The Gathering Storm

Seen here in one of his finest hours (actually, 96 minutes), Albert Finney's Emmy-winning portrayal of Sir Winston Churchill constitutes the stirring backbone of this much lauded HBO original movie set in the mid-to-late 1930s chronicling Great Britain's ignorance, indifference, and--ultimately--infamous stance of appeasement in regard to Hitler's military buildup and subsequent invasion of Poland. Germany's rise to power was no fault of Churchill's; his gruff, bulldog stance and constant warnings about Hitler's war machine fell on Parliamentary deaf ears until, of course, history turned round and bit them in the small pants. Director Richard Loncraine's 2002 film (the second time this story has been told--Herbert Wise's 1974 TV movie of the same name starred Sir Richard Burton as the man who would be prime minister) deftly mixes political intrigue with touching glimpses into the personal lives of Churchill and his beloved wife Clemmie (Vanessa Redgrave) at their Chartwell estate. The powerhouse cast also includes Jim Broadbent (Iris), Tom Wilkinson (In the Bedroom), Derek Jacobi (Gosford Park), Linus Roache (Hart's War) and Lena Headey (Possession), who are justly praised by director Loncraine on the DVD's engaging commentary track with producer Frank Doelger. Recommended. (R. Pitman)