The Gathering Storm
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Movie Reviews of The Gathering Storm
Movie Review: Winston Is Back! By Bloody Hell He Is!
Summary: 5 Stars
"This is a hugely entertaining movie that gives us a personal glimpse of Churchhill's life at the prelude of his illustrious career. The movie works as well as it does because of Albert Finney's brilliant performance as Churchhill. Finney won an Emmy for this performance and it's not hard to see why. His portrayal of the former Prime Mister of England is the greatest acting performance I've seen in years. The way Finney so effortlessly molded himself into the character is simply astonishing." David Blair
The opening scene shows Winston Churchill getting up out of bed, naked, we see his buttocks as he goes to 'pee' and all the time he is reciting a speech he was about to make. We know without a doubt that Albert Finney has become Churchill. I doubt I will see acting as fine as this again. I loved his character, and I believe he was more Churchill than Churchill.
As fabulous as the acting is the story is even better. The story of Churchill out of office with nothing to do. Then he is given information about Germany and his life begins. Clementine, his wife, is played by Vanessa Redgrave. Their love story, and as Winston says at one point near the end of the movie. "Thank you for loving me as I never thought I would be loved". How wonderful to have a love as deep and as long and to be as thankful for someone else in your life. Their family and their personal life comes alive. The daily life become up close. The friends and enemies are put to test. Winston is a great man, and as he has said, he knows it! We see the warts and all. His drinking, his finances, his depression, and the man who works 20 hours out of 24.
I learned a great deal about Winston Churchill I did not know. This movie opened the door into his personal life, and he became a real flesh and blood man. 'The Gathering Storm' was the title of one of his books and it fits this movie well. Clemmie, his wife is the epitome of the woman behind the man. She gave up much, but it was returned in spades via her husband and her children. The stories entwined that of Winston, his public life and that of Winston, his private life. I want more of this calibre. My best friend told me this movie was a favorite. It has become a favorite of mine, and I only finished the viewing.
Heartily Recommended. prisrob 4-22-07
The Wit & Wisdom of Winston Churchill
Movie Review: If you're into Winston Churchill from his days as a Speaker to his being declared Prime Minister of Britain, this is your movie
Summary: 5 Stars
What can I say, I'm a big fan of Winston Churchill. There's not many persons on this planet who can admit their shortcomings and fears; look them in the eye, and make them work to their advantage. He was a walking "how to" manual on how to making shortcomings look a part of why one was able to be even moreso or better than originally declared in the age old question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?"
This movie THE GATHERING STORM shows the homebody Winston and his relationship with the love of his life Clemetine and the way he was perceived in the eyes of each who knew and grew up around him during his days as a speaker of Parliment to his being assigned the Prime Ministership of Britian. Each child's perception is different as well as the perception of Winston's relationship with Clemmie as she was called. The chemistry between ol' "Pug and Pussycat" is something that can't be denied throughout the movie.
The movie shows Winston as human and vulnerable as anyone else living and breathing on his planet which quite possibly hadn't been shown that much for the wide and TV screens. You'll laugh, cheer, wonder, and shed a poignant tear for this unlikely man whose stances were not always embraced by the majority and not only stood by them but he knew how to take the vocalized gestures of doubt and disbelief and turn them into the very fire that inspired him to keep going. He took the arias of doubt and disbelief and he used them to fuel his drive to find out more documented and irrefuted sources of information that would either support their opinion AND how to work around it OR he would take those shards of information and he would make them realize, "This is why I felt that this is the way we should be going on this and I have in my hands the proof that my way is the only way the way I feel we should be looking at this situation MY way is the only way to do so." Then again, he doesn't really raise his voice. He doesn't call his fellow Members of Parliament dirty names nor does he cuss in any of his pleas and speeches. He speaks to them like persons and if he does point out a wrong coming from them, he just mentions the wrongdoing and NOT WHO DID IT.
You need to see this movie. It's the greatest movie I've seen in regards to the time frame presenting itself.
Movie Review: The Roaring Lion is back!
Summary: 5 Stars
"The Gathering Storm" is an outstanding historical reconstruction movie!
It depicts Winston Churchill's life in his darkest moment between the two World Wars.
