FREE: The King's Speech (2011)

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5.0 out of 5 stars: True story of a lifelong friendship between a King and a commoner
Amazon Review By Inspiring Insomnia on 12/26/2012
Prince Albert was forced to the British throne following the death of his father and his elder brother's decision to abdicate in order to marry Wallis Simpson. Albert's (now King George VI) severe stuttering lead to a profound fear of public speaking, which is a bit if its own impediment to a British monarch. In secret, King George and his wife, Elizabeth (known in her later years as the Queen Mum) hire Australian speech therapist, Lionel Logue. King George resists Logue's techniques and he rebels against Logue insisting that the two men behave as class equals, something completely foreign to the King, during their therapy sessions.

The lead cast is excellent: Colin Firth as the proud but insecure monarch; Geoffrey Rush as his patient, steadfast speech therapist; and Helena Bonham Carter as the King's loving, supportive, and persistent wife. There are numerous moments of great tension, as we wait to see how King George will perform at various public speeches. There are also many humorous touches, most notably the surprise meeting between George and Elizabeth and Logue's stunned wife.

When I initially heard about "The King's Speech," my first thought was: "A movie about stuttering? How can this succeed?" But it does. The stuttering merely provides the backdrop for the tentative development of the friendship between these two very different men.