The Gathering Storm is a HBO/BBC co-production focusing on a pre World War Two, Winston Churchill, a lone voice warning of German aggression.
Churchill is brilliantly portrayed by Albert Finney, someone who is much an outcast, practicing his speeches which are spoken in an almost empty Commons chamber. Struggling with money, a growing family and cajoling information out of the Foreign Office.
Linus Roache is Ralph Wigram the Foreign Office mole who hands Churchill a lot of sensitive information.
At the time of the original broadcast of the film, there was controversy as Wigram's role had been exaggerated as in reality there were several people giving information to Churchill.
Vanessa Redgrave plays Churchill's wife who has had to suppress her own ambitions to raise a family and keep the home going and is desperate to take a trip to the Far East to explore.
The film has an all star cast from Jim Broadbent, Tom Wilkinson, Derek Jacobi and early appearances from Hugh Bonneville and Tom Hiddleston.
The film also marks the return to acting from Ronnie Barker who had retired from show-business in 1987. With such a cast, it is little wonder he returned from retirement to play the butler Inches. He very much steals the film.
The film looks gorgeous, is very well acted but comes across as clunky which is very much fault of the script.
We do see another side of Churchill who was more complex and I still think he is painted very much as the hero underdog. During his earlier stint in government he had done some unsavoury things as well as having a fondness for the booze.
There were also the juxtaposition of Wigram who has a disabled son being taken aback by the Nazi's pursuit of policies relating to racial purity and wanting to get rid of people who are abnormal.
It was done in a rather ham fisted way. We get it; Wigram wants the Nazis stopped because if they took over the world they will murder his child and other children like him.
The subject matter is still interesting and demands attention but maybe a more flowing and edgy screenplay was needed.
Churchill is brilliantly portrayed by Albert Finney, someone who is much an outcast, practicing his speeches which are spoken in an almost empty Commons chamber. Struggling with money, a growing family and cajoling information out of the Foreign Office.
Linus Roache is Ralph Wigram the Foreign Office mole who hands Churchill a lot of sensitive information.
At the time of the original broadcast of the film, there was controversy as Wigram's role had been exaggerated as in reality there were several people giving information to Churchill.
Vanessa Redgrave plays Churchill's wife who has had to suppress her own ambitions to raise a family and keep the home going and is desperate to take a trip to the Far East to explore.
The film has an all star cast from Jim Broadbent, Tom Wilkinson, Derek Jacobi and early appearances from Hugh Bonneville and Tom Hiddleston.
The film also marks the return to acting from Ronnie Barker who had retired from show-business in 1987. With such a cast, it is little wonder he returned from retirement to play the butler Inches. He very much steals the film.
The film looks gorgeous, is very well acted but comes across as clunky which is very much fault of the script.
We do see another side of Churchill who was more complex and I still think he is painted very much as the hero underdog. During his earlier stint in government he had done some unsavoury things as well as having a fondness for the booze.
There were also the juxtaposition of Wigram who has a disabled son being taken aback by the Nazi's pursuit of policies relating to racial purity and wanting to get rid of people who are abnormal.
It was done in a rather ham fisted way. We get it; Wigram wants the Nazis stopped because if they took over the world they will murder his child and other children like him.
The subject matter is still interesting and demands attention but maybe a more flowing and edgy screenplay was needed.