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turning to page one
turning to page one
Bertie and Elizabeth have returned to the consultation room.
BERTIE
Strictly business. No personal
nonsense.
ELIZABETH
I thought I’d made that very clear
in our interview.
Logue is silent, then:
LIONEL
Got the shilling you owe me?
BERTIE
No I don’t!
LIONEL
Didn’t think so.
BERTIE
Besides, you tricked me!
LIONEL
No, I showed you what you can do.
(tries to get them to understand)
What you’re asking will only deal
with the surface of the problem.
ELIZABETH
That’s sufficient. My husband has
difficulties with his speech. Just
deal with that.
BERTIE
I’m willing to work hard, Doctor
Logue...
LIONEL
Lionel.
BERTIE
Are you willing to do your part?
Logue considers, then tells Bertie:
LIONEL
Alright. You want mechanics? We
need to relax your throat muscles
and strengthen your tongue. By
repeating tongue twisters for
example. “I am a thistle-sifter. I
have a sieve of sifted thistles and
a sieve of unsifted thistles.
Because I am a thistle sifter.”
BERTIE
Fine.
LIONEL
You have a flabby tummy, we must
build up the strength in your
diaphragm. Simple mechanics.
ELIZABETH
That is all we ask.
LIONEL
And that’s about a shilling’s
worth.
BERTIE
Forget about the blessed shilling!
(calm again)
Perhaps, upon occasion, I shall
request some assistance in coping
with a minor event. Will that be
agreeable?
LIONEL
Of course.
ELIZABETH
That will be the full extent of
your services.
BERTIE
Shall I see you next week?
LIONEL
I shall see you every day.
On Bertie, reacting.
MONTAGE
Many different sessions, many different days, all in the consultation room.
CU of Bertie’s mouth. Humming.
LIONEL (CONT’D)
Hum for as long as you like.
Hmmmmmmmmmm. And when you’re ready,
“Mother”.
BERTIE
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmother.
LIONEL
Beaut.
CUT TO:
LIONEL (CONT’D)
A simple outward breath. “FFFFF”
Wait for the “aa”. “FFFFFather”.
Just slide into it.
BERTIE
FFFFFFFFFFFFather.
CUT TO:
LIONEL
Feel the loosening of the jaw
Bertie and Lionel both have their individual hands clasped and are shaking them, vibrating their chest and loosening their jaw. As their jaws wobble, they omit a vibrating sound.
BERTIE
Ahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahah.
LIONEL
(at the same time)
Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha,
CUT TO:
Bertie lies on the floor
LIONEL (CONT’D)
Deep breath. Expand your
chest...lift your diaphragm...allow
the column of air into your
stomach...How do you feel?
BERTIE
Full of hot air.
LIONEL
Isn’t that what public speaking is
all about?
Bertie inhales deeply.
CUT TO:
Some fast cuts. Lionel handing him a cup of tea. Bertie doing slow breathing exercises. Bertie shouting something in frustration.
BERTIE
I will never get that.
LIONEL
Yes you can, come on, come on.
CUT TO:
Bertie’s on the floor again.
LIONEL (CONT’D)
Deep breath. Hold.
He turns to Elizabeth.
LIONEL (CONT’D)
Now Ma’am, while you are here, you
could again be of great assistance.
If you’d kindly sit on your
husband’s stomach.
ELIZABETH
Oh yes?
LIONEL
Gently of course.
Elizabeth sits gingerly on Bertie’s stomach, asking solicitously:
ELIZABETH
Are you alright, Bertie?
Bertie nods.
LIONEL
Now exhale slowly...can you feel
that resistance, Bertie? Down goes
your Royal Highness...inhale
slowly...and...up comes your Royal
Highness. Exhale and down. Yes.
Inhale and up. You get the idea.
ELIZABETH
This is actually quite good fun,
Bertie.
LIONEL
Do it at home. Doesn’t have to be
you, of course, but I thought he’d
prefer you to one of the staff.
Lionel encourages Bertie to move as he reads a joke out.
LIONEL (CONT’D)
Move, rock back and forth on the
balls of your feet, keep the
movement continuous and flowing.
CUT TO:
Bertie stands framed by the open window.
LIONEL (CONT’D)
I want you to release the five
vowel sounds, each to last no less
than 15 seconds.
BERTIE
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...
LIONEL
(tapping him on the diaphragm)
Let’s connect the toned diaphragm
with your relaxed throat. Ma’am,
would you be so kind as to be the
timekeeper?
Lionel hands her a stop watch.
BERTIE
....aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.....
High up in the wall at the back of the building, a Harley Street physician peers out the window.
LIONEL
Anyone who can vibrate loudly in
full view of the world can learn to
give a speech.
ELIZABETH
That’s right, Bertie.
(checking watch) Now
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...
Lionel joins in.
LIONEL
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.....
BERTIE
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.....
The sound of “eeee” becomes the roar of machinery