The King's Speech (2010)

The story of King George VI, his impromptu ascension to the throne of the British Empire in 1936, and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch overcome his stammer.

Director:

Tom Hooper

Writer:

David Seidler (screenplay)

Stars:

Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter

Won 4 Oscars. Another 106 wins & 198 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Colin Firth	...	King George VI
Helena Bonham Carter	...	Queen Elizabeth
Derek Jacobi	...	Archbishop Cosmo Lang
Robert Portal	...	Equerry
Richard Dixon	...	Private Secretary
Paul Trussell	...	Chauffeur
Adrian Scarborough	...	BBC Radio Announcer
Andrew Havill	...	Robert Wood
Charles Armstrong	...	BBC Technician
Roger Hammond	...	Dr. Blandine Bentham
Geoffrey Rush	...	Lionel Logue
Calum Gittins	...	Laurie Logue
Jennifer Ehle	...	Myrtle Logue
Dominic Applewhite	...	Valentine Logue
Ben Wimsett	...	Anthony Logue

Storyline

Britain's Prince Albert must ascend the throne as King George VI, but he has a speech impediment. Knowing that the country needs her husband to be able to communicate effectively, Elizabeth hires Lionel Logue, an Australian actor and speech therapist, to help him overcome his stammer. An extraordinary friendship develops between the two men, as Logue uses unconventional means to teach the monarch how to speak with confidence.

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Plot Keywords:

king george vi | period drama | royal family | king | speech therapist | 

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Taglines:

It takes leadership to confront a nation's fear. It takes friendship to conquer your own.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [France]

Country:

UK USA Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 December 2010 (USA)

Also Known As:

The King's Speech

Filming Locations:

Halton House, Halton, Wendover, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$355,450, 28 November 2010, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$138,797,449

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$373,700,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

See-Saw Films, The Weinstein Company, UK Film Council

Technical Specs

Runtime:

118 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS (5.1)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Colin Firth won the Best Actor Academy Award (Oscar) for this movie on his second nomination. Firth was a consecutive nominee as he had been nominated the year before in the same category for A Single Man (2009), losing to Jeff Bridges for Crazy Heart (2009). Bridges was also nominated in this same category the year Firth won, for True Grit (2010).

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Goofs

When Logue is playing Shakespeare with his sons, they are sitting in the studio. Logue apologizes them to go to receive Bertie, exiting the only door to the studio, and welcomes Bertie. Next shot in, the boys have disappeared.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Title Card: 1925 / King George V reigns over a quarter of the world's people. He asks his second son, the Duke of York, to give the closing speech at the Empire Exhibition in Wembley, London.

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Crazy Credits

In the end credit roll, Philip Clements is listed twice as Assistant Sound Editor.

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Connections

Referenced in The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Episode #19.133 (2011)

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Soundtracks

Piano Concerto No. 5, Op. 73 ('Emperor') in E-Flat Major: II. Adagio un poco mosso
Music by Ludwig van Beethoven
Heard as George VI concludes his first wartime speech

User Reviews

A wonderful movie!

No spoilers here. I would like to let everyone know that this is an excellent film. I enjoyed it this week at the Mill Valley Film Festival in Marin County, CA. Given the outstanding cast and director, and my fascination with historical figures, I had high hopes for this film, though mixed with a certain resignation that I might be disappointed. There was no way I could have imagined how wonderful "The King's Speech" would be. There was abundant humor without the film ever becoming a comedy, drama without dreariness, and many deeply moving moments. I can't praise this film enough. It boosted my appreciation of the human capacity to become our best selves, and rise to meet even the most daunting challenges.