Gary Oldman’s Fantastic Transformation
By Sherif Andrawes
How to make a new and interesting film about such a well know story and personality? There have been many films and TV series focussing on Sir Winston Churchill and a variety of actors from Timothy Spall, to Albert Finney and John Lithgow have already given us their versions of the man. Added to this Churchill’s story is intertwined with the fate of the Allies in World War Two a story that has been portrayed in war movies from The Guns of Naverone to The Longest Day and Bridge Over the River Kwai.
Of course, this was never going to be a guns and glory war movie. Even so, Darkest Hour takes a very different view of the story that everyone knows. Rather than focusing on the end of the story where Churchill and the Allies lead the forces of Good to victory over Evil, writer (Anthony McCarten) focusses on a few days at the start of the war. Through some skilled writing, well-developed characters (in particular Gary Oldman’s portrayal of Churchill himself) and a backdrop that immerses the viewer into London in 1940, we are delivered a film that is well worth watching if you want to understand how closely the story of World War Two came to being quite different.
It would surprise most people that at the start of May 1940 Churchill becoming Prime Minister was a very remote possibility. As someone who was not well liked by his own party, with a history of questionable poor decisions (Gallipoli, his support of Edward VIII, Norway etc) and a very hard to like cantankerous personality he certainly wasn’t favourite for the role, by a long way.
The story is a popular one. This has also been the focus of one of the books of 2017, Six Minutes in May: How Churchill Unexpectedly Became Prime Minister by Nicholas Shakespeare. Like that book Darkest Hour focusses on the few days at the start of May 1940 when Britain stood alone
This initial portrayal of Churchill is well demonstrated through his initial interactions with his new secretary played by Lily James. The scheming and political backroom workings are the key backdrop to this movie and engage the viewer by introducing a previously little-known story, although even this runs thin two-thirds of the way through the film.
The focus of the film is on understanding Churchill’s character. In other films, we see the Churchill we all know: the finished version. The one who leads Britain through victory through great oratory and with the backing of the Royal Family, the Allies, and all the British People. In this film we are given an insight into this Churchill being developed, standing alone with the King, the USA and even those within his own political party working against him.
Darkest Hour is not a comedy, but as ever in the darkest moments humour comes to the fore and there are plenty of very funny moments in the film which generally came from the actions and mouth of Gary Oldman’s very cantankerous Churchill. Director Joe Wright explains how Churchill built himself into the personality we know – the scenes showing how he adopted the V for Victory sign worked well, but the scene on the Underground does not and is cringe worthy.
What carries this film is the humour which all comes from Gary Oldman’s Churchill and helps us to understand the self-doubts and frailties of the person on a human level rather than a remote historical figure. Gary Oldman does an outstanding job in a role that seems to be a rite of passage for all serious actors as they age. There is a great supporting cast especially in Kristin Scott Thomas as Lady Chamberlain and Lily James as Churchill’s secretary, but really this film is all about Gary Oldman.
In May 1940 we didn’t know how the story would end. It was not clear exactly what the extent of Evil was and the common view in the British establishment was that Hitler wasn’t evil and instead of fighting Britain should negotiate with him. This film draws you into that world in a very effective way and the first half of the film is very entertaining before it loses its way before the predictable final speech and the emergence of Churchill as the leader that history would remember.
This is a film that is well worth seeing if you love great acting and you are interested in gaining a greater understanding of a key turning point in world history in what is a funny and dramatic piece. Will this film win any awards? Probably not, but Gary Oldman will certainly be in consideration when it comes to award season as will the production design team.