Saturday, April 21, 2012

A Privilege, I might say?

BERTIE
True, you never called yourself ‘Doctor’. I did that for you.
BERTIE (CONT’D)
No diploma, no training, no qualifications. Just a great deal of nerve.
LIONEL
Ah, the star chamber inquisition, is it?
BERTIE
You asked for trust and total equality.
LIONEL
Bertie, I heard you at Wembley, I was there. I heard you. My son Laurie said “Do you think you could help that poor man?” I replied “If I had the chance”.
BERTIE
What, as a failed actor!?
LIONEL
It’s true, I’m not a doctor, and yes I acted a bit, recited in pubs and taught elocution in schools. When the Great War came, our boys were pouring back from the front, shell-shocked and  unable to speak and somebody said, “Lionel, you’re very good at all this speech stuff. Do you think you could possibly help these poor buggers”. I did muscle therapy, exercise, relaxation,  but I knew I had to go deeper. Those poor young blokes had cried out in fear, and no-one was listening to them. My job was to give them faith in their voice and let them know that a friend  was listening. That must ring a few bells with you, Bertie.
BERTIE
You give a very noble account of yourself.
LIONEL
Make inquiries. It’s all true.
BERTIE
Inquiries have been made! You have no idea who I have breathing down my neck. I vouched for you and you have no credentials.
LIONEL
But lots of success! I can’t show you a certificate - there was no training then. All I know I know by experience, and that war was some experience. My plaque says, ‘L. Logue, Speech  Defects’. No Dr., no letters after my name.
(with mock seriousness)
Lock me in the Tower.
BERTIE
I would if I could!
LIONEL
On what charge?
BERTIE
Fraud!

 

This is an excerpt from the movie, "A King's Speech". A wonderful movie, I got to watch it only yesterday. This dialogue particularly stood out from the whole movie purely because of its sheer brilliance and weight.

Often, mistakes happen. More often, in interpretation. Even when someone is crystal clear, misinterpretation can happen. The chance to explain, or clarify, in that case, becomes a privilege and a subject matter of trust.  Be it any case, after the mistake has happened, the question of "Who's first?" simply vanishes.

 

The rambling will end here and if you are so free enough to read through this, you would also be to watch the movie. Please do! :D