When you get down to it, The King's Speech is about someone who stutters. A lot. And that means that it's a movie about one man's confidence in his ability to communicate.
On some level, every one of us is insecure about the way we talk. Maybe we're afraid we say dumb things. Or maybe we're afraid that people are never really getting what we're trying to say. In this sense, King George VI is someone we can all relate to. Sure, he's a king; but his problem with communication is one that affects every one of us in different ways.
Questions about Language and Communication
- Do you think that King George VI's problems with speech come from some deeper psychological trauma? Why or why not?
- How does Bertie's family contribute to his difficult in speaking? How do they help?
- Why is Lionel Logue more successful than other specialists in treating Bertie?
- Why does Bertie have to give speeches at all? Why can't he just retreat?
Chew on This
In The King's Speech, we realize that Bertie will never overcome his stuttering permanently. He can only cope with it day by day.
The King's Speech tells us that even though our lives are very different, kings can often have the same problems as us.