Do you like Historical dramas? See The King's Speech.

[alfreda89]

Not to over-hype the movie, but it really is excellent. If you enjoy character studies, subtle emotions, occasional explosions, and pivot points in history, then this movie is for you. I would not mind seeing it again soon, if a friend wanted to go with someone. It's that good.

It's about the Duke of York, who became George VI of Great Britain when his older brother King Edward VII decided that he could not live without Wallis Simpson as his wife. She was a twice-divorced American, and the head of the Anglican Church could not marry a woman whose former husbands were still living. Since Edward turned out to be very impressed with Mr. Hitler, this was ultimately a good thing for Britain. But George (Bertie) had a terrible stutter. This is about how he conquered it, with the help of an unusual speech teacher. It's about overcoming life's biggest challenges, and friendship, and duty -- about the Real things.

Apparently the Queen was very touched by this story about her father and mother. Most people did not know this story. They should.

Comments

[starcat-jewel.livejournal.com]

And see it now if you can, before it gets bowdlerized. (Note: according to the first link at the bottom of that article, they may simply be bleeping it rather than cutting it. But don't count on that.)

[alfreda89.livejournal.com]

Yes, indeed, once again, Americans are appalled at words that any 10 year old can hear on the playground. I didn't know that stutters rarely stutter while swearing. Very interesting.

Hope the old men who told him to smoke to help his stutter died the same way he did.

[morfin.livejournal.com]

Fantastic movie on all counts. And thank God we got Bertie for king during the war and not David. He'd never have been able to rally the country behind him.

I'm still continually puzzled by his forced abdication because of Wallis being divorced. I mean, the CofE was formed when fat Harry wanted a divorce! Besides, as head of the CoE, couldn't the king just say it was allowed? Whatever happened to "It's good to be the king?"

[alfreda89.livejournal.com]

Well, I could ask my friend who is a history fiend on English history, but I suspect it's the difference between being an absolute monarch and being the world's most important good will ambassador. The British royal family is the second most important figurehead in the world, after the Emperor of Japan (and she's better known worldwide than he is) but her real power is PR, as I understand it.