How does the director, Tom Hooper, use partnerships of one kind or another to explore ideas in The King's Speech?
Throughout 'The King's Speech', a number of clear partnerships are immediately displayed or develop throughout the story. Tom Hooper, the director of the film, uses these partnerships to expose and explore ideas around support, friendship and the influences of family relationships on one's life.
The loving, marital partnership between Bertie and Elizabeth is used by Tom Hooper to explore the significance of a partner providing constant support within committed and long lasting relationships. Furthermore, he explores the importance of ultimate understanding in all meaningful partnerships. As the story begins, Elizabeth is Bertie's only true friend. She knows him like no one else and through this deep understanding is able to support Bertie through all times, good and bad. Elizabeth's profound awareness of Bertie's personality is displayed as Bertie struggles to light a cigarette.
Elizabeth calms him by saying; "Temper, Bertie darling, Temper. Tick, tock, tick, tock." She is able to support him in times of need with strategies developed during the course of their relationship. Without this critical support, Bertie would not have been capable of eventually fulfilling his role as King. Hooper uses this strong, passionate relationship to highlight his ideas that all meaningful partnerships require nurturing and paying attention to doing the "little things" that help a friend or companion become successful in their life endeavours.
The partnership between Bertie and Lionel evolves throughout the film. Initiating as a purely structured, professional relationship between a royal and a common man, things quickly take a turn as the two form a true friendship. Tom Hooper uses this partnership to explore ideas of genuine camaraderie.
"I have a right to be heard. I have a voice!"...