I'm a sucker for period movies, especially those with English accents and even more so, those staring Colin Firth. So what happens when an English accent of character played by Firth in a period film is accompanied by a stammer? That is the story of
The King's Speech which opens November 26th. Prince George, The Duke of York was second in line to the throne behind his brother so his stammer wouldn't really have been as big of a problem had his brother not abdicated the throne to marry Wallis Simpson. (Madonna is making a film about that story.) After his brother abdicates, George ('Bertie') reluctantly assumes the throne as King George VI. Because his stutter has called into question his ability to rule, he and Elizabeth I engage the help of an unorthodox speech therapist named Lionel Logue. "Through a set of unexpected techniques, and as a result of an unlikely friendship, Bertie is able to find his voice and boldly lead the country through war." George VI and Elizabeth are the parents of reigning Queen Elizabeth II and it will be interesting to see her childhood during the war. There are already rumors that this film will earn Colin Firth an Oscar just as
The Queen earned Helen Mirren her statue. I think it's safe to say that The Academy is also a sucker for an English accent.
