The King's Speech: Difference between revisions

** This is mainly In-Universe. To his contempories, Logue's methods would have seemed bizarre or foolish, but to a modern audience they seem fairly straightforward. At the time, it seems, no-one except Logue would admit that psychology was involved in a speech disorder and by modern standards, the only other speech therapist that we see looks like a total quack.

* [[Casting Gag]]:

** Geoffrey Rush's wife is played by Jennifer Ehle, who was Firth's love interest in [[Pride and Prejudice|the series that made him a heartthrob.]] Although this movie only gives her and Firth a single scene together, they make a big deal out of it.

** And then there's David Bamber's blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearance as the amateur dramatics director who rejects Logue. David Bamber is probably best known for playing Cicero on ''[[Rome]]'', yet another statesman with a speech impediment. He also appeared as creepy parson Mr. Collins in ''[[Pride and Prejudice]]'' with Firth and Ehle.

* [[Dueling Movies]]: The filmcriticosphere tried to force it into this with ''[[The Social Network]]'', both big-hitting, big-budget biopics trying to nab Oscars and pretty much the only two contenders for Best Picture.

* [[The Dutiful Son]]: Comparatively rare instance where the dutiful son is the main character.

** The story is actually based on one that Colin Firth would tell his children.

* [[Exact Words]]: Throughout the film, Bertie attempts to keep things formal by calling Lionel "Doctor Logue," while Lionel insists on a first-name basis. Later, the king is told that Lionel actually has no certificates or qualifications at all. He's mortified and furious, until Lionel gently points out that ''Bertie'' was the one who insisted on calling him "Doctor" and that Lionel has never advertised himself as such.

** Couple of minor details: George VI did not really have to bounce on "peoples" in the speech [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opkMyKGx7TQ listen here]. He ''did'' bounce a bit on "a-depth" of feeling a few seconds later. And Lionel was not really seated in the royal box, but in the box just above it, where he and Myrtle had a splendid view.

* [[Hypocritical Humour]]: Logue remarks that the King's doctors being knighted makes their being idiots "official"; he later asks for a knighthood for himself near the end of the film.

* [[Insult Backfire]]: "Peculiar" is meant as an insult, but Logue seems to be genuinely proud of his nontraditional approach.

* [[Jerkass]]: King Edward VIII, from what we see of him, is very rude towards Albert and more concerned with living the high life than with being a guiding voice for England. Also, he and Wallis were a pair of Nazi sympathizers, though the film only hints at this.

* [[Kick the Dog]]: The entire party at Balmoral Castle is an extended [[Kick the Dog]] on Edward's part. He starts it by showing how lightly he takes to his duties as king, follows it by showing apathy toward Hitler's march through Europe, and concludes it by mocking Albert for his speech impediment to such an extent that Albert is unable to speak.

** Invoked by Prince Albert to Lionel to call him "His Royal Highness". Subverted by Lionel, who calls him "Bertie" instead.

* [[Title Drop]]: Right before the last scene, in reference to the first wartime speech by Bertie (now George VI).

* [[Trickster Mentor]]: Logue.

* [[The Unfavorite]]: Albert was this as a child, as both his father and his nanny preferred his brother (at first, anyway). His stuttering didn't help very much.