The use of foil characters in the Kings speech

In the film of the Kings speech the use of foil characters is not quite a vital role but nethertheless a role that reinstates the realistic side of this film as we know it is based on a true story. The use foil characters is not in your face or something that is emphasised hugely but is more of a sort of background music in a supermarket it is there but more so in your subconcious. I still believe though you could argue that this method of using foil characters is in fact more effective than the very prominent use of foil characters used in other texts such as the way Shakespeare uses foil characters, in his texts is very apparent that foil characters are the sort of flour in the bread rather than just the extra seasoning to add dimension and that is really where Tom hooper as a director got balance in the use of foil characters just right as he didn't over use them so as to dehumanise the characters he used them to create relatable and clear characters. This is best seen the foils of the brothers Bertie and David , King George (Bertie's father) and logue and finally queen Mary (Bertie's mother) and Liz (queen Elizabeth)

To firstly look at the foil characters of Bertie and David, these really are two completely opposite characters in this film. Throughout the film it becomes more apparent how these two are so different and we start to develop this idea as the movie progresses through the presentation of David's risqué lifestyle and how Bertie is just the polar opposite in how he leads so a traditional model lifestyle. Although it is when their father dies that we start completely understand the role of David as Bertie's foil. When this tragic event occurs the reactions of the two show how deep their difference go as Bertie remains strong and calm how a King should whereas David breaks down in hysterics running out of the room and away from his problems the opposite to how you would except the soon to be King to react. This is ironic in that Bertie behaved in the way David should have and in this scene we get a clear distinction between the two brothers telling us that David is weak and is in no way fit to take over the throne like Bertie is.

Secondly looking at the foil characters of King George and Logue these are opposites in both their parenting skills and their approach to Bertie's stammer. As a father King George is sharp, emotionless and simply functional, his children slightly fear him and have no attachment to him really as a father but more as their King and this is a tragic outlook on the royal family that Bertie grew up in. On the other hand you have Logue who as a father is compassionate, caring and loving much the way Bertie is with his girls and when Bertie looks at logue with his kids he is envious of the father that logues boys have and this is apparent in the scene where logue lets Bertie paint the planes that his son is working on as Bertie was never allowed them as a kid. When you observe the different ways in which the two men respond to Bertie's stammer you need look no further to see how they are stark opposites. In the case of King George he approaches Bertie's stammer with anger, frustration and with little patience or understanding telling Bertie to just 'spit it out'. On the other hand Logue's approach is a gentle and understanding approach and this is seen through the result that Logue gets where Bertie can deliver a speech without stammering and in how Bertie can see logue as a friend and trusts him in fact more than he trusted his own father.

Finally to look at the foils of queen Mary and Liz these are both strong women but they are complete opposites mainly in the way they behave towards their children and their husbands. Looking at queen Mary the only way we really have to look at is the scene where her husband is dying and when she is told that he is about to pass she actually tells the rest of the family to continue eating their dinner rather than to go be with their dying father.when he does pass away she shows no emotion or grief and is extremely cold. To top this all off then when her son breaks down goes to her she gives him no support or sympathy a really shocking way for a mother and wife to behave and couldn't be more different to way Liz conducts herself. She is very much a family person and from first glance it may seem like she is a bit distant from Bertie but on closer examination she is clearly his rock and knows exactly how to support him like when they are waiting for Bertie to give his speech she knows all she has to is hold his arm and when Bertie is angry she says 'tick tock' and that's all he needs to calm down. We are also told that she didn't originally agree to marry Bertie because she didn't want the royal lifestyle but then agreed because they were in love an unusual thing at the time to marry for love rather than appearance or status. Something that she also doesn't really get credit for is how she I'd the one that does her best to make Bertie happy and to help him overcome his stammer and she is the one who treks out of her comfort zone and everyone's comfort zone really to find logue. We finally she how she behaves around her kids she is emotionally attachedd to them and makes the effort to be a big part on their lives we see this when she is putting them to bed and helping them pack to move to the new house this is of course the opposite of queen Mary as we know from Bertie that he was really raised by nannies and even had one who didn't feed him and his mother failed to notice for quite sometime.

It is clear to see from this how foil characters play an essential role in this film but still subtly so and most effectively due to successful directing and careful placing of the foiling within the characters. In the examples that I have shown it really does become apparent and clear how it is a very realistic interpretation of foil characters and most of all a very relavent interpretation even in today's society.