The King Speaks

Until recently, few of us knew the true story of George VI. Known as "the reluctant King," he inherited the throne only because his brother Edward VIII abdicated. Shy and suffering from a distressing stutter, King George VI now faced the terrifying prospect of public speaking engagements and radio broadcasts to millions of people. At the dawn of the age of mass media, a King not only needed to look regal, but sound it too. Narrated by Laurence Fox (Inspector Lewis), this revealing documentary follows King George VI's lengthy efforts to overcome his disability with the help of unorthodox Australian speech therapist, Lionel Logue. Archival footage of the King's public speeches and for the first time, interviews with Logue's former patients, show how an afflicted, but courageous King found his voice and rallied a nation throughout England's darkest hour.