Rating: 
Summary: Albert Finney is Superb as Churchill!
Review: Rarely does an actor capture the essence of someone so much bigger than life as was Sir Winston Churchill, but Albert Finney achieves the nearly impossible-- he becomes Churchill and manages to dominate practically every frame of this HBO video even against the likes of someone as talented as Vanessa Redgrave, who plays his beloved "Clemmie" Churchill. Ms. Redgrave does rise to the occasion as she, as we say, eats up the furniture when Finney accuses her of being selfish. She roars something to the effect that "don't you dare call me selfish when I have lived with you for 26 years," These two fine actors are joined by a great supporting cast in this beautifully filmed movie. The action covers a brief time in Churchill's life when Hitler is rising to power in Germany. Churchill is having financial difficulties, is plagued by what he calls the "black dog" of depression and cannot convince the current prime minister that Hitler is an enormous threat to the security of England.Finney here joins other over 50, overweight actors (think Kathy Bates and Jack Nicholson)who bare their all for art. This movie won three Emmys, which were richly deserved.
Rating: 
Summary: Remarkable!
Review: Summary:
The movie is based upon the life of Winston Churchill (Albert Finney). It begins just as information about the German re-armament is beginning to seep into British political life. Winston is an aging statesman that is losing his political clout. When his insights into the impending German military conquest are reinforced by hard data given to him secretly by Ralph Wigram (Linus Roache), Winston's perspective takes parliament by storm, resulting in the resignation of the Prime Minister and the eventual appointment of Winston as Prime Minister. However, the primary story is only half of what makes this movie superb. The other half is the remarkable portrayal of the relationship between Winston and his wife, Clemmie (Vanessa Redgrave). Perhaps what really drives the relationship in the movie is when Clemmie, who has sacrificed so much of her life and been so selfless for so many years in support of her husband's career, finally decides to take a trip alone, leaving Winston without the support he has counted on for so many years. My Comments:
This movie is remarkably well-done. I didn't even recognize Albert Finney (from Erin Brockovich); I couldn't place him and was stunned when I saw his name in the credits. I felt kind of foolish afterward. In retrospect it's pretty obvious, but I sure had a difficult time of it he was so convincing. All of the actors did a superb job; I can't even begin to complain about any of the portrayals. As noted above, the love story is very touching. What makes it even more touching is that Winston Churchill is not idealized or romanticized in anyway - he had a very strong personality and likely was very difficult to live with. However, if this movie is even a remotely accurate portrayal of the relationship he had with his wife, he loved two things very deeply (other than himself of course), his wife and his country, and both of these loves are very explicitly conveyed in the movie, but in a convincing way. (I do wonder if 'Pug' was a real petname for him...) In the end you find yourself falling in love with Winston Churchill, despite his arrogance and his overbearing personality; he believed in something and was willing to fight tenaciously for it. When the movie ends you feel like you've been in the presence of a great man. Now, I'm not one to revere people; but occasionally you do meet people that are just, well, amazing. I've only met one other person that I could compare to Winston Churchill, but you wouldn't know him so I won't get into it. Anyway, I would have followed Mr. Churchill and I don't throw my allegiances around lightly. Overall, the movie is both touching and powerful. It introduces you to both the husband and statesman of Winston Churchill, as well as his backside (you get to see Albert Finney's butt in the very opening scene, not that that should be an attraction, 'butt' anyway...). The movie isn't showy; it's very straightforward, has a very specific agenda, and sticks with its main character. It is very well done and teaches history at the same time. I would highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: The onset of evil
Review: The "Gathering Storm" takes its title from the first book of Churchill's enormous and amazing history of the Second World War. It reports on the nationalism of Germany, the diabolical building of 1000s upon 1000s of tanks and planes under the scrutiny of the allies, the plans for the German purification of their race, and literally the war-like expansion to western and eastern Europe. At the time, 1932-34, half a dozen years before the start of the war, very few were speaking out against Germany. One of them was Churchill. Certainly an interesting man and owner of extraordinary intelligence, you would want to put him next to Mother Teresa, Dr. King, and only a few others who shaped history and put us where we are today. If there were a dozen people who changed the world from 1900 to 2000, he would be one of them. His words about freedom - 'we will fight them on the beaches, in the streets, we will never give up' and gratitude to the brave Spitfire pilots who stopped Hitler's expansion at the English Channel - 'never has so much been owed by so many to so few,' still haunt us today. Yet he was a tyrant who ruled his home and family with as much self absorption and self centeredness as he did his political life. This film shows all of it and could well be followed by the subsequent chapters in the dozen years that changed our lives. Albert Finney is great, Vanessa Redgrave equal to the task, and the others, Wilkenson, Jacobi, Broadbent, Roache et al. also brilliant. Should not be missed. Larry Scantlebury
Rating:
Summary: There is no such thing as a five star film.
