Churchill

Movie Review #8254 CHURCHILL.

Biopic sliver covering the days immediately prior to the D-Day invasion of World War II, told from the perspective of one Winston Churchill.

The man was pinned with failure at Gallipoli and obviously very keen not to be so again so the friction between him and Eisenhower and Montgomery over battle plans for Operation Overlord as it was known, is explored with much depth.

Also investigated is his relationship with Mrs Churchill as she attempts to bring reason to a mind skewed with fear of repeating failure. Sporting a bullying personality, Churchill attempts to steamroller all and sundry into adopting his plan but when it takes the intervention of royalty to bring him to his senses, he finally realises just what is at stake.

Whether this is the way it happened I dunno but it makes for an interesting couple of tense hours albeit somewhat tedious in parts. Brian Cox is an adequate Churchill with Miranda Richardson his long-suffering spouse, Clementine (almost didn't recognize her!). James Purefoy does a great turn as George VI, who is the only one Churchill will acquiesce to in the end.

One for the art house crowd especially those with an interest in WWII history but I think the garden-variety moviegoer will find it all a bit overbearing. 7/10.