In the movie “The King’s Speech,” which received an Academy Award, Prince Albert’s story is depicted. He eventually becomes King George VI. The film revolves around motivation and highlights the significance of one’s voice and bravery, as they can determine life or death. At the conclusion of the 1925 British Empire Exhibition, Prince Albert delivers a speech but struggles with excessive and uncontrollable stammering caused by a speech impediment. Disheartened by his performance, Prince Albert chooses to abandon hope in himself and accept his destiny as a monarch burdened with stuttering.
In the movie “The King’s Speech (2010)”, Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter) convinces her husband to seek assistance from Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush), an Australian speech therapist known for his unconventional and controversial techniques that have proven effective. The film is set in London during the tumultuous years of the early and late 1930s when tensions between the UK and Germany were escalating. In one scene, King George V (Michael Gambon) emphasizes the importance of communication in personal life, relationships, professional success, civic life, and especially as a monarch.
During King George V’s final days, his successor David (portrayed by Guy Pearce) faces a difficult choice and ultimately decides to relinquish his claim to the throne. Throughout the film, Lionel works closely with Bertie (as he warmly refers to him) to improve his nonverbal communication abilities, including kinesics, haptics, physical appearance, and artifacts. The aim is to transform Bertie into a poised and articulate king. By the conclusion of the movie, King George VI acquires the capacity to effectively employ other nonverbal behaviors such as proxemics, environment, chronemics, and silence. Consequently, he delivers a compelling and unforgettable speech.
Communication is crucial for leading the masses and maintaining a strong kingdom. The King’s Speech illustrates the importance of a clear and projecting voice in both daily conversations and nonverbal behaviors. Although born into royalty, the Duke of York learns that voice is essential. Effective communication serves as a foundation for personal life, relationships, professional success, and civic engagement. In the film, Prince Albert faces difficulties in having fluent conversations with others.
Bertie, deemed the future agonizing heir to the throne due to his lack of communication skills, faces one major obstacle: himself. In the movie, he vocalizes his frustration by proclaiming, “If I’m King, where’s my power? Can I form a government? Can I levy a tax, declare a war? No! And yet I am the seat of all authority. Why? Because the nation believes that when I speak, I speak for them. But I can’t speak”(“The King’s Speech (2010)”). Prince Albert’s troubled upbringing includes being prohibited from utilizing his left hand, having knock-knees, enduring an abusive nanny, and suffering the loss of a sibling at a young age.
Despite the passage of time, Prince Albert continued to stay within his comfort zone and maintained a habit of poor communication skills. This suggests that effective communication is vital not only in governing a nation, but also in personal life, relationships, professional accomplishments, and civic involvement. When a leader claims that a nation trusts their words, it is generally assumed that they possess exceptional speaking abilities for success. The saying “actions speak louder than words” rings especially true when considering Prince Albert.
The Duke of York’s severe lack of nonverbal behavior, evident in his lack of self-esteem, makes him appear like a statue when speaking. During his inaugural speech, he started by saying, “I have received from his Majesty the K-K-K-King” (“The King’s Speech (2010)”), which left over 100,000 spectators unimpressed. Both parents and children avoided looking at him while he spoke because they were aware that he was not suitable to govern an empire. The negative signals he sent to the audience included an uncertain grasp of the microphone, swaying back and forth, and maintaining a blank stare while constantly blinking.
Identifying him as the heir to the throne was solely his suit and position in the stadium. Confidence, appearance, and body motion play a crucial role in determining whether someone is an exceptional speaker or not. In class, it was mentioned that one should avoid relying too much on props, freezing in the middle of a speech, or distracting the audience with a poor appearance (Reed). Consequently, one can conclude that body motion, physical touch, appearance, and personal belongings are vital components when addressing a crowd or an individual.
Both Ms. Reed and Julia Wood emphasize the importance of effective nonverbal behaviors in various aspects of communication, such as proxemics, environment, chronemics, and silence. In the film “The King’s Speech (2010)”, Lionel teaches Prince Albert how to utilize his personal space effectively, feel at ease in any situation, and avoid feeling overwhelmed by time constraints. Through this guidance, Prince Albert discovers the value of substituting his stammer with moments of silence to enhance the impact and intensity of his speeches. Lionel even mentions in one scene that prolonged pauses can contribute a sense of solemnity to significant events.
In the final speech, Lionel prepares the room where King George VI will be speaking in a way that resembles the practice room, aiming to make him feel at ease. By effectively utilizing these four powerful nonverbal behaviors, a speaker like King George VI can leave a lasting impression on their audience. Additionally, according to Wood, “being mindful of the nonverbal aspects of your surroundings can enable you to utilize them more successfully in order to achieve your interpersonal objectives” (109).
Because King George VI successfully delivers his speech, it becomes apparent that nonverbal behaviors are as influential as verbal behaviors and equally reflect an individual’s identity. In conclusion, I greatly appreciated watching this film due to King George VI’s persevering journey to find his voice. Nonetheless, being a ruler without a voice undermines one’s authority. Effective communication skills are imperative for a king to demonstrate his superiority to the public. A contemporary illustration of this can be observed when President Barack Obama effectively communicates to capture his audience’s attention, gain their approval, and inspire confidence.
The difference between comprehension and confusion lies in effective communication, which includes expressions of one’s voice, managing daily conversations, and nonverbal behaviors.
Works Cited:
Reed, Joquina. Texas A&M International University. July 18,2012. Class Lecture.
The King’s Speech. Dir. Tom Hooper. The Weinstein Company, 2010. Film.
Wood, Julia T. Communication Mosaics: An introduction to the field of communication. 6th ed. Wadsworth: Cengage Learning, 2011. 109.