Review: The Gathering Storm, thankfully brushed lightly upon those over-documented events leading to England's declaration of war in 1939. Where the movie shines brightest is in it's bare honest portrayal of The Right Hon. Winston Churchill - as an egomaniacal, obstinate, fanatical 'god and empire' patriot with the effette pretentions of a petti-artiste. Who was a chronic looser in every aspect of his personal and professional life, who conspired to bully a tragically vulnerable civil servant to betray his office and who divulged stolen intelligence from his own government to give a hopelessly pacifist England a harsh wake-up. Finney and Redgrave are glorious, simply wonderful. The cameo of Ronnie Barker as 'Mr Inches', Churchill's butler, came closest to upstaging Albert Finney as I have ever seen. No film is worth five stars, no movie comes close to perfection, so here we have four.
Rating:
Summary: Sir Winston unemployed
Review: The years before Churchill became the leader of Britain through the WWII, were interesting for an observer. Practically ostracized by political class we see how a man can survive without doing what he liked the most: to command.
Churchill here is displayed in the most ordinary, plain and because of that touching way I have ever seen. His frustration for being far from power makes him a bitter man and unbereable to live with. Albert Finney plays a wonderful Churchill. And if the real one was not like Finney, he should have been.
While Baldwin was sure that anything would be better to avoid another war, Churchill was aware of the threating that Europe was facing. But his vision does not make him the hero of the film. Quite the contrary here he is shown as a man avid of power, who uses anything to regain it again. Here is Ralph Wigram (played by Linus Roache) who is the real hero of the film.
But apart from the political point of view there is a nice love story between Churchill and his wife lady Clementine. And no one like Vanessa Redgrave to play her. Her distinction, manners and warmth make that this couple will be perfectly real. We see a human Churchill, and I think is very interesting to show how this man, hunger for power had not real one in his own family. Too focused in politics is his wife who must deal with the boring problems of everydays life.
It is a well made film. Perfectly settled and with great performances.
Rating:
Summary: A plausible and moving portrait of Churchill before the war
Review: This film, featuring a bravo performance by Albert Finney as Winston Churchill, absolutely captures the essence of the man in all his complexity--his giant ego, his love of country, and his unwavering determination to alert Britain to the rising danger of Nazi Germany. The film does not whitewash Churchill's imperfections, including his sometime inability to work with colleagues, and the fact that living with Churchill was not always a bed of roses for his family. Albert Finney absolutely absorbs the role of Churchill and "becomes" the man. This is a fine film deriving from this superb performance by Finney. Why only 4 stars? Because the movie skips the period in which I was most interested--most of the year just prior to Hitler's invasion of Poland and the machinations and appeasement by Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain. Perhaps it was felt that British viewers are so familiar with this period that there was no point in including it. However, American viewers and I dare say those from most other countries would have benefited from and enjoyed seeing Churchill triumph over the utter failure of Chamberlain's policy of appeasement as Churchill assumed power in what had to be Britain's darkest days ever. This was perhaps the most dramatic political event ever, and for this film to omit it in what purported to be a film about "The Gathering Storm" was in my opinion unforgivable, and this is why I deprive the film of that fifth star. Despite this flaw, anyone interested in the life of one of the Twentieth Century's greatest leaders will want to see this superb film.
