I am of two minds on this film. From a cinematic standpoint, the direction is quite good, the acting ranges from very good to outstanding (Oldman deserved all the accolades he received for his portrayal of Churchill). A rousing, even inspirational film on its surface.
As an historian who has spent nearly 20 years researching and using historical feature films as a teaching tool, the matter is more complicated. This excellent review (should be read after seeing the film) gets it just about right in terms of its strengths and weaknesses as history. I rarely indulge in simplistic nitpicking (and frequently admonish colleagues who do), and I often give wide latitude to such films in recognition of the very different purposes between a commercial feature film about an historical topic and an academic work on the same subject. However, the reviewer does a good job of dealing fairly with its inaccuracies while acknowledging the usefulness of a significant historical argument made by the filmmakers (I'm vague here to avoid spoilers).
For someone wanting to watch a good movie, with an excellent performance by the lead, this one delivers if the subject is of interest. For anyone wanting to pursue the topic further, I recommend the linked review (after the film).
I will definitely be making use of this film in my international 20th century history course next summer, along with the review (and at least one other I've found, for its perspective on Clement Attlee, though it is not as scholarly as the other review linked above).
As an historian who has spent nearly 20 years researching and using historical feature films as a teaching tool, the matter is more complicated. This excellent review (should be read after seeing the film) gets it just about right in terms of its strengths and weaknesses as history. I rarely indulge in simplistic nitpicking (and frequently admonish colleagues who do), and I often give wide latitude to such films in recognition of the very different purposes between a commercial feature film about an historical topic and an academic work on the same subject. However, the reviewer does a good job of dealing fairly with its inaccuracies while acknowledging the usefulness of a significant historical argument made by the filmmakers (I'm vague here to avoid spoilers).
For someone wanting to watch a good movie, with an excellent performance by the lead, this one delivers if the subject is of interest. For anyone wanting to pursue the topic further, I recommend the linked review (after the film).
I will definitely be making use of this film in my international 20th century history course next summer, along with the review (and at least one other I've found, for its perspective on Clement Attlee, though it is not as scholarly as the other review linked above).
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