Darkest Hour (2017)

My Review

Gary Oldman delivers a tour de force with his Oscar-winning portrayal of Winston Churchill in “Darkest Hour.” The film is set in 1940 when he took office as Prime Minister, as Germany steamrolls over most of Europe with the Anglo-Saxon isle squarely in its sights. Director Joe Wright (“Pride and Prejudice” 2005) and screenwriter Anthony McCarten assembled this masterpiece with outstanding production values and memorable performances.

The cast includes Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill, Kristin Scott Thomas as Clementine Churchill, Ben Mendelsohn as King George VI, Ronald Pickup as Neville Chamberlain, Lily James as Winton’s secretary, Samuel West as Anthony Eden. and David Strathairn as American President Franklin D. Roosevelt on the telephone. The very watchable “Darkest Hour” was a success at the box office for Perfect World Pictures, Working Title Films, and Universal Pictures.

Filmed across England, “Darkest Hour” received six Academy Award nominations, winning two – Best Actor (Oldman) and Best Makeup and Hairstyling. Non-winners include Best Picture, Best Cinematography (Bruno Delbonnel), Best Costume Design, and Best Production Design.