Rating:
Summary: Close -- Almost The Whole Cigar
Review: This is a fairly good reflection of William Manchester's "Alone," the second (and, unfortunately, final) volume of his Churchill bio series. Winston's daily life was represented fairly well -- rising late, sleeping blindfolded, traipsing around in his robe, being attended by servants, throwing little fits over personal details. I would have liked to have seen more information surrounding the meals hosted (or rather, conducted) at Chartwell, when guests would dine lavishly through the evening and listen to Churchill opine or, sometimes, debate and discuss. These exercises, anointed with alcohol to lesser or sometimes greater degree, fueled Winson's all-night writing sessions that ensued after guests departed. Additional portrayal of those writing habits also would have been interesting. At one point in the film, Winston railed that he was working 20 hours per day to keep the family afloat (he had no ability whatever for money management), but it was not clear that Winston's writing was bearing the brunt of that support, that the family lived from magazine article to newspaper editorial to book, scraping by. Churchill accordingly had to write like a maniac, which gave rise to what most would consider maltreatment of servants (we do see him admonish his manservant at one point, "But I am a GREAT man!" -- which indeed did occur, and which indeed Churchill was). It is obvious in the film that the servants don't take umbrage to this treatment, perhaps understanding that they are an integral part of a historically significant phenomenon and literary giant. Additionally, more exposure to Winston's House of Commons speeches would have been interesting. We did see (on just one occasion) that he carefully choreographed his chambers speeches ("pause for effect, look of doom" etc), but we were not treated to very much of that oratory. Finney did a grand job portraying it (including the intermittent, slight lisp). Why was there not more? Manchester's books were sometimes overly detailed; this film was sometimes overly sparse. Together they build in the mind a fine portrait of a great man.
Rating:
Summary: Flawed, but brilliant
Review: This is a marvelous production, with great photography and superb performances. The opening scene, running under the credits, which shows Churchill visiting the Blenheim battlefield and "seeing" the battle, is the best exposition of his historic imagination I have ever seen or read. Albert Finney is a marvel, and demonstrates that he is truly one of the greatest actors alive. I was disappointed that Churchill's opposition to appeasement was given the flavor of opportunism, and the decision to omit Neville Chamberlain's premiership (we skip from Stanley Baldwin to the outbreak of war) is unforgiveable. (For a fuller and more accurate treatment of the period, get "Winston Churchill: the Wilderness Years," a mini-series starring Robert Hardy, and available on DVD.) Still, for Finney's portrayal alone, this is worth having.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best historical films
Review: This is one of my all time favorite films of the historical genre. It recreatst the london of the 30s and the man Churchill very well. This film is based on the book 'Alone' which details Churchills life from 1930-1940. This was the time when CHurchill was expected to retire and the English felt he was a has been. This film revolves around the hard times Churchill faces when he loses his fortune in 1929 and is embrarrased daily in the Commons. Yet he hits on the issue German rearmarment and will not leave it. He sees before all of Englands appeasers the evil that is growing in Nazi Germany. This won derful film will make you cry when you see Churchill staring from his balcony window declaring of his land "I love it, I would die for it" and later in the film looking into the darkness declares "How short a distance in invading army would march from the coast to London, its only a matter of time". But we learn of the inner Churchill who beleived in 'Destiny' and never gave in to the Nazi threat. Probably the one man on the continent who saw the Nazis for what they would become Churchill is my all time hero. When all had been defeated, France lay in ruins, the british army defeated at Dunkirk, the Russians and Germans still allies, the Americans isolated he stood alone and declared that the Nazis would not pass. This film does him credit, I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: In Two Words: Simply Astonishing
Review: This movie, my favorite movie all of time--period, is a rich, dramatized chunk of time taken out of Churchill's life. I must agree with the reviewer beneath me that Albert Finney is truly one of the best actors alive. His performance is absolutely masterful, the photography in this movie is utterly breathtaking, the writing is superb, and the directing is phenomenal. This movie deserves so much more the a mere 5 stars...
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