The Kings Speech Essays

The Kings Speech Essays The Kings Speech Essay The Kings Speech Essay While The Kings Speech draws upon a number of historical facts and events, this is not its primary concern. The film is about the effect of a person’s family on how the person develops. For example, in The Kings Speech, King George VI’s brother abdicating and his father’s cruelty played a part in his stammer and lack of confidence. The film is also about the importance of a secure support system, for example Queen Elizabeth and Lionel Logue were Berties support system and they helped him overcome his stammer and lack of confidence.A third important issue in the film is about the different approach to class distinction by British and Australian people, as shown by the expectations of Bertie and Queen Elizabeth that Lionel Logue will do whatever they wanted and Lionel Logues insistence on working on his own terms. Finally, the film is about how a person can dig deep into their own character to become a better person and in Berties case, a be tter King. He overcame his speech impediment, anger and confidence issues to prove to himself, his family and his country that he was suitable to be King.The effect of one’s family on how the person develops is significant. His father’s cruel upbringing and the mockery received from his siblings were a contributing factor to his lack of confidence as a young man. For example, Lionel asked Bertie: â€Å"Did David ever tease you? † â€Å"Oh yes of course! Ber-ber-be-bertie. Father encouraged it. He said ‘GET IT OUT BOY’. Said it would make me stop. I was afraid of my father, and my children are damn well going to be afraid of me! ’† (The Kings Speech, 2010).Also, being forced to use his right hand when he was naturally left-handed and having to wear metal splints for knocked knees also contributed to his shyness, which caused him to develop a stammer. When growing up, it is important to have a strong support system and without one, the e ffect on a persons confidence can be devastating. In Berties case, it caused his stammer. Bertie’s brother abdicating put even more pressure on him and made the stammer worse: Bertie talking to Edward about abdicating, says â€Å"That is terrible thing to hear. Nobody wants to hear that, me least of all† (Hooper, 2010).Also, â€Å"I am not a King, I am a naval officer. I’m not a king, I’m not a king† (The Kings Speech, 2010). The psychological effect his brother abdicating had on him, was enough to send him back to Logue for more therapy. Bertie was fortunate to find that his wife, Elizabeth, gave him the love and support he did not receive from his own family. She was his backbone. At the start of the film, when George had given up and he said â€Å"promise me, no more† (The Kings Speech, 2010), she believed in him and knew she had to keep trying to find the right person to help him.It was only through her efforts, that they found Logue. Th roughout the film, whenever George was giving a speech, she would be there in support of him. â€Å"I’m sure you’ll do great† (The Kings Speech, 2010) were her words of encouragement before Berties final speech on the war against Germany in the film. The love and encouragement of a persons partner can help the person achieve great things. The fact that Logue was Australian was also an important element to helping Bertie overcome his difficulties.The approach to class distinction of Australians is different to the approach of British people. British people believe strongly in social hierarchy. Being Queen, Elzabeths high expectations revolve around respectfulness and full cooperation of the subject. The laid back personality of an Australian is to treat everyone with equality and treat everybody as themselves. These two personalities clash when Elizabeth comes to Logue for help. She expects Logue to do what she wants and is a bit taken aback by how informal he is : Logue to Elizabeth We need to have your hubby pop byHe can give me his personal details, Ill make a frank appraisal and then well take it from there. I dont have a hubby, we dont pop and nor do we ever talk about our private lives. No you must come to us (The Kings Speech, 2010). Logue refuses her demand so she uses and what if my husband were the Duke of York? (The Kings Speech, 2010) but Logue stands by his rules and Logue insists her husband to him: for my method to work, I need trust and total equality. Here in the safety of my consultation room.No exceptions (The Kings Speech, 2010). At first, this difference of class made it difficult to form a normal relationship between the pair. For example, Bertie to the Archbishop: â€Å"Lionel will be seated in the kings box† â€Å"But members of your family will be seated there sir! † (The Kings Speech, 2010). The astonishment of the Archbishop when Bertie requested for Logue to be seated in the Kings box shows that th e relationship was very unusual. Class distinction affected Logues treatment of Bertie.On one side, Logue should be respectful and abide by the Kings request to keep this a strictly business relationship, but on the other hand if Logue was to help and teach Bertie to overcome his speech, anger and confidence issues, they had to be equals. Requests such as being told not to sit too close or when one is speaking with the Prince, one waits for the Prince to choose the topic was not an option if Logue was going to fix George. â€Å"In here it’s better if we’re equals† (The Kings Speech, 2010). Bertie disagrees with Lionel and states: â€Å"If we were equals, I’d be home with my wife, and no one would give a damn† (The Kings Speech, 2010).It would have been much more difficult for a British speech therapist to help Bertie the way Logue did because a British person would not have been able to overcome the class differences the way Logue could. Finally, t he film shows that overcoming adversity helped George to be a better person and a better King. This is because the difficulties of overcoming something that had kept him hostage from a very young age and the confidence he found in doing this, gave him something in common with the British subjects, who were struggling when World War Two started.His anger went away and he became stronger and more confident. The main motivation for George to overcome his stammer was to prove to himself, his family and his nation that he was fit to be King. The Kings Speech uses the historical story of King George VI to illustrate important issues that affect all people: the need for a supportive family, the love and support of a good partner, the ability of people to fix problems when they put aside class distinctions and what can be achieved when a person digs deep into his or her own character to overcome adversity. It is a very inspiring