On my trip to London, I thought about one of my favorite movies ever, The King's Speech.
Before the film was released, many people did not know that King George VI spoke with a horrific stutter. To think that this film took place not too long ago and so few people knew what truly went on.
But did you know that much of the theories behind stuttering are proven true? Such as if a person has their ears covered or they can't hear themselves, they won't speak with a stutter. Also, a person is incapable to sing with a stutter.
There are very few films out there containing main characters with stutters who learn to overcome it. In a way, those with stutters are a minority in films today. After the release of The King's Speech, there was a great response from those with stutters who were proud that there was now a representative of themselves in a film.
I myself do not have a stutter when I speak, but growing up I had a great deal of difficulty reading. Because of this, I formed a fear as a child of reading out loud in front of crowds. When I would read out loud, I would read with a terrible stutter and would mess up every few words. However, if I were ever asked to sing what I read, there would be no stuttering.
Why? It is impossible to sing with a stutter! When singing you use a different part of your brain, also the reason you can't sing with an accent.
Also, there is not proof that stuttering is phycological. So when a person cannot hear themselves, they will not stutter because they are not aware of what they are saying.
It is amazing how much we know about overcoming stutters, but I personally never noticed how far back some of these ideas went.
But back to film, if you are ever looking for a nice historical yet touching movie to watch, with no hesitation I would say The King's Speech. Considering that we see Queen Elizabeth as a child, the film also brings a "close to home" feeling due to how not long ago it was. The film brings a hidden past that many never knew about and tells the world that even a king can have a flaw, but with strength, anyone can overcome them.
