For those of us who grew up in the 60s and 70s we grew up
with the iconic personas of the past, historical figures that transformed
history we were reading about WWII into reality as we knew it. While many of
those figures had passed away a few remained. One of those was Winston
Churchill. We’d read or listened to recordings of his speeches. Movies have
been made about his life but few have the impact or provide as in depth a
depiction of the man as DARKEST HOUR.
The film opens with Parliament in turmoil. The year is 1940
and the predictions Churchill made about Hitler and Nazi Germany have come to
fruition. Belgium and France have both been invaded. Prime Minister Neville
Chamberlain’s (Ronald Pickup) hope for peace has been crushed and his removal
from office demanded. But who to put in his place? The position is offered to
Viscount Halifax (Stephen Dillane) but he turns it down. To placate both sides
of Parliament they choose Churchill (Gary Oldman).
Our first glimpse of Churchill comes as he awakened at home
to interview a new girl as his personal secretary. Elizabeth Layton (Lilly
James) is nervous and warned about numerous personal idiosyncrasies that
Churchill has. It doesn’t take long before those pour forth as he chastises,
yells and insults her causing her to run from the room. Before leaving she is
handed a telegraph to deliver to him, the word that he has been offered the
post of Prime Minister.
Churchill forms his cabinet and in an effort to please both
parties selects both Chamberlain and Halifax to be a part of it. He then moves
forward with his own view of what to do with the current invasion of all
European states by Hitler: fight on to the bitter end. Of course this doesn’t
sit well with Chamberlain, Halifax and their party who instead push the idea of
peace.
As the movie progresses we’re presented with three stories
running concurrently. The first is the political maneuverings among party
lines. While Halifax may have turned down the opportunity to become PM it
doesn’t mean he isn’t ambitious. By allowing Churchill to take the position he
has room to move and perhaps form a contingency to remove Churchill from office
and take his place, sowing seeds of discontent among his peers behind the
scenes.
The second is the imminent battles being fought in France.
Churchill continues to believe in the strength of the combined forces of the
British and French armies. As those begin to crumble and the soldiers retreat
he must then make the decision to find a way to rescue them or to capitulate to
Hitler. The last location the troops can make is the seaside town of Dunkirk.
The third story here revolves around Churchill’s personal
life. Scenes with his wife Clemmie (Kristin Scott Thomas), his family and those
friends closest to him, few though there may be. His brash and bullying
attitude has earned him no long list of allies. Even King George VI (Ben
Mendelson) is wary of his being in this position. How Churchill can overcome
his overbearing ways and save the country makes for one tremendously dramatic
story.
The movie does a tremendous job of bringing both the man and
history to life. Instead of boring newsreel footage that we’ve seen again and
again we’re made privy to what went on in the back rooms and secluded war rooms
of the British Empire. Knowing what we now know of the things Hitler and the
Nazis did it seems inconceivable that the British military would even consider
a peace agreement with them but they did. And the speech that Churchill
presents near the very end of the film remains as stirring today as it was when
it was delivered.
The entire movie relies on one major thing and that is the
performance of Oldman as Churchill. Many actors have played this role. And with
the right prosthetic makeup many would be able to look like the man. But it
takes an enormous amount of skill to not just look like Churchill but to bring
him to life. Oldman has done that here in the most amazing way. Every nuance in
his abilities is used here to make the man come alive. Moments occur where the
words are gone and he falls silent but the emotions, concerns and mindset of
the man are on display by Oldman. He won the Oscar for Best Male Performance
and deservedly so for his role here.
Earlier this year we were presented with the film DUNKIRK
about what happened on those beaches that day. This movie would make a
fantastic double feature with that film, using this one to set up what happened
that day and the month prior. That’s all this movie focuses on, the month that
it took for Churchill to take office, pull off Dunkirk and to inspire a nation.
It does so looking glorious at the same time with cinematography, set design,
costuming and makeup that make you feel as if you are there. You can’t pay a
better compliment to a film than that.
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