The King’s Speech is a richly entertaining, immediately absorbing true-life drama written by David Seidler and directed by Tom Hooper about the morganatic bromance between introverted stammerer King George VI played by Colin Forth and exuberant Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue played by Geoffrey Rush: an affair brokered by George’s shrewd wife in her pre-Queen-Mum incarnations as the Duchess of York, and then Queen Elizabeth.
The King’s Speech was a box office blast. The visual design, art direction, screenplay, directing, score, and acting were all highly appreciated by film critics. The film won several awards and nominations, with Colin Firth’s performance winning him his first Academy Award for Best Actor. The King’s Speech earned 12 Oscar nominations, more than any other film that year, and went on to win four, including Best Picture, at the 83rd Academy Awards.