The Lion was wounded and discredited due to his party shifts. He was searching a "cause" to regain political prestige. The British Empire was subject to enormous pressure: India was rebelling and claming for freedom leaded by Mahatma Gandhi; in Germany Hitler has sized power and started his path to war and conquest; in Far East Japan has launched his assault to China; the whole World was still trying to recover from the Great Depression. British Government was involved in appeasement politic that will lead to weakness and close its eyes to most of these dangers.
The present film scrutinizes these critical years in Churchill's life with a keen sight. None of his weak spots are left out: his problems with his son and daughters; his almost financial default; his struggle with depression ("the black dog" in his own words); his semi despotic character and his heavy drinking.
Nevertheless his mighty personality and magnetism allows him to start his crusade against Herr Hitler. He stresses himself and all his entourage into the near impossible mission of awakening the country to the mortal danger that is growing in Europe.
This film has deservedly earned three BAFTA awards and three more nominations.
Albert Finney's characterization of Churchill is really amazing; he has captured the spirit a demeanor of this great leader and put forward a great performance.
Vanessa Redgrave is perfect as Clemmie Churchill showing her play acting class without overdoing a bit. The marital disagreement scene that both actors perform is just perfect!
Linus Roache and Lena Headey as the Wigram couple are very good too.
Director Richard Loncraine has delivered a very good telefilm as he has done the previous year with the second chapter of "Band of Brothers".
Howard Goodall has composed a great musical score (he was one of the nominated for a BAFTA award).
Cinematography in charge of Peter Hannan shows London neatly and autumn English landscape beautifully.
This is a great telefilm for all public.
Reviewed by Max Yofre.
Movie Review: Winston Is Back!
Summary: 5 Stars
The marvelous HBO production, "The Gathering Storm," needs to be reconsidered especially now that the 14 hour Ken Burns overview of America's involvment in World War Two, "The War" has been shown to television viewers across our fruited plain. What Mr. Burns and company have done for documentaries, HBO has done for docudramas - that is bring dramatic life to our history and make it relevant to today. Many of the major events which occured in both Europe and the Pacific prior to the official outbreak of World War Two were largely ignored both in the United States and England. While the Axis powers, (Germany, Japan and Italy,) embraced expansionist policies through much of the 1930s, the rest of the world countered with isolation and appeasement. Drawn from the first volume of Sir Winston Churchill's now famous historic overview of the war years, the HBO production bearing the same name, "The Gathering Storm" tells the story of how a once powerful man, (Sir Winston - masterfully portrayed by the great Albert Finney,) finds his way back to leadership in order to help prepare his England, (and by example a fair amount of the rest of the world,) to withstand the imminent diaster we now know as the Second World War. This beautifully produced film features a truely splendid cast to include Vanessa Redgrave, Jim Broadbent, Tom Wilkinson and Lena Headey. Production values to include sets, costumes and scenery are especially handsome and "The Gathering Storm" comes at a very attractive DVD price. After watching, perhaps you will consider joining me in encouraging HBO to start production on the next chapter in Mr. Churchill's six volume World War Two series, "Their Finest Hour." Enjoy.Movie Review: A MAN OF DESTINY
Summary: 5 Stars
The HBO film opens with the camera under the bed of Churchill as he gets up stark naked from the rear and goes into the bathroom to relieve himself. With this very undignified beginning, we enter into the world of Winston Churchill in the days leading up to WWII. This is more than just about the political climate in England, it is the personal side of Churchill as well. It is about his life-long love relationship with his wife, Clementine as well as his life on his estate where he is struggling financially when the film opens and Clementine must step in to take over the finances to stay solvent. Much of the filming takes place on the actual estate which is amazing in itself. Of course, the focus of the film is the political world and Churchill's attempt to warn Great Britain and the world about the looming threat from Hitler and the Nazis. His is a lonely voice, at first. He had a true sense of destiny for his life and role in saving England. He had help, too, from inside the foreign affairs office, that would provide him confidential information about Hitler and his activities. It would be hard to imagine anyone playing Churchill better and more convincing than Finney. Redgrave is outstanding as well and is no minor character in his life or in the film. This is a film that deserves a much broader distribution than it has had. Really, a very brilliant picture of Churchill and the events leading up to WWII. You have to ask yourself, what would the world look like today without a Churchill? Warts (there are many) and all, this was an amazing human being. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews.