Guerra imminente

For most, the life of Sir Winston Churchill begins with WWII. In "The Gathering Storm", Finney brings Churchill to life with a superb representation of the man as an aging member of parliament, husband, father, friend, and man of the manor Chartwell in the decade prior to WWII. With a fine supporting cast and an excellent screenplay, "TGS" is a must see for WWII history buffs and anyone with a particular interest in Churchill, the man.

I am Historian by profession and whilst I readily concede that there are aspects of this superb drama that play fast and loose with historical fact those that cannot see beyond this simply have no heart. The film primarily exists to portray Churchill's private life and emotions rather than the real politik of the time and it does this wodnerfully. Churchills relationship with 'Clemmy' (or indeed Mrs Pussycat as TGS puts it)is so touching and sweet, Churchill was never a classic romantic and to see his relationship with his wife is so rare. Needless to say the acting is superb and Finny is utterly convincing as Churchill so much so it becomes increasingly difficult to watch him in any other role. The only part of this drama I regret is its portrayal of Stanely Baldwin who was by accounts a thoroughly decent chap. However the drama is magnificent and those who cannot see beyond its inaccuracies perhaps miss the point of the show somewhat

Winston Churchill's life story is a hell of a tale: pampered youth, war and incarceration in Africa, enduring romance with his wife, catastrophic early political years, service in WW1, abandon in the 20s, resurgence and finest hour during WW2, then decline. Until I stumbled upon this particular film, I wondered why no biography of his had inspired a leading filmmaker, much like T.E. Lawrence's Seven Pillar's of Wisdom fired up the imagination of a generation, including one Sir David Lean, leading to one of the best films of all time.

There are two great challenges in putting Churchill to film: 1) Assuming you cannot afford a half-century-spanning narrative in miniseries format, which part of his life do you focus on? 2) Who could possibly play the part without it becoming a joke?

Every once in a while, when you least expect it, you stumble into something amazing. Pure, blind luck. So I ran into this made-for-TV movie on a flight - coincidentally - mere weeks after reading a Churchill bio.

The Gathering Storm, produced by Ridley Scott and directed by Richard Loncraine (the Ian McKellen Richard III) has some serious pedigree behind the camera. The playful script covers Churchill's wilderness years during Hitler's rise to power in Germany. It is rich with context but never forgets the casual viewer, focusing primarily on the electric dynamic between Winston and wide/confidant Clemmie.

In calling not for one strong central part but two - a wise move on paper - the film compounds the challenge expressed in point 2, but casting turns out to be a real coup: Albert Finney was always the man, but he simply IS Churchill, a perfect blend of imitation and incarnation (and if you want to know what happens when you get the blend wrong, look no further than the follow-up, Into The Storm). Thank god Vanessa Redgrave more than holds her own opposite him. The rest of the cast is a who's-who of venerable and up-and-coming British thesps, from Jim Broadbent, Derek Jacobi and Tom Wilkinson to Tom Hiddleston and Lena Heady, who are hopefully due great things in the future.

It is a shame that part 2 fell slightly short, and failed to bring back Finney and Redgrave, but still, as Churchill adaptations go, this is probably as good all you'll get. I truly doubt anyone could top this.

This is a movie that captures the life of Sir Winston Churchill before he became Prime Minister of England in 1940. The period the movie covers is approximately from 1936-1939. The story is of a private and complex man trying desperately to fight for what he believes in.

Albert Finney delivers a gem of a performance as Winston Churchill and steals the show. His role is central to the story and he is equal to the task in every way. Finney does an excellent job of portraying Churchill as a hard-nosed politician, an admirable statesman and England patriot who was also a kind hearted, sensitive man in his fifties who just wanted to "Keep Buggering On". Finney succeeds in bringing intense humanity and intimacy to the character of an immensely public figure.

This is a must see for those interested in Winston Churchill and WWII; it is an excellent prequel to the war itself since it lays the groundwork for many of the struggles within British society itself over the prospect of war with Germany. Excellent movie.

Rating: 7.7/10

This film, made for the small screen by Home Box Office, defines how TV movies should be made. The film is an absorbing look at one of the true visionary and inspiring leaders of the twentieth century, Sir Winston Churchill. Mr. Churchill is portrayed by Sir Albert Finney in a role certain to further define his distinguished career in film. Mr. Finney brings humor, strength, rascality, and an amazing resemblance of the character's figure, form and facial features to the role. Aside from this great performance, the film accurately depicts and captures the dark and indecisive years preceding the war in Britain with a strong cast, a splendid adaptation from Mr. Churchill's own writings and the sense of the personal strength and integrity that served England so well in this, Her finest hour.