The Gathering Storm (2002)

Where are these Giants today?

Albert Finney gives a stand-out performance as the old, crusty English hammer that is prime example of the definition of a great man. The story is inspiring beyond emotional, the acting is great through and through, the story (given that that it is the event leading to the event) accurate, and as for the dvd, it's inexpensive, well -produced, and has everything you can ask for in a viewing experience. 5 stars all the way. December 31, 2008

3.5 stars out of 4

The Bottom Line:

Top-notch performances (especially by Finney in the lead), good production values and solid filmmaking turn this film into a something which rises above the perjorative implications of "TV movie." December 18, 2008

The Gathering Storm

A very good accountng of the between the wars years of Winston Churchill. Churchill fans should enjoy this film a great deal and I hope to use it in my World History classroom to bring up the level of interest in this great man. November 29, 2008

Two old pro's

What a pleasure it is to watch actors who know what they're doing. Albert Finney and Vanessa Redgrave become Winston and Clementine Churchill in this understated film depicting the final years before the explosion that was WWII. No histrionics here.

Winston is experiencing a lull in his career, which bothers him deeply. What bothers him more is the blindness of his fellow MPs in the face of blatant German aggression. Clementine, meanwhile, wants to set out on an adventure of her own, after a lifetime spent supporting her husband's political ambitions and rearing her children.

Finney becomes Churchill here. If his head and face were rounder, you'd swear it was Winnie himself. What makes The Gathering Storm more than a political piece is the story of his marriage. If this portrayal is accurate, the Churchill marriage was one of the great love matches of the century. Albert Finney is one of the 20th centuries underrated actors. I miss him.

History and biography, beautifully and intelligently presented. Sets, script, costumes, supporting cast (composed of leading men and women in their own right), direction, lighting - all superb. Well worth watching. September 12, 2008

All Brave Men

The Wall Street Journal stated: "So satisfying, so superb, so rich on so many levels." I cannot agree more. The Gathering Storm was a winner of three emmys (outstanding movie, lead actor (Albert Finney) and for writing). On every level, it was exceptional. The tension and the quality of the relationship between the Churchills was captured so well in the chemistry that was shown in the acting of Finney and Redgrave. Some have said that Finney was more Churchill than Churchill.

What I loved about this film was the study of Winston as the family man, the husband, the father, the friend, the boss, the writer, the painter, the statesmen. Churchill was all of these things but what struck me most about this work was that we discovered the man with his deep emotions, self doubts and moods.

Jim Broadbent was super as Desmond Morton who was a British military officer and government official. He played a role in organizing a response to appeasement of German under Hitler during the period prior to World War II. He with Ralph Wigram provided intelligence information about German re-armament to Winston Churchill when Churchill was out of power. Churchill became Prime Minister in 1940 and he made Morton his Personal Assistant. They had been extremely close friends. Ralph Wigram was played by Linus Roche and he was a British official in the Foreign Office. In the work of Churchill (Second World War) Churchill called him one of the greatest unsung heroes; in fact he was much more than that; Wigram was tormented in his role of passing information to Churchill in order to gain the attention of Baldwin and others who had other appeasement and free trade agreements on their mind versus preparing England for what was to come unfortunately.

Stanley Baldwin was played aptly by Derek Jacobi and Wigram's superior Sir Robert Vansittart was played solidly by Tom Wilkerson. We hear so much about the statesman and about his role of prime minister but we seldom get such a personal view of the man and his love of Chartwell and his great admiration by his staff and family. All of this was captured on film with this work.

It is hard to believe that prior to World War II that so many in England had stuck their head in the sand. Despite the rumors and stories about what was happening to the Jewish people and about German sterilization plans etc., 90% of the English people still believed in international disarmament. It could very well have been that families were so upset with the first world war that the young boys who were born during that great war were now old enough to fight in this one; it is certain that the people wanted to avoid a war at all costs and this was admirable in them and in their Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin. But at the very least, thanks to quite a few brave men including Wigram; the awareness level was raised soon enough before it was too late.

There is a wonderful audio discussion with the producer and writer discussing various background aspects of some of the major scenes which was wonderful; but what I liked best was the superb acting performed by everyone and this last quote by Churchill about the performance of the English people could easily have been said about every contributor and actor in this great film.

"In our long History, We have never seen, A greater day than this. Everyone, man or woman, has done their best."

- Winston Churchill 8 May 1945

Highly Recommended: A

Bentley 2008
The Gathering Storm July 26, 2008

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