2017 ( UK ) ( Biography, Drama, Thriller )
DIRECTOR: Jonathan Teplitzky
STARRING:Brian Cox, Miranda Richardson, John Slattery
‘Churchill’ begins just days before the D-Day landings of 1944 as arguments rage about the best course of action. Churchill believes that a direct assault on the beaches of Normandy is a recipe for disaster. He is haunted by events at Gallipoli in 1915 and can see only a sea of blood and thousands of lives sacrificed in vain, “This plan is for slaughter,” he declares. He then changes tack to volunteer himself and King George (James Purefoy) to lead the troops into the conflict. His offer is refused. The one person able to comfort and tame Churchill is his wife Clemmie, played by Miranda Richardson as a figure of brisk efficiency, wise counsel and tart wit.
The film showcases a fantastic array of top-notch acting, spearheaded by force-of-nature Brian Cox, who gives a tremendous performance as the charismatic politician. Bolstered by clear-cut direction from Teplitzky, and with excitingly staged disputes over the controversial operation at hand, Churchill hits all the right notes, bringing a slice of history to life in its most palatable and entertaining form.
(1hr 45min)