User reviews

This series is a journey into history so deftly played by the multi talented Philip Madoc. I watcht this when I was 11 and now seeing it again made me appreciate the life of an amazing statesman.

There are minor mistakes eg American flag having 50 stars but doesn't detract from the enjoyability of seeing Churchill (superbly played by the Texan William Hootkins) and the Irish questions...

This period drama features stolid BBC production values and what seems to be an accurate account of the life and career of David Lloyd George, a topic which was part of my A-level History course. Welsh actor Philip Madoc is excellent - he really gets the exposition, Welsh eloquence and sense of ''self'' and mission right. I admired the war-time scenes in the trenches of Flanders and public speeches. The Churchill character complements the young sandyhaired English actor Simon Ward's patrician Tory style in the classic 1972 cinematic biopic ''Young Winston'' directed by Sir Richard Attenborough. A terse evocative theme tune by Italian maestro Ennio Morricone was a hit in the UK pop charts.

If anyone says the BBC has never made a drama series to beat the rest, I would remind them of this incredibly spellbinding series first screened in 1981. It's the very detailed account of arguably Great Britain's greatest Prime Minister of the 20th century and to date, the finest politician from the valleys of Wales. Rarely for a historical drama, this series was historically correct in every detail from the harsh school discipline of his childhood through the challenges of the Irish problems, First World War and its aftermath. If you're a budding historian, politician or someone who appreciates quality historical drama in all its greatness, this is the definitive must-see. Superb acting from Philip Madoc and a now classical spellbinding theme music by the master of film soundtrack, Enrico Moricone are brought together into a series you'll want to watch in perfect uninterrupted seclusion. Yes folks! It really is that perfect and worthy of an Oscar any day.

Watched this as a kid and didn't really appreciate it although did love the music, watching it as an adult it was all the more impressive. Just a fantastic central performance from Philip Madoc, he captivates every time he appears on screen, some interesting familiar faces amongst the supporting cast too, Ruth Madoc (his wife), Desmond Llewelyn and Fulton McKay to name a few. A few historical inaccuracies, the Germans launched their final offensive in the spring of 1918 not the autumn of 1917 and it was Haig who'd seen it coming, not Lloyd George who was criticised for holding troops in the UK rather than sending them to France where they were needed as he feared Haig might use them in a bloody offensive. His ultimatum to the Sinn Fein delegation was to the entire group, not simply Michael Collins whose assassination sequence was a cut price BBC version to say they least. If anything it tones down his womanising ( he was nicknamed 'The Goat') and whilst it touches on the Marconi scandal it doesn't depict him selling honours for cash to fund himself or the 1922 committee's toppling of him, much as he deposed Asquith. All told however these are minor quibbles and it's a truly brilliant series.