Excellent but underrated film

Boring

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

I found The Gathering Storm to be an excellent historical drama, particularly with the leading characters of Winston Churchill and his wife Clementine ("Clemmie") played by Albert Finney and Vanessa Redgrave. How wonderful to have such accomplished actors whose performances give such vivid impressions of great characters from the past. Linus Roache gave a splendid performance as the Foreign Office official who puts principle above personal gain, with great risk to his own young family. Derek Jacobi is a great actor who continues to do excellent work. His Stanley Baldwin may not have been a lookalike for the prime minister who dominated so much of public life in the 1920's and 30's but I still found his performance impressive with a very moving scene where the two meet towards the end of the show. Actors Jim Broadbent, Hugh Bonneville, Ronnie Barker, Celia Imrie, Lena Headey and Tom Wilkinson give added depth to the movie. The domestic life of the Churchills at their Chartwell estate sheds light on the difficult relationship between Winston and Clemmie during Churchill's dark period in the 1930's when he felt like a voice in the wilderness against the tyranny of Germany and the threat it posed to Great Britain. Winnie had his dog days and Clemmie told him how much she realized he needed to get back into the fray so he didn't subject the whole household to his moods. Winston took this as a backhand vote of support. The love and affection they share for one another is palpable, despite the strains on the marriage. There is also a strong hint of an affair between Clemmie and another man when she leaves for a lengthy cruise. In any case, the couple reunite and Winston eventually achieves his goal of re-entering public life with her by his side. This is the kind of movie I could watch again and again and the cast is superb.

Just saw the DVD and I couldn't be more pleased.We all knew Albert Finney is a monumental star; not only in Brit cinema, but altogether on the screen. Ever since he was a young beau.Now in his elderly career he looms larger than most; and the role of Winnie proved easy as pie to this wonderful trouper. I have visited his beautiful estate, Chartwell. It's stupendous; here we see how he loved it. Meaning as well his love for the British Empire. The story of his unbelievable resurgence to power during the Gathering Storm that was apparent only to him, is certainly dramatic. That's the core of this triumphant role for Albert Finney.Finney's Churchill makes an entire era return to life again, such is the manic strength of his acting. He becomes Winston Churchill.Spoiler alert! All the rest of this cast help make it lovely and nostalgic; Linus Roache as Ralph Wigram and Lonnie Barker, playing Inches the faithful butler: Who isn't afraid to scratch back at his dominating master; a sweet spot of comic relief. I only found Vanessa Redgrave barely suitable for such an important role as Clementine the adored wife. While she was having affairs the Old Man was saving the world from Adolf Hitler. That probably casts her in a bad light, of course. The production and acting are outstanding; as we've become so used to in numerous British TV movies. To see Albert Finney at his apogee, watch The Gathering Storm!

"History lesson" movies is of the kind that rarely is any entertaining. But when Albert Finney and Vanessa Redgrave is impersonating Churchill and his wife Clemmie, what could be wrong? Sure, some of the dialogue is like taken out of a history book, where the characters is telling us key fact about Germany and England in the 30-s, but most of all this movie shows a moving picture of a marriage and a vulnerable Winston who is fighting for his career, his fortune and for respect in the parliament. This is not the triumphant man we are used to see in wartime movies, this is a man who is ridiculed and laugh at, and who still continues to dictate his speeches from the bathtub - never wanting to give in. Through help from an insider (Linus Roache, who also plays Batmans father in excellent "Batman Begins") in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, his credibility is growing. The only drawback here, is the rather subdued way this story about the insider is told: It is kind of hanging in the air, and the disaster is tastefully kept in the background somehow. But, after all, a very special movie that really could deserve to get to the screen.

Finney adds yet another stupendous role to his acting credits. He plays Churchill warts and all, wisdom and all. Vanessa Redgrave is stunning as Mrs. Churchill. Finney and Redgrave, between the two, portray an interesting, intimate and wholly plausible complexity of their marriage and homelife. This, adding a major league cast of the Best of Britain, Jim Broadbent, Tom Wilkerson, Linus Roache, Derek Jacobi and on and on. If Nigel Hawthorne (God Rest him) was still among us, he would have been here. Richard Loncraine, the director, keeps the pace moving without compromising the performances. Finney deserves a special mention for his attempt to sound like WSC, without resorting to parody. A fine film, worthy of roses all around. A sumptuous screenplay that even Labour could support. Highly recommended.