The movie, The King’s Speech, has everything a good movie should have – a compelling story, incredible acting, and an underlying message.

The Story

Many people I talked to after seeing this movie had never heard of it, despite the fact that it is pretty universally rated with four stars.

The story is a piece of history. It is about King George VI (of England), father of the current Queen Elizabeth. His name was Albert and he was the second son of King George V and was not expected to be king. The story most of us have heard is of his older brother, who became King Edward VIII, in 1936 and abdicated the same year to marry Wallis Simpson, a divorcee. This made Albert king leading up to World War II. But the new king had a lifelong problem with stammering and was suddenly in a position where he had to speak to millions of people.

The Acting

The lineup includes Geoffrey Rush as speech therapist, Lionel Logue, and Helena Bonham Carter as Albert’s wife, Queen Elizabeth (known to us as the Queen mother), and the real star, Colin Firth as King George VI. Firth not only portrays a man who stammers, but all that goes along with it – frustration, inner turmoil, and a deep desire to communicate. I have no doubt that Colin Firth will follow up last year’s Oscar nomination with another.

The Message

This is a story about courage, determination, and the power of friendship. Bonham Carter plays a wife who truly loves her husband and sees his potential. She is the one who finds the speech therapist for him and is literally the wind beneath his wings. Rush, who is also the producer, plays the speech therapist who just wants to help people. He uses unconventional methods that really work, but it is the friendship that develops between the two that gives Albert the confidence he needs.

Truly inspiring! And, here’s an interesting review  – 5 Ways to Shine Through a Weakness – by Jennifer Gresham of Everyday Bright.