Darkest Hour

“Success is not final. Failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.” Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill is a massive historical figure. Gary Oldman commands that looming figure and brings his brooding, powerful and surprisingly insecure character to the screen in a solid, but not spectacular, biopic.

The moments all around Churchill are closing in. Hitler and the Nazis are on their way. France has folded. Norway and Belgium too. It appears England is just the next domino in line. So the argument begins - is it better to live in relative peace under the terms of a dictator or quite possibly die fighting for freedom?

As the newly appointed Prime Minister, Churchill is resolute in the idea that peace talks are absolutely off the table. Lord Halifax and recently demoted Neville Chamberlain work furiously behind the scenes to keep the opportunity for peace talks alive. Director Joe Wright does a very nice job of keeping the tension and peril in place. As Churchill’s role increases and the pressure mounts, Wright boxes him in, leaving large parts of the frame blacked out so that Churchill appears trapped. Removed from the facts of how history actually turned, it’s easy to see how Halifax and Chamberlain’s point of view would make sense and difficult to buy into the no surrender at all costs approach Churchill insists upon.

Churchill’s battles are fought on a small scale throughout - first with a new secretary, then with his wife. He has to learn how to be a better communicator, listening to his staff and embracing the fears and imperfections that make him strong and wise according to his wife (Kristin Scott Thomas).

He also has tremendous work to do with earning King George’s confidence (played by Ben Mendehlson), as is shown when Churchill kisses the King’s hand in acceptance of the role of Prime Minister and George immediately wipes his offended hand.

Time is a character throughout the film, portrayed dramatically by the full screen falling of dates across the frame. Oldman does a great job of displaying his humanity within the decision making role in the titular “Darkest Hours”, at one point offering a celebratory toast with his family  “here’s to not buggering it up!”

There’s no magic in what Churchill brings to office. As he states plainly: “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat”. The restraint shown here by Wright is powerful and helps clarify the starkness of the situation. There are no superheroes, super weapons or super friends coming to save the day. Churchill and then U.S. president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, have a conversation that basically shows the U.S. giving England nothing in its greatest time of need.

V for victory...or something like that...

His saving grace comes about in his ability to escape the echo chamber of his war cabinet and parliament, instead going directly to the common people of the UK and asking them what they want. Any hesitation he felt about what he must do before that is gone in the time it takes him to travel a single stop on the tube.

The courage shown in the face of the unknown is admirable, particularly in its simple humanity. There are shades of Spielberg’s Lincoln here, though the overall presentation is far more muted and quiet. While not a brilliant film, Darkest Hour is satisfying and timely, with Oldman’s accolades all extremely well earned.