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The King's Speech

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When God couldn't save The King, The Queen turned to someone who could.

The King's Speech is a 2010 film about King George VI of Britain, his impromptu ascension to the throne, and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch become worthy of it.

Directed by Tom Hooper. Written by David Seidler.
It takes leadership to confront a nation's fear. It takes friendship to conquer your own. taglines

King George VI

[edit]
  • If I am King, where is my power? Can I form a government? Levy a tax? Declare a war? No! And yet I am the seat of all authority because they think that when I speak, I speak for them. But I can't speak.
  • Is the nation ready for two minutes of radio silence?
  • Waiting for me to... commence a conversation, one can wait rather a long wait.
  • We're not a family, we're a firm.
  • In this grave... hour... perhaps the most fateful in our history, I send... to every household of my... a-peoples, both at home... and overseas... this message... spoken with the same depth of feeling for each one of you as if I were able to cross... your threshold and speak to you... myself. For the second time in the lives of most of us, we are at... at war. Over and over again, we have tried to find... a peaceful way out of the differences between ourselves and those who are now... our enemies. But it has been... in vain. We have been forced into a conflict, for we are called to meet the challenge of a principle, which, if it were to prevail, would be fatal to any civilised order... in the world. Such a principle, stripped of all... disguise, is surely the mere... primitive doctrine that might... is right. For the sake of all that we ourselves hold dear, it is unthinkable that we should refuse to meet... the challenge. It is to this... high purpose that I now... call my people, at home, and my people across... the seas, who will make our cause their own. I ask them to stand calm, and firm, and united in this time of trial. The task will be hard. There may be dark days ahead, and war... can no longer be... confined... to the battlefield. But we can only do the right... as we see the right, and reverently... commit our cause... to God. If one and all we keep resolutely faithful... to it, then... with God's help, we shall... prevail.

Queen Elizabeth

[edit]
  • [to Winston Churchill, on the hold that Wallis Simpson seems to have on Edward VIII] Apparently she has certain skills - acquired at an establishment in Shanghai.
  • [to Bertie] You know, I refused your first two marriage proposals not because I didn't love you, but because I couldn't bear the idea of a royal life. Couldn't bear the idea of a life of tours, duty, and... well, a life that really no longer to be my own. But then I thought, 'he stammers so beautifully, they'll leave us alone.'

Lionel Logue

[edit]
  • [to King George VI, upon his learning that Logue has no formal credentials] It's true, I'm not a doctor. And yes, I acted. A bit. Well...I recited in pubs, I taught elocution in schools. When the Great War came, all our soldiers were returning to Australia from the front, a lot of them shell-shocked, unable to speak. Somebody said, "Lionel, you're very good at all this speech stuff, you think you could possibly help these poor buggers?" I did muscle therapy, exercises, relaxation, but I knew I had to go deeper. Those poor young blokes cried out in fear. No one was listening to them. My job was to give them faith in their own voice, and let them know a friend was listening.
  • My castle, my rules.
  • I can't show you a certificate. There was no training then. Everything I know, I know from experience, and that war was some experience. My plaque says, "L. Logue, Speech Defects", not "Doctor". There are no letters after my name.

King George V

[edit]
  • In the past, all a king had to do was look respectable in uniform and not fall off his horse. Now we must invade people's homes and ingratiate ourselves with them. This family's been reduced to those lowest, basest of all creatures. We've become actors.
  • [on Edward] I told him straight, no divorced person can ever be received at court! He said, it made him "sublimely happy." [scoffs] I imagine that was because she was sleeping with him. "I give you my word" - this is what he said - "I give you my word, we've never had immoral relations." Stared square into his father's face, and lied. When I'm dead, that boy will ruin himself, this family, and this nation within twelve months.

Dr. Blandine Bentham

[edit]
  • Cigarette smoking calms the nerves and gives you confidence.

