I went to see "The King's Speech" tonight. It is an excellent movie.
When first hearing about this movie, I wondered what it would be like. Would it be a feel-good story? Would it be a movie to "raise awareness" about stuttering? Would the movie be used to make the careers of speech coaches who will help stutterers of the world raise a flag of victory over their unfortunate condition--all while fitting nicely in to the confines of a reality television show? Or, would it be a nasty bit of patronization, created to make those who do not stutter feel better because they "gave at the (box) office?"
I am not sure it fits any of those descriptions. It does, however, tell an entertaining story that can not be neatly summarized.
Kids can be cruel. We all know that tired chestnut. But it wasn't other kids who shamed me for stuttering. Adults were the bearers of impatience and intolerance during my childhood. I know kids made fun of me, but kids are also more accepting of people, as they have not yet learned the narrowed glance and puckered smile of "Oh man, this guy stutters? I'm supposed to take what he is saying seriously? How can we bring this conversation to a close--quickly? Oh, he's got questions, too. Fantastic."
I know that look. I tried to empathize with the tightened shoulders and lowered heads of those walking away who were thinking, "Why did that have to happen today? Just leave me alone so I don't have to hear other people's problems." Except that in that case, it was how it was said, not the content of what was said.
We all have moments we remember from our childhood. I have fantastically happy memories of many events, but I can also tell you what the light in the room was like when a cutting joke, a severed response to a teacher's question, or the guttural grunts and hand waving of those who shush you because your halting speech does not conform to the easy cadence of those who speak little of substance, and do so voluminously.
When another teacher said "bup-bup-bup" during a meeting, mocking me for stuttering, or the parent I called in concern about their child's work who wondered if it was a prank call I was making because I was having trouble made me feel untethered from adulthood, and leaving me with questions of, "Is this what I should be doing?" Dramatic, I know, but, not everything we "ignore" is really tossed in the psychic dustbin.
No person who stutters wants pity, nor do they want people to tell them, "take your time," "it's okay" or hear about the uncle you had that stuttered. But, having your hand raised and being passed over because of efficiency and avoidance of others' discomfort does silence confidence. Just listen, and everyone will be the better for it.
My father told me that a good dramatic film should make you feel uncomfortable, as you are more involved in the story, writing, images, the "suspension of disbelief." This movie meets all of those criteria. Let good film make you think.
