Tuesday 18 October 2011

The King Speaks/ BBC and a Spirit Undaunted

This is a documentary about George VI, his life and his struggle to overcome a speech impediment.  The Daily Mails says it sheds more light on the remarkable story the inspired the movie the KIng's Speech.

King George VI faced the prospect of public speaking engagements and radio broadcasts to millions of people at the dawn of the age of mass media.  He was kept in the dark by his brother, EdwardVIII, until one week before he was to follow his brother to ascend the throne.   He not only had to look regal he had to sound it to.

Laurence Fox narrates this story of the lengths the King went to overcome his disability with the help of the unorthodox Australian speech therapist,  Lionel Logue.   Film footage of the King's speeches and interviews of some of Logue's patients show how the KIng found his voice and rallied a nation.

The film footage is amazing to see how authentic the movie was made.   There is no recording of Logue own voice but it is interesting to hear the KIng's real voice and his struggle.

I am an admirer, as with reading a lot of biography's I was fortunate enough to find a biography of George VI.   The book, 'A Spirit Undaunted', is based on the political role of the King.  

Winston Churchill spoke about the relationship that he had with GeorgeVI during the war.   Churchill had taken him into his confidence and the King showed remarkable shrewdness of judgement and character. It is one of the most interesting history books that I have read and portray's GeorgeVI as a great and underrated man and monarch.

It is interesting from the war perspective and also from the loss of this man at such a young age, 52.    It is through George VI, and Sir Winston Churchill both descendants of great leaders that Britain survived WWII.
The end of this book is the tribute to the King that was memorial in the figure of Christ on the Cross that bears the inscription:  To the Glory of God, and in memory of George, King, Servant of his People  1895 -1952 .

It is said that he left the throne more stable than England had known throughout almost her entire history.

It is no mystery our present Queen has set the example of service to the throne and her people.

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