Bertie is the King of England and Lionel Logue is a failed actor from Australia… who also happens to give speech therapy. It's hard to imagine two people more different in terms of social status.
But despite the massive gulf between them, Bertie and Logue become close friends. And, as we see in the final credits of The King's Speech, they would remain close for the rest of their lives. This is especially amazing when you consider what a big deal something like social class is in a country like England.
Questions about Society and Class
- How does Bertie react when Logue asks for total equality in their relationship? Why?
- When do we first see Bertie's sense of social class breaking down in his meeting with Logue? What provokes the change?
- How long does it take for Elizabeth to call Logue by his first name? Why?
Chew on This
Take a peek at these thesis statements. Agree or disagree?
In The King's Speech, we realize that class differences are idiotic if they keep two people from becoming friends.
The King's Speech reminds us that no matter how far we come, the different classes of society will never be equal.