Anne Taylor Robertson Blog 12: The King’s Speech

The King’s Speech was one of the Oscar nominees and winners at the Academy Awards this year. The story is about King George VI of England and his unusual rise to the throne. He has a speech impediment that is the symbol for the underlying emotional struggle he has with his rise to Kingdom. The relationship he has with each of his family members displays either loyalty, humility, abuse or unconditional love. His speech therapist, Lionel Logue is an interesting character who forges communitas with the King as he creates situations in which the King’s social expectations and barriers are broken down. While the King is certainly kind-hearted and nice, it’s not until his relationship with Logue that he can truly relate to the people in England, which ultimately made him a beloved King and fearless political leader in the face of the Third Reich and Hitler in the 1930’s. This is an incredible film, as the cinematography truly brings the viewer into the scene, while the screenwriting makes it real.