The Gathering Storm

[Walt's Daughter]

Just began watching this tonight. So far I just love it. More later...

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/gatheringstorm/

 

The Gathering Storm is a portrayal of Churchill (Albert Finney) and his wife, Clementine (Vanessa Redgrave), during their wilderness years of the 1930s.

 

In an acclaimed performance Finney recreates one of the most important icons of the 20th century. It was evidently a major challenge for one the UK's best actors.

 

"Apart from the fact that I thought the screenplay was very good, I was tempted and slightly intimidated by the idea of playing him." Finney says. "In one way, it was quite exciting to try, and in another way it was bit worrying because of who he was. In the final analysis I thought, 'No, do it, do it'."

 

Finney put a lot of preparation into the role: "I watched a lot of archive footage of Churchill and most of the interesting footage is later in his life, rather than the period we cover in the film."

 

Vanessa Redgrave explains what attracted her to her role in the film: "The script made me realise something of the extraordinary and very exciting contradictions that ran through Winston which I didn't know about before."

 

Albert Finney - Winston Churchill

Vanessa Redgrave - Clementine Churchill

Jim Broadbent - Desmond Morton

Derek Jacobi - Stanley Baldwin

Linus Roache - Ralph Wigram

Ronnie Barker - Inches