https://youtube.com/watch?v=PaTN02mrFl4%3Fversion%3D3%26hl%3Den_US
This movie has bagged many awards including the Oscars for the best film and best actor. Many movie critics and bloggers have also acclaimed that this movie is the best in this decade.
As a trainer and a speaker; I would like to comment from the angle of speech making.
Fear of public speaking is the Number one fear, even ahead of death, cancer, heart attack and mother-in-law. Stammering and stuttering – they are partly due to the fear in public speaking.
In the movie “The King’s Speech,” England’s King George VI turns to Lionel Logue, an unorthodox Australian speech therapist, to overcome his stammer. The two men become friends as they work together, and after his brother abdicates the British throne, the reluctant king relies on Logue to help him make a radio broadcast at the beginning of World War II.
The story is mental action and mental strife, as when Albert (Bertie) struggles against his habits of thought to understand why he stammers. And when Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush) explains how he came to understand the causes of stammering.
Of course, the important point of the show is “finding your voice.” As speakers and trainers, we are always searching for our voice.
I find it very challenging to find my voice. It is the desire of every speaker to find his/her voice. In the movie, Bertie has to find his voice to overcome his stammer and to assume the leadership of his kingdom in dire need to win the war over Nazis Germany. Finally, King George VI (Bertie) delivers his address with full confidence. He finds his voice.
To find his voice; Bertie persists and perseveres and at times, he has to cut down on his smoking which brings more harms to his speaking. In life, we have to persist and persevere in order to succeed; especially when we are searching for our voice.
To find his voice; Bertie has to understand the tool called radio; this technology becomes an obstacle to his voice. He has to practice and rehearse in front of this tool in order to perfect the delivery. In this modern days; we have many new tools to aid us to find our voice and such tools can be an obstacle to speakers too.
During Presidential elections, many countries employ TV live debates for these candidates to show their knowledge and skills in Statecraft. Another modern speaking tool is teleprompter; a tool to aid a speaker to see the script while speaking. The speaker has to be trained to learn the usage of this tool. Obama is the king of this tool. He uses it very effectively and efficiently.
During one scene, when George VI views a newsreel of Hitler giving one of his dramatic and grandiose speeches. Bertie acknowledges the Fuhrer’s power as an orator, one that he could never hope to match. No matter; the power of the King’s speech was not in a mellifluous delivery, but in a message of hope and determination and solidarity with the English people in their hour of need. In speech making, body language, intonation, and the power of the tone – they are important but ultimately it is the message that touches the hearts and souls of the listeners.
I encourage people who have fear in public speaking; people who aspire to be public speakers and members of toastmasters circle to watch this movie. This movie is a rare gem, not to be missed.
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