Darkest Hour

Front Row at the Movies by Shirrel Rhoades

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“The Darkest Hour” is a phrase coined by British Prime Minister Winston Churchill to describe the period during World War II when the British Empire stood alone against Nazi Germany in Europe. It is an appropriate title for a biopic about Churchill.

“Darkest Hour” follows Winston Churchill’s early moments as Prime Minister leading his country against the onslaught by Hitler. It focuses on British backroom parliamentary politics during May 1940. Prime Minster Neville Chamberlain was being tossed out of office for his failed appeasement policy with Hitler. A more aggressive wartime leader, Churchill was called on to replace Chamberlain.

This was a difficult time for Churchill. He suffered from chronic fits of depressions, a condition he called “Black Dog.” However, the war energized Churchill, who was 65 years old when he became Prime Minister. As one journalist put it, “The responsibilities which are his now must be greater than those carried by any other human being on earth. One would think such a weight would have a crushing effect upon him. Not at all.”

Churchill’s speeches were a great inspiration to the embattled British. His first as Prime Minister was the famous, “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat” speech.

As one reporter observed, “People said they didn’t know what Britain would do without him. He was obviously respected. But no one felt he would be Prime Minister after the war. He was simply the right man in the right job at the right time. The time being the time of a desperate war with Britain’s enemies.”

“Darkest Hour” profiles Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, PCc, DL, FRS, RA. The film is currently playing at Tropic Cinema.

All that aside, the reason to see this film is the electrifying performance by Gary Oldman. His portrayal of the British Bulldog is nothing short of masterful.

Oldman is a fine and versatile actor, able to go from twitchy drug addict (“Leon: The Professional”) to a subtle and sedate intelligence agent (“Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”). He has played characters as diverse as Lee Harvey Oswald (“JFK”) to Count Dracula (“Bram Stoker’s Dracula”) to Ludwig van Beethoven (“Immortal Beloved”) to Elvis (“Guns, Girls and Gambling”). He has appeared in reoccurring roles in popular franchises from the Batman Dark Knight blockbusters to the Harry Potter epics. His cinematic appearances have ranged from action villains (“Air Force One”) to sci-fi (“The Fifth Element”) to schlock (“The Unborn”) to Shakespearean (“Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead “).

Once a member of England’s so-called Brit Pack, Roger Ebert termed him “the best young British actor around.” Later in Oldman’s career, Ebert concluded that he was “one of the great actors, able to play high, low, crass, noble.”

With “Darkest Hour” he plays noble, defining Winston Churchill as “a man with the heart of a nation.”

Oldman (with the help of prosthetics and acting skill) not only looks but sounds like the Winston Churchill we remember from newsreels. And he captures Churchill’s insouciant wit, the script peppered with funny lines.

Gary Oldman has called the film “a love letter to the British people.”

His performance is Oscar-worthy. And he’s overdue, having only once been nominated for his role in “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.” Being outspoken and cantankerous, the actor was never a darling of the awards circuit. Maybe that’s due to change.

A month or so into Winston Churchill’s first term as Britain’s Prime Minister, he gave a speech in which he said of the British Empire “this was their finest hour.” This film may be Gary Oldman’s finest hour. Well, two hours and five minutes to be precise.

Email Shirrel: srhoades@aol.com