Kevin's Watch

Hoping to see this later on and very much looking forward to it. I'm a great Churchill fan - for all he was no plaster saint - and genuinely believe that it is difficult to see any other of the other political figures of the day rising to the challenge in the way, and with the results that he managed.
One observation I'd like to make before I report back is that already however, I have seen one example from the trailer in which historical exactitude has been 'sacrificed' on the alter of cinematic sensationalism. In the film Churchill's 'fight on the beaches' address is given as if made to a crowd rising to a crescendo at the line 'we shall never surrender'. In fact this was an address to the House of Commons, and was made in a completely matter of fact tone as if just a simple statement of reality (which indeed it was) - and in my opinion is all the more dramatic as a result. There are some occasions where less is more, and this was one of them.

Ahhh yes .. Hollywood has assimilated the historical uniqueness of the facts. Its regrettable as popular opinion no doubt will also adapt historical truths in line with what they see in the film. Thats kinda sad. Yes Churchill was fab until he wasnt. But no one can deny he was a great PM, orator and rouser of the people. But he wasnt a great military strategist, WWI saw him make some costly mistakes. But he is human after all .. and that wasnt his strength. His strength was public leadership.

Ok, saw the film and it was good. Great ...... I don't know? Oldman was entirely competent in the role, but despite the plaudits he is receiving I find it hard to see how he could have played it badly. Churchill has become an almost charicatureish figure and all that is required of an actor is to play that image. The real trick would have been to add to it, to humanise it, and while yes, we are shown the man's weaknesses - well, we already knew about those, so it doesn't really cut the ice.
Don't get me wrong; this is stirring film making and the final speech is rousing - but it was predictable. For me there were no surprises; I was drawn, I was pulled, my patriotic spirit was raised - but I knew it would be. I had hoped (perhaps unfairly, but perhaps not because the hype was big) for more.

Just to add to the above, the roles of Halifax and Chamberlain in pressing for a sued peace at the time of Churchill's early premiership is studied in the film, but if anything, is a sugar coated version of the truth. Some felt that what they did was perilously close to traitorship, a view taken IIRC by Michael Foot et al in their pamphlet The Guilty Men produced at the time.

I watched this, and while I thought it was a good film, I think it is entirely overrated.

The HBO films from several years ago, "The Gathering Storm" and "Into the Storm," are far superior in both acting and story telling.

The director and writers took far too many liberties with the truth in favor of dramatic license.