Fresh from his Academy Award®-nominated performance in A Single Man, Colin Firth delivers another performance of nuance and grace in this moving story of the man who became King George VI, the father of Queen Elizabeth II.
 

It is the mid-thirties and radio is king. In the words of King George V (Michael Gambon), the members of the Royal Family are forced to become the lowest of creatures: actors. But his son “Bertie” (Firth) is plagued by a dreaded stutter and considered unfit to be king. Haunted by a disastrous and humiliating incident in which he delivered the closing speech at the British Empire Exhibition, Bertie is encouraged by his caring wife Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter) to engage the assistance of an unorthodox speech therapist named Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush).
 

Bound by rules of propriety, Bertie is reluctant to work with Logue, particularly when he insists on ignoring royal protocol and treating Bertie as he would any other man. But gradually, through a series of unconventional techniques, Bertie learns to manage his stutter and forms an unlikely friendship with Logue. When his older brother, King Edward VIII (Guy Pearce), abdicates the throne, Bertie becomes king and must summon the courage and authority to lead his country into war.
 

A sensitive and penetrating character study in the guise of a rich historical period piece, The King’s Speech probes the intriguing concept of a powerful man locked in a struggle to accept his own authority. As a member of the Royal Family, Bertie enjoys powers and privileges that are alien to most people, yet he feels powerless and frustrated. It is the camaraderie that blooms between Bertie and Logue that allows him to break free from this pattern and embrace his own uniqueness.
 

A fascinating look inside the mind of a great man, The King’s Speech boasts heartwarming performances from an accomplished cast, particularly Firth and Rush, whose combative, respectful and tender friendship forms the heart of this touching film.