The King's Speech (2010)
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A struggling prince must find his voice with the help of an unconventional speech therapist before he can take his place on the throne.
The story
In the 1930s, Prince Albert 'Bertie', Duke of York, struggles with a severe stammer that threatens his ability to perform his royal duties. His wife, Elizabeth, encourages him to seek help from Lionel Logue, an unconventional Australian speech therapist. As the two men develop a unique friendship and work together to overcome the physical and psychological roots of his condition, the political landscape of Britain shifts. Following the abdication of his brother, the Prince of Wales, Bertie must prepare to ascend the throne as King George VI. He must find the confidence to lead his people and deliver a crucial wartime radio broadcast as the nation faces the looming threat of war.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Prince Albert 'Bertie', Duke of York, suffers from a debilitating stammer. He begins treatment with Lionel Logue, an Australian therapist who uses unconventional methods to help him overcome his condition. As Bertie and Logue build a bond, the political situation in Britain intensifies. When Bertie's older brother, the Prince of Wales, abdicates the throne to marry the controversial Wallis Simpson, Bertie is named King George VI. Despite the skepticism of his advisors regarding Logue's lack of formal training, the King continues to work with him. The relationship is tested during the preparations for the coronation and the subsequent declaration of war on Germany in 1939. In the final moments, the King delivers a wartime radio broadcast with Logue's guidance, eventually finding his own voice. The film concludes with a title card noting that Logue and the King remained friends until the King's death in 1952.
- First release year
- 2010
- Runtime (minutes)
- 119
- Production countries
- United Kingdom; Australia
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Tom Hooper
- Writers
- David Seidler · writer
- Cast and characters
- Colin Firth · King George VI; Geoffrey Rush · Lionel Logue; Helena Bonham Carter · Duchess of York; Guy Pearce · Edward VIII; Timothy Spall · not specified; Derek Jacobi · not specified; Jennifer Ehle · not specified; Michael Gambon · George V
- Genres
- historical drama
- Themes
- overcoming personal adversity; the power of friendship; duty vs. personal struggle; the impact of technology on communication
- Tone and mood
- serious; poignant; historical
- Premise and plot tags
- biographical; royal family; historical drama; overcoming disability
- Source material / true-story basis
- Based on the life of King George VI and the notes of speech therapist Lionel Logue.
- Content notes
- profanity
- Reception
- The film was a major box office and critical success, widely praised for its visual style, screenplay, and acting, particularly Colin Firth's performance.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 94% · scale: percentage · review count: 297; Metacritic · score: 88 · scale: 100 · review count: 41
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Picture · win; Academy Award · Best Director · win; Academy Award · Best Actor · win; Academy Award · Best Original Screenplay · win; British Academy Film Award · Best Film · win; British Academy Film Award · Best Actor · win; British Academy Film Award · Best Supporting Actor · win; British Academy Film Award · Best Supporting Actress · win; British Academy Film Award · Best Original Screenplay · win; British Academy Film Award · Best Music · win; Golden Globe Award · Best Actor · win; Grammy Award · Best Music · win
- Production trivia
- The film's original poster was criticized and redesigned before release.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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