Lionel Logue [to King George VI, upon his learning that Logue has no formal credentials]
It's true, I'm not a doctor. And yes, I acted. A bit. Well...I recited in pubs, I taught elocution in schools. When the Great War came, all our soldiers were returning to Australia from the front, a lot of them shell-shocked, unable to speak. Somebody said, "Lionel, you're very good at all this speech stuff, you think you could possibly help these poor buggers?" I did muscle therapy, exercises, relaxation, but I knew I had to go deeper. Those poor young blokes cried out in fear. No one was listening to them. My job was to give them faith in their own voice, and let them know a friend was listening.
Lionel Logue What was your earliest memory?
What on earth do you mean?
Lionel Logue Your first recollection.
I'm not... here to discuss... personal matters.
Lionel Logue Why are you here then?
BECAUSE I BLOODY WELL STAMMER!
Lionel Logue You have a bit of a temper.
One of... m-my many faults.
[Logue is sitting on the coronation throne]
Get up! Y-you can't sit there! GET UP!
Lionel Logue Why not? It's a chair.
T-that... that is not "a chair", that is Saint Edward's chair.
Lionel Logue People have carved their names on it.
KG King George
Y-y-you...
Lionel Logue It's held in place by a large rock.
KG King George
Th-that is the S-stone of Scone you are t-trivializing...
Lionel Logue I don't care how many royal arseholes have sat in this chair.
L-listen to me... listen to me!
Lionel Logue Listen to you? By what right?
By divine right, if you must. I am your king!
Lionel Logue No, you're not. You just told me you didn't want it. Why should I waste my time listening to you?
Because I have a right to be heard! I have a voice!
Lionel Logue [pause]
Yes, you do. [stands] You have such perseverance, Bertie. You're the bravest man I know. You'll make a bloody good king.
Lionel Logue [As he is talking to King George VI, Lionel hears his wife returning home]
Myrtle!
Lionel Logue [Lionel moves to the corner of the room, while Elizabeth calmly continues to sip her tea] [Motioning]
Bertie, over here.
Are you all right, Logue?
Lionel Logue Yes.
[getting up and moving to Logue's corner]
Well, shouldn't we go through? What is it?
'[Myrtle Logue enters the living room, and looks into Lionel's study. Not seeing them, she turns round, and is confronted with the sight of Queen Elizabeth sitting at her table]
ML Myrtle Logue
[lost for words]
You're... You're..!
It's "Your Majesty" the first time. After that, it's "ma'am." As in "ham." Not "mum" as in "palm."
Lionel Logue I haven't told her about us. Sit down, relax.
[In the living room]
I'm told that your husband calls my husband "Bertie," and my husband calls your husband "Lionel." I trust you won't call me "Liz?"
ML Myrtle Logue
[nervously curtsying]
Your majesty, you may call me "Mrs. Logue," ma'am.
[holding out her hand to shake]
Very nice to meet you, Mrs. Logue.
[In the office]
Logue, we can't stay here all day.
Lionel Logue Yes we can. I have to choose the right moment.
Logue, you're being a coward.
Lionel Logue You're damn right.
[Getting up and opening the door]
Get out there, man!
Lionel Logue [leaving the office]
Hello, Myrtle, darling. You're early. I believe you two have met. But I don't think you know... King George VI.
It's very nice to meet you.
ML Myrtle Logue
[nervously curtsying again]
Will their Majesties be staying to dinner?
[seeing her unease]
We would love to, such a treat, but alas... a previous engagement. What a pity.
All that work down the drain. My own brother, I couldn't say a single word to him in reply.
Lionel Logue Why do you stammer so much more with David than you ever do with me?
'Cos you're b... bloody well paid to listen.
Lionel Logue Bertie, I'm not a geisha girl.
St... stop trying to be so bloody clever.
Lionel Logue What is it about David that stops you speaking?
What is it about you that bloody well makes you want to go on about it the whole bloody time?
Lionel Logue Vulgar, but fluent; you don't stammer when you swear.
Lionel Logue' Is that the best you can do?
Well... bloody bugger to you, you beastly bastard.
Lionel Logue Oh, a public school prig could do better than that.
Shit. Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!
Lionel Logue Yes!
Lionel Logue Defecation flows trippingly from the tongue!
Lionel Logue Do you know the f-word?
Lionel Logue [exasperated]
Oh, Bertie!
****. ****! ****, ****, **** and ****! ****, **** and bugger! Bugger, bugger, buggerty buggerty buggerty, ****, ****, arse!
Lionel Logue Yes...
Lionel Logue You see, not a hesitation!
...****ity, shit, shit, **** and willy. Willy, shit and **** and... tits.
LS Logue's son
Dad, what's going on?
In this... grave hour **** **** **** perhaps the most fateful in our history bugger shit shit [ to the tune of "Swanee River" ] I send to every household of my... you see "P" is always difficult, even when I'm singing.
Lionel Logue Bounce onto it. "apeoples".
ape... apeoples, Household of my apeoples both at home and overseas,
Lionel Logue Beautiful.
this message [ to the tune of "Camptown Races"] doo dah, Spoken with the same depth of feeling doo dah day for each one of you, as if i were able to shit **** Bugger cross your threshold and speak to you...
Lionel Logue In your head now, I have a right to be bloody well heard.
bloody well heard, bloody well heard, bloody well heard, Bloody Well Heard, BLOODY WELL HEARD MYSELF!
Lionel Logue Now waltz, move, get continuous motion.
[ to the tune of Tchaikovsky's "Sleeping Beauty Waltz"]
For the second time in the lives of most of us we are at...
Lionel Logue' We are, take a pause.
: Lionel, I can't do this.
Lionel Logue Bertie, you can do it. Have a look at the last paragraph.
Lionel Logue [Bertie is lying on the floor.]
Take a nice deep breath, expand the chest, put your hands onto your ribs, deeper... how do you feel?
B Bertie
Full of hot air.
Lionel Logue Isn't that what public speaking's all about?
You give a very noble account of yourself.
Lionel Logue Make inquiries. It's all true.
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 Logue But lots of success! I can't show you a certificate. There was no training then. Everything I know, I know from experience, and that war was some experience. My plaque says, "L. Logue, Speech Defects", not "Doctor". There are no letters after my name. [goes to his knees] Lock me in the Tower.
Lionel Logue On what charge?
Fraud. With war looming you've saddled this nation with a voiceless... king! [turns away] You've destroyed the happiness of my family, all for the sake of ensnaring a star patient you couldn't... possibly hope to assist! It'll be like Mad King George III. Only... Mad King George The Stammerer. Who let his people down so badly in their hour of need- [Logue is sitting on the coronation throne] What are you doing? Get up! Y-you can't sit there! GET UP!
Lionel Logue Why not? It's a chair.
T-that... that is not "a chair", that is Saint Edward's chair!
Lionel Logue People have carved their names on it.
KG King George
Y-y-you... That is the seat on which every king and queen-
Lionel Logue It's held in place by a large rock.
KG King George
Th-that is the S-stone of Scone! You are t-trivializing everything...! You trivialize-
Lionel Logue [talking over him]
I don't care how many royal arseholes have sat in this chair.
L-listen to me... listen to me!
Lionel Logue Listen to you? By what right?
By divine right, if you must. I am your King!
Lionel Logue No, you're not. You just told me you didn't want it. Why should I waste my time listening to you?
Because I have a right to be heard! [Logue starts to interrupt] I HAVE A VOICE!
Lionel Logue [pause]
Yes, you do. [stands] You have such perseverance, Bertie. You're the bravest man I know. You'll make a bloody good king.
