The King's Speech · written by David Seidler · 2010

At a noisy factory, Bertie speaks easily until the machinery stops; then he manages to recover his rhythm.

Scene 31 of 100 · ≈ 1 min on screen · First scene of act two

Bertie

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 33 min into a 1:31 film

The story so farBefore scene 31

Prince Albert seeks to overcome a lifelong stammer so he can serve his country, but his fear of public failure and the royal hierarchy obstruct his work with an unconventional speech therapist.

Scenes 1–11
Bertie lives within royal ceremony but cannot speak publicly and remains constrained by family roles.
Scenes 12–24
Elizabeth seeks a different treatment because Bertie must speak and conventional medicine has failed.
Scenes 25–30
Bertie enters Logue’s unfamiliar, egalitarian practice and finally commits to its daily work.
Just before
Scene 28
George V warns Bertie that radio has changed the monarchy and that David may force Bertie to take on more public duties.
Scene 29
Alone, Bertie hears his recorded Shakespeare reading and discovers that he spoke fluently while unable to hear himself.
Scene 30
Bertie returns to Logue and agrees to daily practice, while drawing a boundary around personal matters.
Scene 31
This scene

31INT. MIDLAND FACTORY - NEW DAY

Huge industrial wheels whir noisily in neutral as WORKERS line up dutifully to hear the visiting Royal. Bertie’s lips move, but due to the racket he cannot be heard. Elizabeth watches in relief.

A FOREMAN, trying to be helpful, signals. The machinery halts, the factory falls silent. At first, the momentum of speaking without being heard carries Bertie forward.

BERTIE

I assure you that my wife and I...

Hearing his own voice reverberate through the cavernous factory Bertie’s stammer returns.

BERTIE (CONT’D)

...ar-ar-are glad to vis-vis-

visit...

Bertie pauses. Takes a breath. Relaxes.

BERTIE (CONT’D)

...are glad to visit this important

manufacturing district and see for

ourselves one or two of the

industries which have made it

famous...

He gets back into his stride, despite the silence. Bertie relaxes a little. From Elizabeth, a huge smile of relief.

The sound of an approaching aircraft engine.