'My castle, my rules.' When George says he will come back next week, Lionel says, 'I shall see you every day.'
Lionel knows Shakespeare through and through. He practices with his sons and auditions for a production. It is his training in the theater that helped him get his start with speech therapy. In their first session, Lionel has George read from Hamlet.
Lionel tries to convince George he has the potential to be a good king and to build his confidence, but his direct line of reasoning is taken by George as treason. Lionel is only trying to expose fear and does not see what he is saying as treasonous. Later, he sits on the ceremonial throne upon which George will be crowned. When George becomes indignant, Lionel says, 'I don't care how many royal assholes have sat...,' trying to illustrate that being a king is not a matter of ceremony, but rather a matter of inner strength.
Finally, when George is practicing his war address, Lionel keeps him on task when he tries to digress and avoid the matter.
The Body Character: Edward (Guy Pearce)
George's older brother was supposed to insulate him from the public eye. He was supposed to inherit the throne, leaving George in the relative obscurity for which Elizabeth had married him. Unfortunately, Edward lacked the mind and spirit qualities of duty and loyalty. He only cared about his own pleasure.
George recounted to Lionel how he never had to embarrass himself in front of women because Edward always 'arranged introductions.' When it didn't hurt Edward, he was happy to protect George from embarrassment. When Edward decides he wants to marry an American divorcee, Wallis Simpson, he doesn't care about the effect that decision will have on his brother or his country.
Wallis obviously has control of her relationship with Edward. He loses his royal bearing by giving in to her terse request to bring out more champagne at a party. He is more concerned with the party and with keeping Wallis happy than with his duty as brother and as King. He even goes so far as to tease George when he feels threatened by the direction George is taking the conversation.
Edward, and to some extent their father, George V, gave George the problem he had to overcome. Lionel Logue gave him the tools to overcome it, and Elizabeth gave him the desire and the gentle push he needed to want to overcome it. A true transformation through the use of mind, body, and spirit.
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