film. The Kings Speech Essays The Kings Speech Paper The Kings Speech Paper The Kings Speech, directed by Tom Hooper, Is a British block produced In 2010. The film Illustrates the story of Bertie, later crowned King George VI, and his stammer affliction. It follows Berths wifes pursuit to help her husband, employing Lionel Loge, an Australian speech pathologist, to assist, and potentially cure Bertie of his speech condition. The Kings Speech unravels the tale of how two entirely adverse characters end up the greatest of friends. Leading cinematographer, Danny Cohen, has used a variety of camera shots, angles, movement and lighting to greatly enhance he transformation of the characters and the growth of their friendship. Cohen opens the heros Introductory scene with a wide shot and grim lighting to develop an uncomfortable sensation for the viewers, allowing them to realism the absence of trust and contentment Bertie has felt throughout his life. The cinematographer has positioned the characters using an off-centre technique to establish the Minimal distance and discomfort felt between Lionel and Bertie. Positioning the pair on either sides of the frame allows Bertie to be depicted as powerless and isolated. Cohen has ensured that Lionel is similarly presented slightly if-centre during the straight cut conversation piece, but the camera is positioned at a lower angle granting a sense of superiority to Lionel. This shot and angle diversification allows the audience to experience the inequality felt between the heroes. The use of the off-centre technique in the lead room approach further enhances Berths emotional constraint and adds to the distance between the characters during conversation. To enhance the sense of discomfort and disconnection, Cohen has utilized an adverse lighting technique in the background of each of the characters frames. Bertie Is predictably presented against a bleak wall, with neither artificial nor natural light In his favor, communicating his negatively and distress. However, the cinematographer presents Lionel against a cluttered, and yet out of focus backdrop, with two artificial lights behind, and an evening skylight above, contributing to his disorderly and yet ingenious form of introduction. Additionally, this lighting variation further exposes a sense of unease amidst the pair. As the scene progresses, Lionel requests Bertie to read a segment of script with headphones on, to replace the echo of his voice. Cohen has filmed this fragment using a medium two shot, presenting both the characters within the frame. The audience is then exposed to a soft zoom upon the characters, hinting at the forming connection and possible foundation of their forthcoming solidarity and the blurring of social boundaries. Hooper ensures that the transformation of the characters and development of their friendship Is clear by directing Cones diverse use of cinematography. When the introductory scene, the characters are shot from the front and side, presenting a sense of maturity in their relationship. This movement of focus upon the characters softens the use of lead room, allowing the audience to identify a growing intimacy between the two. As he does earlier in the film, Cohen positions Lionel and Bertie on either sides of the frame, however only a meter apart further allowing the audience to experience a growth in trust and comfort felt by the heroes. The backdrop of the characters has barely been altered, with Lionel presented against a window, predictably portraying a midday light, outlining the sense of freedom and connection he has with the outside world, while Bertie is presented against a plain and unlit cockade. The flourishing sense of familiarity and confidence between the characters is clear in Cones use of close up shots throughout the conversation. The characters are similarly portrayed, with the camera positioned front on allowing the audience to see them as equals and furthermore at ease with each other. As the scene unravels, Lionesss wife returns home early to find Queen Elizabeth I seated at her dining table, Myrtle totally unaware of her husbands connection with the Royals. Hooper uses this point of action to reverse the roles of Lionel and Bertie. Lionel acts with complete awarding, unwilling to face his wife after shes discovered his bizarre secret. Cohen has presented Lionel pushed against the edge of the frame, with Bertie seated confidently in the centre, portraying the characters in a slightly humorous manner, certainly expressing the new sense of companionship and collusion. The climax scene opens with a point of view shot from Berths perspective. It presents the daunting hall ahead that ends at the Palace room where he is to present his first wartime speech, announcing that England has officially Joined the war. Cohen then uses a blend of a frontal and following tracking shots as Bertie alls. This is filmed from a slightly lower angle with a continual minor sway, presenting the Kings true nerves for his forthcoming responsibility. The camera is then steadied after Lionel is included in the frame, allowing the audience to feel the ease Bertie feels with his speech pathologists, and now friends, presence. This further allows the audience to experience the growing trust and companionship between the heroes. Cohen has filmed the pair directly through the out-of-focus microphone. Lionel is leveled with the camera and in contrast, Bertie is filmed from above, again depicting his tension and distress. Unlike the introductory and apology scene, both Lionel and Bertie are presented in the path of a single windows light, expressing the now pure equality and thriving friendship between the pair. Cohen abandons the microphone by further blurring and then removing it from within the frame, thereby allowing the audience to feel Just as Bertie does, that the speech is presented only to Lionel, not the British Empire. Additionally, Bertie is now equally leveled with the camera, demonstrating that once his focus shifted from the rest of England to solely Lionel, his confidence could soar. Cohen then uses an arc shot, a arching of the characters, that reveals a true flow of ease, faith and harmony that Lionel and Bertie hold together. Danny Cohen, under the direction of Tom Hooper, has combined a diverse array of opposite social classes, grow together and form an unbreakable friendship. The Kings Speech has clearly demonstrated how the nature of friendship can spark between anybody as long as trust, contentment and intimacy are equally nurtured. Specifically, Cohen has used a variety of camera shots, angles, movement and lighting to develop the solidarity between Bertie and Lionel to allow this magnificently exclusive and everlasting bond to form.