Darkest Hour

Few events and people have been portrayed in fiction more than World War II and Winston Churchill.

Most notably, recent films Dunkirk and Hacksaw Ridge and television shows The Crown and Peaky Blinders depict some of the war’s events and the important historic figure, but one of the finest portrayals of the war and the enigmatic, influential Winston Churchill is Darkest Hour.

The British war drama, directed by Joe Wright (2005’s Pride and Prejudice and 2015’s Pan) and written by Anthony McCarten (The Theory of Everything), took on the heavy task of portraying one of the most memorable figures in history.

The film is an account of Churchill, played by Gary Oldman, during his early days as prime minister, at which time the Nazi German army, under the command of Hitler, made its way through Western Europe.

The looming threat of Germany’s invasion of the United Kingdom caused friction in the British government, at the center of which was Churchill, a man known for his unparalleled skills as a wordsmith and orator as well as his fiery, unstable short temperedness.

Oldman’s moving performance received well-deserved praise. He perfectly captures Churchill’s impressive, admirable strengths as a government figure as well as his detestable temper, impulsiveness and irritable nature. In playing Churchill, he simultaneously garners love and admiration, fear and loathing, sympathy and skepticism — for which he was nominated and won Academy, BAFTA, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards for best actor.

Notable moments of excellence in the film include the harrowing scenes when Churchill and his War Cabinet discuss how to rescue the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk and Calais; the private, comical and emotional discussions between Churchill and King George VI; and a particularly inspiring moment on the London Underground, when Churchill looks to civilians for advice on whether or not to continue the fight against Germany.

The film also stars Kristin Scott Thomas as Churchill’s wife, and Lily James, who did a fantastic job as Churchill’s personal secretary, demonstrating the important though difficult roles of those holding behind-the-scenes government roles during one of the most trying times in world history.