The story tackles the story of King George VI and how his life had revolved around his speech impediment and a stammering problem. Throughout his journey, he met famed therapists that would try to cure him but would lead to no positive result. Not until a Lionel Logue, a speech therapist having an unorthodox means of therapy, enters his life, by the help of his wife Elizabeth. A commoner to his sight, Bertie was in-denial and did not believe on the speech therapist after their first session. But as days flew by, he took a try in listening to the recording, which to his surprise, did very well without that much of a stammer. He went back to seek such guidance, and followed Lionel throughout the sessions. They had ups and downs, especially when managing Bertie’s temperament, but it didn’t hinder Lionel to help his new-founded friend. There was one point where Bertie had given up, and in that part, they have known the true meaning of friendship and have learned from one another. Since then, Lionel has been always at his side, guiding him in his speeches that ultimately sparked the fire in the hearts of his fellow countrymen from the German Dictator, Adolf Hitler.
The film says a lot about the communicative barrier that the main character induced in his life. It has impacted the way people see and communicate with him, and some even shame or pressure him on doing the thing he can’t do, which was to say words without stammering. In the movie, there were many scenarios which his stammering interfered with the communication he needed to present. Moments where it brought him down to frustration for doing a simple thing is something he cannot do. It has greatly impacted the flow of communication from the speaker itself to its constituents.
There were a lot of scenes in which we can clearly see the effects of such barrier to his life. One was from the beginning, where Bertie was asked to relay a message to the public, which sadly he couldn’t. This in turn, had taken many criticisms from their people, making miscommunication prevalent. By that small thing alone, the way that he stutters on his speeches, sent different messages to the people. Other situation that Bertie faced was the inability of him to speak out his opinion and emotions. In the confrontation that they had together with his brother at the party, he wasn’t able to express his intentions and clarify his stand due to the fact that he stammers and could not make straight sentences full of the desired emotion itself. But despite the hardships, Bertie faced his fear with full courage and pursued to deliver the King’s speech. Without the help of Lionel Logue, it would be at the brink of impossibility. By the time he finished that speech, he knew to himself of his worth and his capabilities as king, with the help of his friend.
Communication can come in many ways and many forms; it is never stagnant and holds a lot of possibilities. There are times where we can’t communicate well with one another through verbal means, but the movie taught us that to communicate isn’t merely about speaking, it’s also about connecting. That connection serves as our way of communication in other means. It is never a hindrance to have such things, but rather a thing that brings out the best in us. The art of communication knows no bounds, with enough patience and determination, it can be done.
