BETWEEN THE LINES: ‘King’s Speech’ has much to offer

To most Americans, especially our nation’s youth, college education represents a means to an end, as it is the key to finding employment and moving up the ladder. Somewhere along the line, we have lost sight that the end result of education should be first and foremost to improve oneself and to become a better person.

Those thoughts went through my mind after watching the wonderfully acted, best film Oscar nominee, "The King’s Speech."

I have discovered that as a university history major, so much was left unsaid, thus giving me a whole new world to explore after graduation. As I have frequently written in this column over the years, my formal education pales in comparison to what I have learned afterward.

My undergraduate emphasis was American history, particularly the colonial and Civil War periods. That initial interest has led me to read dozens of books about our founding fathers. Four decades later, I find myself reading a book about Samuel Adams, one of the forgotten heroes of the American Revolution.

In my government classes, I currently am showing parts of the HBO mini-series on John Adams because I want my students to understand the sacrifices made by our founding fathers. John Adams spent years away from his wife Abigail in the service of both his country in the Continental Congress and abroad as ambassador to France.  Adams left his wife alone to handle their farm and raise their four children, one of whom later became a president.

I said to my students that the men responsible for creating this great country were not politicians, but statesmen in every sense of the word. They had everything to lose, including their lives, for a belief in liberty.

Today’s power-hungry, self-interested politicians pale in comparison, as they pass out our tax dollars to various connected constituencies under the mistaken belief that only they know what is best for us.

Although born in Kansas, I spent a dozen years as a youth in New Jersey before moving to Texas at age 15.  Nevertheless, when I started studying the Civil War I took the Confederate’s side, partly I am sure because I always favor the underdog. Reading further upon graduation, I became enamored with the integrity and faith of Confederate heroes Robert E. Lee and Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson.

It was an older audience in attendance last Saturday afternoon at the ShowBiz Cinema, partly because young people would obviously have been bored by "The King’s Speech" and its lack of action. Digesting dialogue can be a tedious endeavor. The movie is rated "R" because in one scene the F-word was verbalized, but the situation in which it was used had a purpose for placing it in the script, contrary to most films that routinely throw in excessive foul language.

The film accurately details the story of the Duke of York, the second son of King George V, and his rise to the British throne in 1937. The Duke became George VI and took the throne after the abdication of his older brother Edward VIII, who gave up the crown to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson. George VI would serve his country during the difficult times of World War II until his death in 1952. The film was a visual history lesson done with grace, charm and humor.

The plot spins around the Duke of York’s stuttering problem, which was accentuated by the increasing popularity of radio and the speaking duties required by the future monarch. The movie nabbed 12 Oscar nominations including best picture, best actor (Colin Firth) and best director (Tom Hooper). However, it is the relationship between the Duke of York (Firth) and Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush), the unorthodox speech therapist, which make the movie so richly entertaining. The two would remain friends throughout, with Logue being present for all the king’s speeches during the war.

And yes, we can learn from history and still be entertained at the same time.

Laughlin is a Christian Libertarian. He is an economist, teacher, father, husband and most recently a grandfather. He has written a weekly column for The Tribune for 12 years. He and his wife Gina reside in Meadowlakes. To contact him, e-mail ablaughlin@nctv.com. He is an independent columnist, not a staff member, and his views do not necessarily reflect those of The Tribune or its parent company.