mraculeated The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

Zlatica One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Marva It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

Phillipa Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

SnoopyStyle It's 1934. Winston Churchill (Albert Finney) is in Chartwell working on a biography of his ancestor Duke of Marlborough. He's a backbencher warning against German rearmament. He despises the decline of the empire but only has a limited group of supporters. He becomes isolated. His wife Clementine (Vanessa Redgrave) discovers that he has suffered great losses and they are struggling financially. Meanwhile, government official Ralph Wigram (Linus Roache) is concerned about Hitler's laws especially with his beloved mentally challenged child. Wigram feels ignored by 10 Downing Street and starts illegally leaking to Churchill.Albert Finney is simply amazing but he's not alone. He's surrounded by some of the best in Britain including the great Vanessa Redgrave. The talent is impeccable. The production looks great for a TV movie. It's compelling history and an interesting behind-the-headlines espionage thriller.

Brigid O Sullivan (wisewebwoman) Albert Finney's portrayal of Winston Churchill is up there with the best characterizations of all time. He could have easily slipped into caricature (that voice, that famous voice!)but he doesn't. I read somewhere that it was an extremely painful undertaking for him as he had to draw in his chin and get rid of his neck and he did it all without prosthetics which is an extraordinary accomplishment.Churchill is portrayed warts and all, we get a very complete picture, his crankiness, his ego, his art, and most of all his relationship with Clemmie, his wife, here played, and beautifully, by Vanessa Redgrave.That the director, Richard Loncraine, assembled such an astonishing and talented supporting cast is to his credit. Jim Broadbent, Linus Roach, Tom Wilkinson, the brilliant and capable Ronnie Barker as Inches the Butler, Hugh Bonneville et al.The story is historically and chronologically inaccurate but is forgiven in the light of the dramatization of the life of Winston. It is four years on, as I write this, and there is yet to be a sequel and this cries for it. We get the build-up to the war (and where on earth was Neville Chamberlain) but it would be interesting to see the life of Winston behind the actual war.Wonderful location shots, the actual Churchill house in Chartwell, Kent was used. A must see. 8 out of 10. Pity it didn't run to 3 hours.

thunderer One of the best portrayals of Churchill ever. One only has to see the final scene to understand the man. It is late at night and Winston enters the Admiralty after being made First Lord (again) and years in the wilderness telling a deaf world of the coming evil. He introduces himself to the young Royal Marine on duty who acknowledges that he knows who he is and that a message went out to the fleet earlier that evening."Oh", Churchill asks "and what did it say?"The Marine answers, "Winston is back, sir"Churchill climbs the stairs, halts, removes his cigar and replies,"Yes, HE BLOODY WELL IS!

jmerkouris This film, made for the small screen by Home Box Office, defines how TV movies should be made. The film is an absorbing look at one of the true visionary and inspiring leaders of the twentieth century, Sir Winston Churchill. Mr. Churchill is portrayed by Sir Albert Finney in a role certain to further define his distinguished career in film. Mr. Finney brings humor, strength, rascality, and an amazing resemblance of the character's figure, form and facial features to the role. Aside from this great performance, the film accurately depicts and captures the dark and indecisive years preceding the war in Britain with a strong cast, a splendid adaptation from Mr. Churchill's own writings and the sense of the personal strength and integrity that served England so well in this, Her finest hour.