Darkest Hour * guest review

 by Jonathan Miles, Guest Reviewer 

What a terrific movie. Darkest Hour is a tightly-told story of five weeks between when Winston Churchill becomes Prime Minister in May 1940 and the evacuation of Dunkirk in June. France is collapsing, the British Army is trapped across the Channel, a German invasion is feared imminent, Britain is alone, and Churchill steps into the breach, drink in one hand, cigar in the other.

Whether he will side with those who believe that Britain must strike a deal with Hitler or rally the nation in a desperate fight is the movie’s big question. That question is nicely echoed by a smaller but equally important one: whether Churchill can gain the trust and support of an aloof and skeptical King George VI and symbolically, in the person of the King, the trust and support of the people he and Churchill must lead into either surrender or war.

The movie takes a few liberties with the historical record. A dramatic shouting match in the War Cabinet on the question of surrender probably never occurred, even though it is nice storytelling. The most cringeworthy fiction, though, is a ride Churchill takes on the London Underground, on which he meets at chats with a rainbow coalition of Londoners and takes courage from their resolve to fight. It is a sign of our times that such touchy-feely melodrama is deemed a necessary plot device to make great figures accessible, as if there are no great men, only men who ride the tube.

And Churchill was great (arguably the greatest human being of the 20th Century). He is a challenge for even a very fine actor. Gary Oldman proves himself very fine indeed. He captures Churchill’s intellect and humor, charisma and churlishness, determination and doubt. We just started watching The Crown, in which Churchill is played by John Lithgow. Lithgow is a fine actor, too, but his shambling wreck Churchill does neither him nor his subject much credit. If Oldman does not win an Oscar the Nazis will have rigged the vote.

Oldman’s performance is supported by Kristin Scott Thomas, whose Clementine Churchill is sharp and witty. Ben Mendelsohn captures the stiff reserve of George VI with a hint of sweet warmth. Lily James, as Churchill’s secretary, Elizabeth Layton, is charming and a lovely foil for her sometimes irascible boss. One wants more of each of these characters. If historical liberties were taken to a delightful extreme, a scene with Clemmie, George, and Elizabeth knocking back some pints in a pub during the Blitz would have been a joy. Maybe in a sequel.

Go see it. 4.9/5 jalapenos.