Best recent movie...

So I haven't been super impressed lately with the recent movies out, until...I saw "The King's Speech".
    Wow what a movie! It's historical, a period piece, incredible actors, beautiful cinematography, witty, wonderful score, takes place in England...it's perfect! Definitely the best most recent movie I've seen lately. For those who have seen it, didn't you just feel for him? It was torture having to endure his pain with him as he couldn't even get past the first word in the opening. But that just goes to show you how believable Colin Firth was as George. *Applause for his Oscar win* and Helena Bonham Carter was magnificent and I must say I loved her costumes! (So English and 40's. Her hat, furs-lined coat, and pearls stick out most in my mind when I think of her outfits. Speaking of which, I go on this amazing site I discovered a few months ago that has almost every costume used in period piece movies! I'll refer to it later.)

    But I have this book I got called The Encyclopedia of Britain actually has the story and biography of George VI and his family with black and white photographs taken of them. It was so neat to be able to see the real family and compare the actual events that took place.

History Insight:

      George VI was born in 1895 in York Cottage, Sandrigham, England and had a brother named Edward VIII, both born to George, the Duke of York and Mary, who became Queen Mary. Henry VI came from the House of Windsor which was founded by his grandfather, Edward VII who, as some may know, as the ruler during the time of the Edwardian era (1901-1910) hence the Edwardian. 

       George VI took the crown after his brother who gave up the British throne in 1931 for a woman from Pennsylvania named Wallis Warfield. She had been divorced twice which the Church of England forbid. So if Edward married her, he would be going against the Church. After a few possible solutions, he ended up being abdicated and handed the crown over to his brother, George VI, who never expected or wished to be king especially because of his stammer which greatly hindered him from being able to speak to the public.

     George did, however, have a lovely family and his great friend and speech therapist, Lionel Logue to help him through his reign. He was happily married to Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon who had two daughters: Margaret Rose and Elizabeth (the future Elizabeth II, our present queen). He and his family played a significant role in the Second World War. They visited bombed-out areas of the East End of London, Bristol, and other places in England. In 1940, the Buckingham Palace was actually hit by two bombs. The Queen in response declared, "I'm glad we have been bombed. We can now look the East End in the face."The family continued to share in the hardships of the British people lending their support and supplies where needed. 

      After the war, in the autumn of 1951, George developed lung cancer and had his right lung removed. He died in 1952, however, from a heart attack and was buried in St. George's Chapel. 

      His memory was honored, for he was the man who had certainly not expected, nor wanted to become king, but rose to the daunting challenge and ended up re-establishing the public's view of the monarchy, leading the country with dignity through World War II, and fathered an heir of his own to take up the challenge of preserving the monarchy as he did.