A review of Tom Hooper’s The Kings Speech (2010)

Okay, so I know that this film is 10 years old, but I still think that this is probably one of the most popular and well-known films about stuttering.

For those who don’t know this film, this is the story of Bertie, who is played by Colin Firth, (who reigned as King George IV from 1932 to 1956) and his stammer.

One of the central themes of the film is Bertie's determination to "fix" his stutter, and he believes that if he works hard enough to overcome his disability, he will be able to better serve his country.

It is important to note that, like many Hollywood films which tend to embrace the ‘narrative of overcoming’ in relation to characters with disabilities, this film does something similar.  The key reason why so many films use this narrative is often because they want to inspire the audience watching.

I was no different! The first time I watched The Kings Speech I was around 12 years old and I was just about to start secondary school. This film gave me hope that if the King of England could have a stammer and get through it, I could too! In my 12-year-old eyes, Bertie was a hero! And he definitely proved himself to be a hero by overcoming his stutter in order to deliver one of his most powerful speeches.

However, I recently had to watch this film for college and my opinion of this film has definitely changed!

At the beginning of the film, I noticed that Bertie was represented as a victim of his own voice. In one particular scene, where Bertie and his speech therapist Lionel, who is played by Geoffrey Rush, are discussing Bertie’s stammer, Lionel begins the meeting by asking Bertie when he first started stuttering, Bertie replies that ‘he has always been "this way." Lionel expresses doubt, and Bertie becomes enraged, insisting, “Don't … TELL me. It's my stammer."’ The fact that Bertie claims ownership over his stutter rather than his voice, suggests that Bertie’s stammer defines him, rather than the other way round.

Another aspect of the film that I noticed this time around, was the idea that Bertie was immediately rejected by people, especially his own father and brother, around him because of his stammer. He is treated with very little patience and acceptance and as a person who stutters, I know how important it is to be accepted by those around you. When you are accepted by those around you, it becomes easier to accept yourself.

I strongly believe that if Bertie was accepted as a person who stutters rather than a disabled body forced to reject his own voice, he might still have succeeded, possibly even more so, in his role as King. because he wouldn't have had to prove his ability to speak fluently.

However, after two very different viewing experiences, I not only understand the importance of the film for people who stutter, but I also understand the narrative in which it was made. 

(Side note - Such a powerful message) 

(All images are taken from Alamy, a stock image website, all rights go to respective owners)