Film previews of the King’s Speech reveal the extraordinary relationship between the future King George VI and his voice coach.
The film dramatizes the events leading up to the abdication of King Edward VIII in 1936 and the accession to the throne of George VI seen through the prism of George’s public speaking problems…a speech impediment, stutter and a shy, retiring nature.
His first public speech is a disaster and his wife, the Duchess of York, takes charge of the problem. After a string of unsuccessful coaches, the film tells how an out of work Australian actor, a voice coach, is eventually hired to get the Royal Duke (Bertie) ready for a speech…and then prepare him for all his future public speaking roles; no small amount of work with the looming war in Europe and the eventual abdication of Edward VIII.
It looks a fascinating film with starring performances from Colin Firth as George VI, Geoffrey Rush as the speech coach and Helena Bonham-Carter as Queen Elizabeth supported by Michael Gambon as George V and Timothy Spall as Winston Churchill.
There were more honours for The King’s Speech last week when the film took the audience award at the 18th annual Hamptons film festival.
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