In this grave hour, perhaps the most fatefulin history, I send to every household of my peoples, both at home and overseas, this message, spoken with the same depth of feeling for each one of you as if I were able to cross your threshold and speak to you myself.
For the second time in the lives of most of us, we are at war.
Over and over again, we have tried to find a peaceful way out of the differences between ourselves and those who are now our enemies; but it has bee in vain.
We have been forced into a conflict, for which we are called, with our allies to meet the challenge of a principle which, if it were to prevail, would be fatal to any civilized order in the world.
It is a principle which permits a state in the selfish pursuit of power to disregard its treaties and its solemnpledges, which sanctions the use of force or threat of force against the sovereigntyand independence of other states.
Such a principle, stripped of all disguise, is surely the mere primitive doctrine that might is right, and if this principle were established through the world, the freedom of our own country and of the whole British Commonwealth of nations would be in danger.
But far more than this, the peoples of the world would be kept in bondageof fear, and all hopes of settled peace and of security, of justice and liberty, among nations, would be ended.
This is the ultimate issue which confronts us. For the sake of all that we ourselves hold dear, and of the world order and peace, it is unthinkable that we should refuse to meet the challenge.
It is to this high purpose that I now call my people at home and my peoples across the seas, who will make our cause their own.
I ask them to stand calm and firm and united in this time of trial.
The task will be hard. There may be dark days ahead, and war can no longer be confined to the battlefield, but we can only do the right as we see the right, and reverently commit our cause to God. If one and all we keep resolutely faithful to it, ready for whatever service or sacrifice it may demand, then with God's help, we shall prevail.
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本片讲述了英国国王乔治六世和他的语言治疗师莱纳尔罗格的故事。乔治六世就是那位为了美人而放弃江山的爱德华八世国王的弟弟。二战前夕，希特勒野心勃勃，风流成行的爱德华为了娶辛普森夫人弃国家于不顾，政府威胁集体辞职，爱德华退位。于是乔治六世（约克公爵艾伯特王子）非常不情愿地被推上了国王的宝座。但是乔治六世半辈子一直活在父亲与哥哥的阴影下，还有很严重的口吃，发表讲话时非常吃力，却无法逃离公共人物的命运。幸运的是，贤惠的王后伊丽莎白经人介绍，为丈夫找到一位与众不同的语言治疗师莱罗格。通过一系列的训练，国王的口吃大为好转，与罗格两人也成为了一辈子的好友。二战爆发之际，乔治六世成功发表了那篇著名的圣诞讲话，鼓舞了当时二战中的英国军民。
（责任编辑：何莹莹）