Finest Hour - The Battle of Britain
by Nick Read
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Will LymanDirector: Nick Read
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Color, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 220 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2004-05-11
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Pbs Paramount
Movie Reviews of Finest Hour - The Battle of Britain
Movie Review: Not the RAF story per se, but an attempt to present the story of the entire British war effort.
Summary: 3 Stars
"...Churchill was facing the collapse of his cabinet and the loss of most of his army" (then stranded in Dunkirk). "Over 200 British & French warships were soon involved in the rescue mission along with hundreds of smaller civilain craft." "The evacuation had gone better than anyone had dared to hope. Almost all the stranded British soldiers were rescued along with 80,000 French troops." Churchill---the 'man of the hour' in the drama of Britain's Finest Hour---had been Prime Minister for less than 3 weeks by this time. The documentary posits that Churchill's support was not great at this time; that Washington was "concerned about Winston Churchill's reputation as a heavy drinker," and that "Churchill's enemies in London shared the same anxiety. They believed that the PM's war policy was driven by bravado." Such is the substance of the first hour plus of this participant interview documentary, entitled "Finest Hour: The Battle of Britain," that, oddly enough, concerns not just the air war over Britain---which is more commonly referred to as the Battle of Britain---but the entire war effort. Consequently Churchill isn't quoted as saying that "The Battle of Britain is about to begin," and "upon this battle depends the survival of Christian civilzation" until the end of Part One of this program; once 107 minutes have elapsed herein. But before much praise is given to Churchill's travels around the country and his speeches the producers, early in Part Two, make the point that "not everyone was inspired by Churchill's visits or by his oratory." We then get interviews of guys caught behind enemy lines seemingly just trying to save their own skins, the impressions of shipwrecked civilians, and critical remarks from former Navy seamen. These interviewees are often shown walking the environs where they worked many years back or walking along the geographic locale they are speaking about; be it beaches, abandoned airfields, strategic cliffs, or what have you. Then the producers ultimately conclude this examination of a massively successful endeavor by a determined people by explaining that "the British people rallied behind a maverick leader whose policy of total defense had at first appeared suicidal" But we get little by way of how this was accomplished; why Brits rallied under Churchill or details how individuals rose to the challenges facing them. That, after all, ought be the substance of a telling of the story of Britian's Finest Hour. PS: See my Amazon list on what to see/read to viscerally experience WW2. Click on my profile, then "SO YOU'D LIKE TO..." on the bottom of the page. (06Jun) Cheers!
Summary of Finest Hour - The Battle of Britain
Simply said, Finest Hour is one of the best documentaries on the Battle of Britain. Combining impeccable narration, personal accounts, and stunning footage--some previously unseen--it exceeds even PBS's typically high standards. It is both a collection of personal stories--interspersed with inspiring and often touching reports from men and women who were there--and a tale of the behind-the-scenes relationship between Churchill and Roosevelt.The story begins in 1940 as the Low Countries and France are occupied by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union has not yet entered the war--and the Luftwaffe begins to litter Britain, especially London, with thousands upon thousands of bombs. The only thing standing in the way between Britain and the German army was the English Channel. Onto this stage emerged Winston Churchill, a prime minister in whom not every Briton had a great deal of faith under such critical circumstances. The documentary juxtaposes the fears individuals had at the switch in leadership with Churchill's own struggle to solidify his leadership and shore up morale--all in the face of the nightly blitz. Behind the scenes, Churchill found it essential to bring the United States into the war. His and Roosevelt's political relationship evolved into a kind of friendship, but initially the popularity of isolationism at home restricted Roosevelt's ability to contribute to the British war effort, despite his vehement personal opposition to Nazism.
This two-tape set will be one of the definitive visual histories of Britain's struggle, and no serious historian should be missing it in a collection. --Erik Macki
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