IMDb #220 Review: The King's Speech (2010)

Source: Wikipedia

As the British English royal family loses the power to command beheadings and Parliament gains the power to further impede legislation, newfangled radio technology connects tea-sipping British subjects worldwide. (Coincidence? Evidence says–yes, certainly.)

Even in the early twentieth century, the Windsors existed to make public appearances and live in staggering luxury. And sometimes to give speeches, to "speak for the people."

Bertie, Duke of York and son of King George V, stammers something terrible. He’s tried every speech therapist except the one on the movie poster. Finally, he gives in and tries a failed actor’s “unorthodox and controversial” methods. These include tongue twisters, shouting out of windows, swearing fits, listening to music, and discussing his miserable royal childhood.

Inhibited by his stiff upper lip, Bertie quits. Several times. Unfortunately, as you might have guessed by the title, his father has the audacity to shuffle off this mortal coil. A plethora of undesirable circumstances plop the crown in Bertie’s lap. Worse, World War II pokes its helmeted head around the corner to say “Guten tag.”

Then it’s back to elocution lessons/remedial psychotherapy.

Public speaking is feared more than death, according to specious claims lacking citations. No. Reluctant speakers fear flubbing, looking dumb in front of people. But Bertie stares failure full in the face to see who blinks first. At first it’s a toss-up, because anthropomorphic personifications of abstract concepts lack eyelids, but King Bertie gains ground, along with the whole British empire.

Which gives little excuse to us mere civilians with self-diagnosed social anxiety disorder.

118 minutes.