The King's Speech (2010)

This is a movie that I don't think I'll ever tire of watching. The King's Speech is a movie directed by Tom Hooper and written by David Seidler. It's about King George VI (Queen Elizabeth II's father) overcoming his speech impediment through the help of Lionel Logue, a speech and language therapist.

George VI became king because his brother, Edward VIII, famously abdicated the throne and opted to be with Mrs Wallis Simpson at a time when divorce was not accepted in the Church of England. George VI's stammer, however, made his capacity to rule–even to communicate to the public as a prince-on-assignment from his father–next to impossible. Lionel was able to help him get past his speech difficulties when George VI needed to talk: during George VI's coronation and (more importantly) at the eve of World War II, when he declared war against Nazi Germany through a speech (delivered live on radio). Over the course of the movie, it was shown that his stammering might have been brought about by the pressure of being a prince and by his elder brother's bullying.

The movie may not be accurate historically. However, aesthetically, this is one of the films that looked so good both in the big screen and on the telly. Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush superbly portrayed King George VI and Lionel Logue, respectively. The camera work did everything to enhance the impact of their acting; there were a lot of scenes in portrait mode... strongly emphasising facial expressions. The background just melted away, reminding me of Monet's paintings. The movie used leading lines, the rule of thirds, and a lot of ambiance (the foggy atmosphere was intended; the wallpaper was just so authentic) to implicitly strengthen the narrative. The music was also not overly dramatic, which I typically observe in movies about kings and queens. In The King's Speech, the soundtrack seemingly made the indoor scenes more intimate... bringing out the voices more. Somehow, the music made me want to listen to the conversations, absorb the nuances of voices and tones, and hear the sharp tapping of shoes on wooden floors.

A beautiful movie. Are there other ones like The King's Speech?

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