CHURCHILL MOVIE A DISAPPOINTMENT AND AN INSULT

I was irritated and saddened by the historical and personality inaccuracies in the movie "Churchill". It misses the point of his character at the time completely. The script makes him out to be the equivalent of a nervous old maiden aunt, who has just dropped a stitch, rather than the bulldog, who had guided and inspired the British nation through nearly 5 years of total war with determination and courage. 

Clearly the writer is too young to have experienced what Britain went through and has no understanding of the colossal pressure and sense of terror placed on the nation and its citizens by the military might of Nazi Germany. It seems that the scriptwriter's personal feelings and environment have over ridden historical fact. Accurate research would have been useful.

The actor Brian Cox did a fine job but didn't have much to work with. 

We all have character flaws and some great men have even greater flaws than most, but, that ought not be the story. It is supposed to be about the buildup to one of the greatest logistical and most dangerous events in military and human history. Certainly Churchill was fretful about the potential loss of life as were all the military commanders, but in June 1944 he did not shrink from his duty to the nation. To focus on his natural concern, disgraces his memory.

The US wanted initially to invade Europe in 1942, to have done so would have been tragic, the allies were not ready and it would have been foolhardy and would have led to defeat. The British military chiefs had the battle experience, the American chiefs yet to acquire it. Thankfully, the Americans had the industrial might and manpower.

The writer has compressed nearly 4 years of wartime hassles between the Allied Military and Politicians and woven that with Churchill's "black dog" lifetime depression into 4 days prior to D Day. For the script to focus on the tragedy of Gallipoli in 1915 is spiteful. This rendition is full of contradictions and anyone who has lived through the period or studied the many books surrounding the Allied World War 11 effort from 1942 through to 1945 and anyone who was at Eisenhower's Supreme Headquarter's that June would be mortified by this movie.

It's true that he wanted to sail to France on a cruiser at the outset of the adventure, but King George V1 wisely over ruled Churchill's impetuosity. Hardly the action of a nervous and reluctant man. However, both of them did visit Gen. Montgomery's battlefield HQ in Normandy on the 11th June.

Rewriting history by those who are fortunate enough to benefit from the sacrifices of the combatants, citizens and leaders, seems to be a growing trend. They should visit any London Eastenders who suffered under the Blitz, or talk with WW11 Veterans still living and get their views. They were there. Churchill was not a bumbling old wreck at age 70, weary yes, but still forceful and an inspiration to his nation. He led his political party until he was 80!