The King’s Speech – The Original Unedited Script Edition


Hollywood, California --

Who would have thought a no action, no violence, no sex, no nothing movie about a king hiring a linguist to help correct his speech impediment could sweep the Oscars, named best motion picture of the year 2011? Well, apparently not the writers। Not originally at least. Below is a sample of the original unedited script edition of the Academy Award winning, The King’s Speech.

In the following selected scenes, the linguist hired to assist the king slowly discovers the real reason for his majesty’s engagement of his services: To help him learn how to disguise his English accent, so he can successfully pose as a foreigner. Convinced England will lose WWII to the Germans thus necessitating his escape from the British Isles in this, their most desperate hour and time of need.

INTERIOR – NIGHT -- CASTLE ROOM -- FIRESIDE


LINGUIST: Repeat after me: ‘The Bavarians are bombing Britain.’ Now you try.

THE KING: (Using a Scottish accent; rolling his "R's") The BavaRRRians aRRRe bombing BRRRitian।

LINGUIST: (Looking on somewhat puzzled): Are you sure you’re the king of England?

THE KING: WhateveRRR do you mean?

LINGUIST: Pardon my curiosity, your worship। But are you certain you don’t have some Scottish heritage somewhere in your background?

THE KING: What aRRRe you implying?

LINGUIST: Oh, nothing, nothing at all। Shall we continue with our lesson then?

THE KING: ARRRe you suRRRe?

The linguist quickly jots down some notes।

LINGUIST: (With a sense of urgency and renewed commitment।) Yes, absolutely. We must. I insist.

The very next morning when the king resumed his lessons, he did so with a Jamaican accent and the day after that with a Mexican one। And the day after that an Indian one. Finally, it became apparent to the linguist that the source or cause of the king’s speech impediment (a stutter) was not due to any congenital condition, learnt behavior or Scottish heritage, but because he was a coward.


EXTERIOR – DAY -- GARDEN


LINGUIST: Begging your pardon, your magnificence। But I have not the expertise or mastery over the various Indian dialects to instruct you in successfully deceiving the Nazi SS.

THE KING: (Stuttering) Nnnnaaazzziiisss? Whhheeerrree?

LINGUIST:
There are no Nazis here, my Lord. We are alone.

The king takes a step back। Nearly fainting, he holds onto the back of a lawn chair for support. He breathes a sigh of relief and quickly recovers, grabbing his chest to feel his heart through his clothes.

THE KING: Oh, good। You had my heart racing there for a second.

LINGUIST: Yes your majesty।

THE KING: Well, then। How about that African clicking dialect I've heard so much about?

LINGUIST: That I can do, my Lord.

Just as soon as the king of England was secure that he had sufficient command over half a dozen foreign dialects to allude capture, he readied to deliver his resignation in a live speech before the embattled nation. Fully packed and prepared to leave the country immediately thereafter. Only it was not necessary as the Americans entered the war saving England and Europe once again.

EXTERIOR – STADIUM SETTING – ADDRESS TO THE BRITISH NATION

The king, standing before a crowd of thousands in a stadium and millions more listening on the radio, reaches out his hand to grab the microphone that nearly encompasses his entire face to speak to the nation। The crowed grows silent.

THE KING: Click. Click, click. Click

The linguist standing off to the side of the king with a microphone of his own translates the African Clicking language into English.

LINGUIST: I, your king…

THE KING: (Cont'd.) Click।

LINGUIST: (Cont'd.) Wait…

Everyone's attention (including that of the linguist and king) is drawn to the sound of engines coming from the partially cloudy sky above।

THE KING: (Cont'd.) Click Click. Click.

LINGUIST: (Cont'd.) Are those American P-38 fighter planes flying overhead?

THE KING: (Speaking in English now) Wow! I feel so much better।

LINGUIST: (Repeating the king's speech) Wow! I feel so much better.

The linguist and king embrace.

FADE TO BLACK

Roll Credits

Copyright © 2008-2011 by Robert W. Armijo. All rights reserved.

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