This miniseries is based on Sir Martin Gilbert's acclaimed biography of Winston Churchill. Covering his wilderness years, the period between 1933 and 1939, the series begins as... more
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II, Winston Churchill had spent the previous decade isolated in Parliament and in internal opposition to the Conservative party. Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years dramatises this period in which the growing menace of Nazism in Germany was met with indifference, even fear by governments of the day who were more concerned with their survival than in serving those who had elected them. Churchill is perceptively played by Robert Hardy, confirming the image without falling into caricature. Visionary and obstinate by turns, he galvanises his supporters and enrages his enemies with a passion borne of conviction. A seasoned British cast includes Peter Barkworth as the amiable but ineffectual Stanley Baldwin, Eric Porter as the truly "out of time" Neville Chamberlain, Edward Woodward as the scheming Samuel Hoare and Nigel Havers as the tragically flawed Randolph Churchill. Martin Gilbert has done a persuasive job transforming his novel into a TV script, the scenes in the House of Commons having a gritty reality that makes compulsive viewing. On the DVD: it's a pity that the Southern Pictures production, first screened in 1981, has emerged so dimly in this incarnation. Has the master tape eroded so badly, or was it simply not available? However, it's worth putting up with the technical defects to enjoy this historically informed and grippingly dramatic serial. --Richard Whitehouse
II, Winston Churchill had spent the previous decade isolated in Parliament and in internal opposition to the Conservative party. Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years dramatises this period in which the growing menace of Nazism in Germany was met with indifference, even fear by governments of the day who were more concerned with their survival than in serving those who had elected them. Churchill is perceptively played by Robert Hardy, confirming the image without falling into caricature. Visionary and obstinate by turns, he galvanises his supporters and enrages his enemies with a passion borne of conviction. A seasoned British cast includes Peter Barkworth as the amiable but ineffectual Stanley Baldwin, Eric Porter as the truly "out of time" Neville Chamberlain, Edward Woodward as the scheming Samuel Hoare and Nigel Havers as the tragically flawed Randolph Churchill. Martin Gilbert has done a persuasive job transforming his novel into a TV script, the scenes in the House of Commons having a gritty reality that makes compulsive viewing. On the DVD: it's a pity that the Southern Pictures production, first screened in 1981, has emerged so dimly in this incarnation. Has the master tape eroded so badly, or was it simply not available? However, it's worth putting up with the technical defects to enjoy this historically informed and grippingly dramatic serial. --Richard Whitehouse
Winston Churchill - The Wilderness Years (Box Set)
Main specs
Actor(s): Robert Hardy, Sian Phillips, Nigel Havers, Tim Pigott-Smith, Sam Wanamaker, Edward Woodward, David Swift, Edward Woodward, Edward Woodward, Tim Pigott-Smith
Director(s): Ferdinand Fairfax
Genre: Drama - Historical
Classification: Parental Guidance
Production Year: 1981
Running Time: 6 hours 56 minutes
Video Category: Feature Film
Plot: This miniseries is based on Sir Martin Gilbert's acclaimed biography of Winston Churchill. Covering his "wilderness years," the period between 1933 and 1939, the series begins as Churchill (Robert Hardy) resigns from his post as Chancellor of the Exchequer and heads into an uncertain political future. Absorbing and well acted, WINSTON CHURCHILL: THE WILDERNESS YEARS is a fascinating portrait of the 20th century's greatest political figure during that century's most troubled time.
DVD Description
This miniseries is based on Sir Martin Gilbert's acclaimed biography of Winston Churchill. Covering his wilderness years, the period between 1933 and 1939, the series begins as Churchill (Robert Hardy) resigns from his post as Chancellor of the Exchequer and heads into an uncertain political future. Absorbing and well acted, WINSTON CHURCHILL: THE WILDERNESS YEARS is a fascinating portrait of the 20th century's greatest political figure during that century's most troubled time.
Advantages: Amazing acting, strong story Disadvantages: None to speak of
...The Gathering Storm charts the course of events from WinstonChurchill's WildernessYears during Baldwin's National Government in the mid-to-late 1930s, until his return to office as First Lord of the Admiralty at the outbreak of the Second World War.
= PLOT SUMMARY =
WinstonChurchill has become a backbencher, increasingly ridiculed as yesterday's man, a man of no-judgement and a war-monger. It is the mid-1930s, and no-one seems to have any stomach to confront the rising threat from Hitler's Germany. Churchill desperately seeks solace during his Black Dog moods at Chartwell, writing prolifically to pay the bills, while casting around for ways to draw the public's attention to the very real danger he senses.
This film charts Churchill's struggles through these dark times, where he gets assistance from well-placed people inside...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Many Cameo's, Britishness. Disadvantages: Always waiting for the real action to start.
...set, however after another 10mins then 30mins it was clear that the quality of the movie wasn't going to increase. In the hope of a good finish I stayed until the end, but that only confirmed the mediocrity of the film. Time after time punch lines were missing or edited/delivered badly. Potentially comedic moments just didn't project onto the audience.
--- SYNOPSIS ---
This movie tries to make fun of Hollywood films of British history which ultimately get re-written by Hollywood (see quote at bottom).
The premise is that some Hollywood film makers decide to come over to Britain and make a film about WinstonChurchill. However in their
mind, Churchill shouldn't be played by an old large Brit, but a young American; Christian Slater (enough to put some people off already I know). The film then recounts in a most bizarre way how Churchill...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: The cream of British comedy talent involved Disadvantages: they were not used to the full extent they could have been
...Well i had a choice I could have spent my saturday watching LIve8 to see if i could spot my mates in the crowd, as they managed to get tickets and I didnt. Or watch a DVD. I went for the DVD option, unfortunatley I chose the wrong one to watch.
Churchill, the Hollywood years. Is a spoof of how Hollywood tends to rewrite history to suit their needs. Directed by Peter Richardson, the man who gave us "The Comic Strip". It stars Christian Slater as WinstonChurchill, A US Marine Who comes to England to save us from Nazi domination and free Europe. Co-starring Neve Campbell as Princess Elisabeth, who of course falls madly in love with him.
The supporting cast is the cream of British comedy talent. Harry Enfield is the dimwitted King George. Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer play the campest footmen that Buckingham Palace has ever seen...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
helpful 03.07.2005
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