国王的演讲 The King's Speech Movie Script

A very long pause.

BERTIE:

Almost.

The red light on the microphone starts to blink. Logue joins the others.

The Reader is at a smaller microphone near the ad hoc `broadcast booth. Five, four, three, two... BBC NEWS READER: Good evening, this is the BBC National and World programme, broadcasting from Buckingham Palace. His Majesty, the King.

During this, Bertie's hands begin to shake, the pages of his speech rattle like dry leaves, his throat muscles constrict, the Adam's apple bulges, his lips tighten...all the old symptoms reappear.

Several seconds have elapsed since the Reader finished. It seems an eternity.

Elizabeth grasps the sides of her chair with white knuckles.

Lang's eyes roll heavenward.

Churchill studies the situation, ready to leap into the breach.

Bertie and Logue stare at each other.

Logue smiles, perfectly calm, totally confident in the man he's worked with. His confidence is contagious.

Bertie takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. His hands grow steady, his throat muscles relax...all the things he's practiced.

TKS/Seidler/09/17/08 112.

88 INT. LOGUE'S PARLOUR - NIGHT 88 The luminous dial of a wireless. Unbearable silence. Then: BERTIE (V.O. RADIO FILTER) In this grave hour, perhaps the most fateful in our history, I send to every household of my peoples, both at home and overseas... This is being listened to by Myrtle and the boys. The boys look at their mum. Suddenly they explode with cheers as the radio address continues: 89 INT./EXT. MONTAGE OF VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN ENGLAND AND AROUND 89

THE:

WORLD - NIGHT OR DAY, DEPENDING ON LOCATION In homes, pubs (where we see the man with the rosacea nose), clubs, hotels, boarding houses, factories, mines, prisons, a shearing shed in New Zealand, cattle station in Australia, sites in India, South Africa, loci around the Commonwealth and Empire.

China. Japan. The Kremlin. The White House. Hitler's mountain top wolf den. The South of France (where David and Wallis listen dolefully.) During this, the address continues, with dramatic pauses to be sure, but no real hesitations.

BERTIE (V.O. ON RADIO) ...this message spoken with the same depth of feeling for each one of you as if I were able to cross your threshold and speak to you myself. For the second time in the lives of most of us we are at war. For we are called, with our allies, to meet the challenge of a principle which, if it were to prevail, would be fatal to any civilized order in the world. It is the principle which permits a State, in the selfish pursuit of power, to disregard its treaties and its solemn pledges; which sanctions the use of force, or threat of force, against the sovereignty and independence of other States. Such a principle, stripped of all disguise, is surely the mere primitive doctrine that might is right, and if this principle were established throughout the world, the freedom of our own country and of the whole British Commonwealth of Nations would be in danger.

(MORE) TKS/Seidler/09/17/08 113.

BERTIE (V.O. ON RADIO) (CONT'D) But far more than this - the peoples of the world would be kept in the bondage of fear, and all hopes of settled peace and of the security of justice and liberty among nations would be ended. This is the ultimate issue which confronts us.

End the montage with a return to the exterior of Buckingham Palace. Outside, stand solemn crowds, listening to the speech on loudspeakers. PAN THEIR FACES, the faces of England, stalwart and resolved.

BERTIE (CONT'D) For the sake of all that we ourselves hold dear, and of the world's order and peace, it is unthinkable that we should refuse to meet the challenge. It is to this high purpose that I now call my people at home and my peoples across the seas, who will make our cause their own. I ask them to stand calm, firm, and united in this time of trial. The task will be hard. There may be dark days ahead, and war can no longer be confined to the battlefield. But we can only do the right as we see the right, and reverently commit our cause to God.

90 INT. THE PRINCESSES PLAYROOM - NIGHT 90 The two girls listen to their father on the radio.

BERTIE (V.O. ON RADIO) If one and all we keep resolutely faithful to it, ready for whatever service or sacrifice it may demand, then, with God's help, we shall prevail.

Lilibet's expression tells it all - she can hear it, her father is truly King.

91 INT. KING'S STUDY/BROADCAST ROOM, BUCKINGHAM PALACE - 91 CONTINUOUS: Bertie, in his quiet way is totally in command, and utterly magnificent. Everyone in the room is awed as he concludes: TKS/Seidler/09/17/08 114.