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The Gathering Storm [2002] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

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Editorial
Amazon.c.uk Review

The Gathering Storm is a fictionalised portrayal of Winston Churchill and his wife Clementine during their wilderness years of the 1930s. It deservedly won numerous awards, including an Emmy, BAFTA and Golden Globe in recognition of Albert Finney's wonderful central performance. Equally deserving were those for all aspects of the production design: period wardrobe, set dressing and use of location are equally impressive, apparently ensuring that this production has everything going for it in its depiction of pre-War Britain. The snag is that its restriction to TV movie format, a mere 90 minutes, excludes a lot of historical context that ought not to have been left out.

Seeing Churchill's adoration of his wife (Vanessa Redgrave) or the family woes troubling Ralph Wigram (Linus Roache) is all very emotionally dramatic, but it uses precious screen time that might have been better devoted to highlighting the political situation abroad, or indeed the monarchy's situation at home. The enterprise smacks a little too much of sentimental contrivance, lionising Churchill in rose-tinted retrospect. True, some attempt is made to acknowledge the personality traits that excluded him both from office and popularity prior to Germany's re-building, but like so much else pertinent to the machinations of anticipating the war, these are glossed over for familial feel-goodery and button-pushing poignancy. This is a film that's easy to admire, but ought not to be mistaken for well-rounded history.

On the DVD: The Gathering Storm doesn't look or sound quite as crisp and clear as you'd hope for a recent TV-movie transfer. That's down to some obvious grain in the picture, and the 2.0 surround audio that tends to lose quieter dialogue moments. There are extensive cast and crew biographies that will no doubt help international viewers place the naggingly familiar British faces. There's also the accumulatively enthusiastic commentary from director Richard Loncraine and producer Frank Doelger, which happily points many of them out. --Paul Tonks

Go for it, you will get wiser about things you probably did not know!
Review date: 2008-06-16 Rating: 10 out of 10

All performances in this film are remarkable, but especially Linus Roache stands out with a superb performance, as the man with a conscience, who made it possible for Winston Churchill to expose Chamberlains aid to Nazi Germany.

Reviews

Great. But. Er...
Review date: 2008-05-20 Rating: 10 out of 10

Wonderfully done; full of fine acting, period detail, and all the spirit, vigour and beauty of Britain before the rot set in.

The only thing which mars it would have to be, I'm afraid, the unfortunate and rather bizarre low-angled shot of Albert Finney's flapping scrotum as he walks to the loo in the first five minutes. Quite who the pervert was that chose the camera position I do not know, but he renders it rather unfit for children or sensitive adults not in possession of a sickbag.

Make sure you have a remote to FFW at the appropriate point.

Absolutely magnificent
Review date: 2007-06-10 Rating: 10 out of 10

Joining in with other recent depictions of great politicians and monarchs, this film describes in an exceptional manner the man Winston Churchill. Backed by such extraordinary talents as Vanessa Redgrave, Albert Finney brings Churchill to life in a most excellent way, giving us a thoroughly realistic image of his speeches, his beliefs, his narcissism - his strengths and his weaknesses. Along with his personal life, the troubling times are the centre of the plot. Churchill's particular manner made him the perfect opposite to Hitler, and one of the few men in British politics to stand up to German aggression in an era of appeasement. Churchill is one of the great men of history, for better or worse. This film should be viewed by young and old, and its message burned into the minds of all.

Winston Is Back! By Bloody Hell He Is!
Review date: 2007-04-23 Rating: 10 out of 10

"This is a hugely entertaining movie that gives us a personal glimpse of Churchhill's life at the prelude of his illustrious career. The movie works as well as it does because of Albert Finney's brilliant performance as Churchhill. Finney won an Emmy for this performance and it's not hard to see why. His portrayal of the former Prime Mister of England is the greatest acting performance I've seen in years. The way Finney so effortlessly molded himself into the character is simply astonishing." David Blair

The opening scene of this epic shows Winston Churchill getting up out of bed, buck naked, we see his buttocks as he goes to take a 'piss' while reciting a speech he was about to make. We know without a doubt that this is a movie without compromise, and Albert Finney has become Churchill. I doubt I will see acting as fine as this again. I am enmeshed in his character, and I believe he was more Churchill than Churchill.

As fabulous as the acting is the story holds you spellbound. The story of Churchill without power and out of office as it were and floundering. Then he is given information about Germany and his life begins anew. The story of Clementine, his wife, as played by Vanessa Redgrave. Their love story, and as Winston says at one point near the end of the movie. "Thank you for loving me as I never thought I would be loved". How wonderful to have a love as deep and as long and to be as thankful for someone else in your life. Their family and their personal life comes alive. The travails and the daily life become up close. The friends and foes are put to test, and Winston's true personality shines. He is a great man, and as he has said, he knows it! We see the warts and all. His drinking, his financial issues, his 'black dog' or depression, and the wonderous man who works 20 hours out of 24.

I learned a great deal about Winston Churchill I did not know. This movie opened the door into his personal life, and he became a real flesh and blood man. 'The Gathering Storm' was the title of one of his books and it fits this movie well. Clemmie, his wife is the epitome of the woman behind the man. She gave up much, but it was returned in spades via her husband and her children. The stories entwined that of Winston, his public life and that of Winston, his private life. I want more of this calibre. My best friend told me this movie was a favorite. It has become a favorite of mine, and I only finished the viewing.
Heartily Recommended. prisrob 4-22-07

The Wit & Wisdom of Winston Churchill

SIMPLY SUPERB
Review date: 2007-04-01 Rating: 10 out of 10

It just goes to show what you can achieve with inspired casting, skilful acting performances and first class writing, not to mention the beauty of Chartwell and all the other ingredients that went into making this supremely excellent film....superb. It knocks all the Hollywood films into a cocked hat and leaves them extremely wanting.
Smashing...we've watched it over and over. A great testimony to a truly wonderful leader and a very great man.

Product Details/Specifications

Actor(s):
Lena Headey
Linus Roache
Albert Finney
Jim Broadbent
Vanessa Redgrave

Director(s):

Recording label: HBO Home Video
Manufacturer: HBO Home Video
EAN: 9780783120577
Binding: DVD
ISBN: 0783120575
Number of items: 1
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Colour, DVD-Video, Letterboxed, Widescreen, NTSC,
Release date: 2003-02-04
Universal product code (UPC): 026359189821
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Region code: 1
Running time: 96 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2002-04-27
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: French (Original Language)
Language: English (Subtitled)
Language: French (Subtitled)
Language: Spanish (Subtitled)
Language: Spanish (Dubbed)

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The Gathering Storm [2002] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

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