The Kings Speech is a British biographical drama film directed by Tom Hooper

and based on the screenplay written by David Seidler. Although the film
premiered at the Telluride Film Festival in the USA on September 6 th 2010, it was
only on January 7th 2011 when it finally became available to viewers in the United
Kingdom and Europe. Aside from being a critically acclaimed film, The Kings
Speech has received no less than 12 Oscar nominations and won the Academy
Award for best picture, best director, best actor and best original screenplay.

The film shows Prince Albert (Colin Firth) struggling with his stutter during a
speech at the British Empire Exhibition. He had given up any hope to find a cure,
but his wife Elisabeth (Helena Bonham-Carter) talks him into working with
Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush). Although the treatment
seems to be unsuitable for the princes condition at first, he soon realizes that
not only was the therapy actually effective, but he and Lionel had started to form
a friendship during their sessions together.
During the preparations for his coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey,
Prince Albert, soon to become King George VI, finds out that Logue had no formal
training as a speech. When confronted, Logue reveals that he used to help
traumatized Australian soldiers returning from the war. In what is probably the
best scene in the entire film, Logue sits in Saint Edwards Chair and rests his feet
on the Coronation Stone, which infuriates Albert to the point where he starts
yelling at Logue, his speech impediment being completely inaudible in his voice,
a surprise for both himself and Logue. They both realize at that moment that
Prince Albert has what it takes to be a good king.
The ending sees King George VI facing the challenge of addressing the people
over the radio after the declaration of war coming from Nazi Germany in 1939.
Although supported by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Winston Churchill and
Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, the King summons his old friend Lionel
Logue to assist him during his speech. While he starts delivering his speech
conducted by Logue, the King finds himself speaking freely by the end. The film
ends with King George VI and his family stepping onto the balcony of the building
and being applauded by the people gathered in the square below.

The Kings Speech is a great film, which can be enjoyed by all sorts of people,
even without understanding any of the political and historical background
involved. It is a film which I think really deserves both its numerous nominations
and its prestigious awards and lastly, it is a film which I would strongly
recommend to anyone wanting to take a glimpse into pre-war Britain, all while
watching a masterpiece of cinematography.