Dialogue

[edit]
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, Duchess of York: [Using the name "Mrs. Johnson"] My husband, well... he's required to speak publicly.
Lionel Logue: Perhaps he should change jobs.
Elizabeth: He can't.
Lionel Logue: Indentured servitude?
Elizabeth: Something of that nature, yes.
Lionel Logue: Do you know any jokes?
Prince Albert, Duke of York: ...Timing isn't my strong suit.
Lionel Logue: What was your earliest memory?
Bertie: What on earth do you mean?
Lionel Logue: Your first recollection.
Bertie: I'm not... here to discuss... personal matters.
Lionel Logue: Why are you here then?
Bertie: BECAUSE I BLOODY WELL STAMMER!
Lionel Logue: You have a bit of a temper.
Bertie: One of... m-my many faults.
Lionel Logue: [as George is lighting up a cigarette] Please don't do that.
Bertie: I'm sorry?
Lionel Logue: I believe sucking smoke into your lungs, well, it'll kill you.
Bertie: My physicians say it relaxes the throat.
Lionel Logue: They're idiots.
Bertie: They've all been knighted.
Lionel Logue: Makes it official, then.
[Bertie is lying on the floor.]
Lionel Logue: Take a nice deep breath, expand the chest, put your hands onto your ribs, deeper... how do you feel?
Bertie: Full of hot air.
Lionel Logue: Isn't that what public speaking's all about?
[Bertie is lying on the floor, with Elizabeth sitting on his stomach.]
Lionel Logue: Deep breath, and up comes Her Royal Highness... and slowly exhale, and down comes Her Royal Highness...
Elizabeth: You all right, Bertie?
Bertie: Yes.
Elizabeth: It's actually quite good fun.
Bertie: David, I've been trying to see you
King Edward VIII: I've been terribly busy.
Bertie: Doing what?
King Edward VIII: Kinging.
Bertie: Really? Kinging... is a precarious business these days. Where's the Russian Tsar, Where's... cousin Wilhelm?
King Edward VIII: Ugh, you're being dreary.
Bertie: Is Kinging laying off... 80... staff and buying more pearls for Wallis while people are marching across Europe singing The Red Flag?
King Edward VIII: Stop your worrying, Herr Hitler will sort them out.
Bertie: And who will sort out Herr Hitler?
King Edward VIII: Where's the bloody '23?
Bertie: AND YOU PUT THAT WOMAN IN OUR MOTHER'S SUITE!
King Edward VIII: Mama's not still in the bed, is she?
Bertie: That's not funny.
King Edward VIII: Here it is, Wallis likes the very best.
Bertie: I don't care what... woman you carry on with at night as long as you... show up for duty in the morning.
King Edward VIII: Wallis is not just some woman I'm carrying on with, we intend to marry.
Bertie: [pause] Excuse me?
King Edward VIII: She's filing a petition for divorce.
Bertie: Good God... can't you just give her a nice house and a title?
King Edward VIII: I'm not having her as my mistress.
Bertie: The Church doesn't recognize divorce and you are the... head of the Church
King Edward VIII: Haven't I any rights?
Bertie: Many privileges.
King Edward VIII: Not the same thing. Your beloved common man may marry for love, why not me?
Bertie: If you were... a common man on what basis could you... possibly claim to be king?
King Edward VIII: Sounds like you've studied our wretched constitution.
Bertie: Sounds like you haven't.
King Edward VIII: That's what this is about, brushing up. Hence the elocution lessons, that's the scoop around town.
Bertie: I'm trying to...
King Edward VIII: Yearning for a larger audience, are we B-B-B-B-Bertie?
Bertie: [pause] Don't...
King Edward VIII: What's that? I'm sorry, I... younger brother trying to push older brother off the throne, p-p-p-p-positively medieval.
King George VI: All that work down the drain. My own brother, I couldn't say a single word to him in reply.
Lionel Logue: Why do you stammer so much more with David than you ever do with me?
King George VI: 'Cos you're b... bloody well paid to listen.
Lionel Logue: Bertie, I'm not a geisha girl.
King George VI: St... stop trying to be so bloody clever.
Lionel Logue: What is it about David that stops you speaking?
King George VI: What is it about you that bloody well makes you want to go on about it the whole bloody time?
Lionel Logue: Vulgar, but fluent; you don't stammer when you swear.
King George VI: Oh, bugger off!
Lionel Logue': Is that the best you can do?
King George VI: Well... bloody bugger to you, you beastly bastard.
Lionel Logue: Oh, a public school prig could do better than that.
King George VI: Shit. Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!
Lionel Logue: Yes!
King George VI: Shit!
Lionel Logue: Defecation flows trippingly from the tongue!
King George VI: Because I'm angry!
Lionel Logue: Do you know the f-word?
King George VI: F... f... fornication?
Lionel Logue: [exasperated] Oh, Bertie!
King George VI: Fuck. Fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck and fuck! Fuck, fuck and bugger! Bugger, bugger, buggerty buggerty buggerty, fuck, fuck, arse!
Lionel Logue: Yes...
King George VI: Balls, balls...
