DARKEST HOUR
UK, 2017, 125 minutes, Colour.
Gary Oldman, Kristin Scott Thomas, Lily James, Ronald Pickup, Steve Dillane, Ben Mendelssohn, Samuel West.
Directed by Joe Wright.
In 1940, in Britain, Darkest Hour had an immediate resonance. The possibility of an invasion of Britain was more than possible. May was the month of Dunkirk. It preceded the Blitz. (Unfortunately, for the title of the film for a popular audience these days, it sounds more like a B-budget horror film.)
However, as with three other films during the past year, Their Finest, Churchill, Dunkirk, the audience is taken back to World War II, Britain in the 1940s. And one of the principal focus characters is Winston Churchill.
The action of this film, excellently written by Anthony Mc Kernan, takes place, and a visual calendar indicates the passing of the days, in the latter part of May 1940. The parliament has lost confidence in Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, who was still associated with the allegations of appeasement prior to the outbreak of war, with leader of the opposition, Clement Atlee, denouncing him as unable to lead the nation in peacetime let alone in war. A coalition of parties for wartime government is suggested. Who will be prime minister? The conservatives do not like Winston Churchill at all. They prefer Halifax. The Labour Party prefers Churchill.
King George VI is a friend of Halifax and not a great supporter of Churchill but reluctantly agrees to the proposal. This film is very interesting in highlighting how Churchill was unpopular, especially with memories of loss of life at Gallipoli, his time in the political desert in the 20s and 30s, his staunch opposition to Hitler and warnings about imminent war.
The other feature of the film is to highlight how Churchill rose to the occasion given the invasions of Denmark, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands and the defeat of France, the pushing back of the British troops to Dunkirk and Calais. Patriotic, even jingoistic, in his attitudes, Churchill is not keen on suing for peace, especially as promoted by Chamberlain and Halifax. In a scene, whether factual or not, Churchill goes to the Underground (and it is stated that he never travelled by bus and was only once in the Underground and got lost), talks to ordinary people, engages their opinion as to standing against Hitler and their opinion as to what they would do under any terms of peace that Hitler influenced.
This gives Churchill great confidence, bypasses his War Cabinet, goes into the parliament and makes his famous speech “… fight them on the beaches…� And wins the support of both sides of Parliament, including Chamberlain (who would die of cancer by the end of the year).
Many Britons consider Churchill is one of the greatest of all Britons – but this would date from his Darkest Hour experience and his decision to fight, survive, victory.
Many actors have portrayed Churchill and here is Gary Oldman, well-made up to look like Churchill, adopting his swagger, his oratory, quite an intense performance. Kristin Scott Thomas is Churchill’s wife, the always supportive but always critical, Clemmie. There is a very good supporting cast with Ronald Pickup as Chamberlain, Stephen Dillane as Halifax, Lily James as the secretary, Miss Layton, and, very surprisingly (who would have thought of casting him in this role), Ben Mendelssohn doing an effective job as George VI.
The screenplay is literate and intelligent. It contains a lot of Churchill’s own words – but the most telling comes when Halifax is asked what happened with Churchill’s landmark speech: “the English language has been mobilised and sent to war)!
A solid opportunity to go back into British World War II history.
1. The status of Winston Churchill? His life, career, heroism, post-war status? Churchill in cinema?
2. Audiences liking Churchill? Disliking him? His role in Britain? His role in the Empire and the criticisms him in his policies in the 1940s, India, Africa?
3. The title, May 1940, the day shown with the calendar? The continued memories of May 1940 in the British consciousness?
4. The recreation of the period, the city of London, the streets, buses, the Underground? 10 Downing Street, the Palace, Westminster, offices, war rooms, House of Commons? The musical score?
5. The portrait of Churchill? Gary Oldman’s presence and performance, the make up? Recreating Churchill and his look, manner? His oratory? His character, skills, petulance, ambitions, arrogance, bad temper, crass touches? Relationship with Clemmie, with his children, Randall’s phone call? With Anthony Eden? Working with Miss Layton? His opponents, Chamberlain, Halifax? His interactions with the King? His motivations, driving force?
6. The situation of 1940, the Nazi invasions of Norway, Denmark, France, Belgium, the Netherlands? The threat of crossing the Channel? The risk to Britain, the Army, at Dunkirk, the sacrifice of Calais the troops? Defeat, the role of the Navy, the air force? Planning the flotilla of boats for Dunkirk, the rescue?
7. Churchill and his visit to France, the political discussions, military discussions, his French accent, the reactions? The French dismissing the English?
8. The significance of Calais, the sacrificing of thousands for the greater thousands? The reactions, Halifax and Chamberlain? Miss Layton? Clemmie and Churchill himself? The visualising of the siege and bombings in Calais?
9. Chamberlain, appeasement before the war, his wanting to sue for peace? Halifax as his ally? The king supporting them? Parliament, the no confidence in Chamberlain, the stands of Atlee and the opposition? The plan for a war coalition? Churchill and labour support? Not favoured in his own party? Chamberlain and Halifax and the discussions, the discussions with the King? The memories of Churchill, his character, Gallipoli and the failure, the hostility of the party, his anti-Hitler stances and his jingoism?
10. Chamberlain, Parliament, the resignation and the strategy? Churchill waiting at home, in the toilet, dictating the speeches, humiliating Miss Layton? With Clemmie? The telegram, his going to visit the King, the interview with the king, the celebration, the family? The apology to Miss Layton?
11. His speech in Parliament, Chamberlain’s signal and his not dropping his handkerchief? The establishing of the War Cabinet? Chamberlain and Halifax, their suing for peace? Liaisons with Mussolini and the Italians? The politicking behind-the-scenes, to prepare a no-confidence motion in Churchill? Churchill and his fencing with them? Not being trapped
in making any declaration about peace negotiations? His visit to the King, the king and Halifax and their friendship, the king saying that Churchill scared him? The meal together?
12. The role of the royal family, the urging to go to Canada, the decision for the family to stay in London? The support of the British people?
13. The Dunkirk situation, his phone calls to the Admiral, getting the list of all the boats, the preparation for the flotilla, the glimpse of them going to Dunkirk?
14. Churchill and the Underground, meeting the people, their respect for him, talking, knowing their names, taking notes, quoting them later? Their being on side, no humiliating terms for peace?
15. The anti-Hitler tone, Churchill’s attitude towards him – and not suing for peace against the tiger when one’s head was in the tiger’s mouth? The opening credits, the bombs, the footage from the period, the airstrikes, the planes, the cinematic technique of the camera rising and showing the overhead views? The boys in the street with their Hitler masks?
16. Churchill, carefully composing his speeches, dictating to Miss Layton? Advice of Anthony and his initial hostility to fighting? Miss Layton’s support? Clemmie’s support?
17. Churchill and Chamberlain, Chamberlain listening to the patriotic speech, giving the signal for Conservative applause? Halifax’s comment about the mobilising of the English language and sending it to war? The impact of the speech?
18. Halifax being sent to the United States? The King and his visit to Churchill, offering his support? Chamberlain’s death at the end of 1940?
19. The speech in Parliament, remembered, survival and victory? The parliament and the cheers?
20. Churchill’s career, the aftermath, Attlee being elected prime minister? Churchill’s subsequent career, dying in 1965?
