Darkest Hour Dvd

Darkest Hour is a 2017 war drama film directed by Joe Wright and written by Anthony McCarten. Set in May 1940, it stars Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill and is an account of his early days as prime minister during the Second World War and the May 1940 War Cabinet Crisis, while Nazi Germany’s Wehrmacht swept across Western Europe and threatened to defeat the United Kingdom. The German advance leads to friction at the highest levels of government between those who would make a peace treaty with Adolf Hitler, and Churchill, who refused. The film also stars Kristin Scott Thomas, Lily James, Ben Mendelsohn, Stephen Dillane, and Ronald Pickup.

The film had its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival on 1 September 2017, and it was also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival.[7] It began a limited release in the United States on 22 November 2017, followed by general release on 22 December, and was released on 12 January 2018 in the United Kingdom. The film grossed $150 million worldwide and received mainly positive reviews from critics, especially with regard to Oldman’s physical transformation and acting, with many considering it to be one of the best performances of his career.

The film earned Oldman the Academy Award for Best Actor, as well as the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role. At the 90th Academy Awards the film earned six nominations, including Best Picture, and won for Best Actor and Best Makeup and Hairstyling. At the 71st British Academy Film Awards it received nine nominations including Best Film and Outstanding British Film.

Plot

In May 1940, the opposition Labour Party in Parliament demands the resignation of British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain for being too weak in the face of the Nazi onslaught. Chamberlain tells Conservative Party colleagues that he wants Lord Halifax as his successor, but Halifax does not feel the time is right. Chamberlain is forced to choose the only man whom the opposition parties will accept: Winston Churchill, the First Lord of the Admiralty, who had correctly predicted the danger from Adolf Hitler before the war.

Churchill tries to dismiss his new secretary Elizabeth Layton for mishearing him, which earns him a rebuke from his wife Clementine. King George VI, who strongly distrusts Churchill due to his support for his brother Edward VIII during the Abdication Crisis, reluctantly invites him to form a government. Churchill includes Chamberlain (as Lord President of the Council) and Halifax (as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs). That day, Germany invades Belgium and the Netherlands.

Churchill has a poor reputation in Parliament because of his record in the Admiralty, his role in the Gallipoli Campaign in the First World War, his views on India, Russian civil war and his past defection to the Liberal Party. Parliament reacts coolly to Churchill’s first speech promising “Blood, toil, tears and sweat”. Chamberlain and Halifax are appalled by Churchill’s refusal to negotiate for peace, and begin to plan to resign from the government to force a vote of no confidence, creating a situation in which Halifax would become the Prime Minister.

Churchill visits French Prime Minister Paul Reynaud, who thinks Churchill delusional for not admitting that the Allies are losing the Battle of France, while Churchill becomes furious that the French do not have a plan to counterattack. Although U.S. President Roosevelt is sympathetic to Churchill’s plight, his actions are limited by an isolationist Congress and the Neutrality Acts. Churchill draws ire from his cabinet and advisers for delivering a radio address in which he falsely implies the Allies to be advancing in France – as a refugee column is heavily bombed – earning him a rebuke from the King. Halifax and Chamberlain continue to push to use Italian Ambassador Giuseppe Bastianini as an intermediary with Germany.

The British Expeditionary Force is trapped at Dunkirk and Calais. Against the advice of the War Cabinet, Churchill orders Brigadier Nicholson in Calais to lead the 30th Infantry Brigade in a rearguard action to distract the enemy and buy time for the soldiers at Dunkirk to evacuate. Layton’s brother is killed during the retreat.

The debacle in France causes the War Cabinet to support negotiating with Germany. Under heavy pressure, Churchill agrees to consider a negotiated peace, but is unable to bring himself to dictate a letter requesting talks. George VI unexpectedly visits Churchill; the King explains that he has come to like Churchill, and encourages him to continue the war. Still uncertain, Churchill impulsively rides the London Underground (for the first time in his life) and asks startled passengers their opinion: the civilians all want to continue to fight. Churchill meets with the Outer Cabinet[11] and other Members of Parliament, and receives their support. The evacuation of troops from Dunkirk, Operation Dynamo, is successful.

As Churchill prepares to address Parliament, Halifax asks Chamberlain to continue with their plan to resign, but Chamberlain decides first to listen to the address. Towards the end of his speech, Churchill proclaims that “we shall fight on the beaches” should the Germans invade, to resounding support from the Opposition. Chamberlain mops his brow with his handkerchief, a prearranged signal that the Tories should support the PM. Churchill exits the chamber to cheers and waving of order papers.

Cast

Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill
Kristin Scott Thomas as Clementine Churchill
Lily James as Elizabeth Layton
Stephen Dillane as Viscount Halifax
Ronald Pickup as Neville Chamberlain
Samuel West as Anthony Eden
Ben Mendelsohn as King George VI
Richard Lumsden as General Ismay
Malcolm Storry as General Ironside
Nicholas Jones as Sir John Simon
David Schofield as Clement Attlee
Hilton McRae as Arthur Greenwood
Benjamin Whitrow as Sir Samuel Hoare
Joe Armstrong as John Evans
Adrian Rawlins as Air Chief Marshal Dowding
David Bamber as Admiral Ramsay
Paul Leonard as Admiral Dudley Pound
Demetri Goritsas as Cabinet Secretary Bridges
Olivier Broche as Paul Reynaud
American actor David Strathairn provided the voice of President Roosevelt, heard on a phone call with Churchill. Samuel West is credited as playing “Sir” Anthony Eden, though Eden did not become a knight until 1954, when he was appointed to the Order of the Garter. This was the final film role for Benjamin Whitrow, who died, aged 80, a few weeks after the September premiere of the film.