Lionel Logue: You see, not a hesitation!
King George VI: ...fuckity, shit, shit, fuck and willy. Willy, shit and fuck and... tits.
Logue's son: Dad, what's going on?
King George VI: [Logue is sitting on the coronation throne] Get up! Y-you can't sit there! GET UP!
Lionel Logue: Why not? It's a chair.
King George VI: T-that... that is not "a chair", that is Saint Edward's chair.
Lionel Logue: People have carved their names on it.
King George: Y-y-you...
Lionel Logue: It's held in place by a large rock.
King George: Th-that is the S-stone of Scone! You are t-trivializing everything...!
Lionel Logue: I don't care how many royal arseholes have sat in this chair.
King George VI: L-listen to me... listen to me!
Lionel Logue: Listen to you? By what right?
King George VI: By divine right, if you must. I am your king!
Lionel Logue: No, you're not. You just told me you didn't want it. Why should I waste my time listening to you?
King George VI: Because I have a right to be heard! I have a voice!
Lionel Logue: [pause] Yes, you do. [stands] You have such perseverance, Bertie. You're the bravest man I know. You'll make a bloody good king.
Princess Elizabeth: [watching a clip of Hitler speaking] What's he saying?
King George VI: I don't know but... he seems to be saying it rather well.
[As he is talking to King George VI, Lionel hears his wife returning home]
Lionel Logue: Myrtle!
King George VI: It's all right.
[Lionel moves to the corner of the room, while Elizabeth calmly continues to sip her tea]
Lionel Logue: [Motioning] Bertie, over here.
King George VI: Are you all right, Logue?
Lionel Logue: Yes.
King George VI: [getting up and moving to Logue's corner] Well, shouldn't we go through? What is it?
'[Myrtle Logue enters the living room, and looks into Lionel's study. Not seeing them, she turns round, and is confronted with the sight of Queen Elizabeth sitting at her table]
Myrtle Logue: [lost for words] You're... You're..!
Queen Elizabeth: It's "Your Majesty" the first time. After that, it's "ma'am." As in "ham." Not "mum" as in "palm."
Lionel Logue: I haven't told her about us. Sit down, relax.
[In the living room]
Queen Elizabeth: I'm told that your husband calls my husband "Bertie," and my husband calls your husband "Lionel." I trust you won't call me "Liz?"
Myrtle Logue: [nervously curtsying] Your majesty, you may call me "Mrs. Logue," ma'am.
Queen Elizabeth: [holding out her hand to shake] Very nice to meet you, Mrs. Logue.
[In the office]
King George VI: Logue, we can't stay here all day.
Lionel Logue: Yes we can. I have to choose the right moment.
King George VI: Logue, you're being a coward.
Lionel Logue: You're damn right.
King George VI: [Getting up and opening the door] Get out there, man!
Lionel Logue: [leaving the office] Hello, Myrtle, darling. You're early. I believe you two have met. But I don't think you know... King George VI.
King George VI: It's very nice to meet you.
Myrtle Logue: [nervously curtsying again] Will their Majesties be staying to dinner?
Queen Elizabeth: [seeing her unease] We would love to, such a treat, but alas... a previous engagement. What a pity.
King George VI: In this... grave hour fuck fuck fuck perhaps the most fateful in our history bugger shit shit [ to the tune of "Swanee River" ] I send to every household of my... you see "P" is always difficult, even when I'm singing.
Lionel Logue: Bounce onto it. "apeoples".
King George VI: ape... apeoples, Household of my apeoples both at home and overseas,
Lionel Logue: Beautiful.
King George VI: this message [ to the tune of "Camptown Races"] doo dah, Spoken with the same depth of feeling doo dah day for each one of you, as if i were able to shit FUCK Bugger cross your threshold and speak to you...
Lionel Logue: In your head now, I have a right to be bloody well heard.
King George VI: bloody well heard, bloody well heard, bloody well heard, Bloody Well Heard, BLOODY WELL HEARD MYSELF!
Lionel Logue: Now waltz, move, get continuous motion.
King George VI: [ to the tune of Tchaikovsky's "Sleeping Beauty Waltz"] For the second time in the lives of most of us we are at...
Lionel Logue: We are, take a pause.
King George VI: : Lionel, I can't do this.
Lionel Logue: Bertie, you can do it. Have a look at the last paragraph.
Queen Elizabeth: Bertie, it's time.
Lionel Logue: You still stammered a bit on the "w".
King George VI: Well, I had to throw in a few so they knew it was me.
[As King George VI finishes his first speech as King in response to the declaration of war on Nazi Germany, having delivered it unexpectedly well]
Archbishop of Canterbury: Your Majesty, I am... speechless!

Taglines

[edit]
  • It takes leadership to confront a nation's fear. It takes friendship to conquer your own.
  • When God couldn't save The King, The Queen turned to someone who could.
  • Find your voice.

Cast

[edit]
[edit]
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