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United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 0 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), SPECIAL FEATURES: Box Set, Interactive Menu, Multi-DVD Set, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: In 1929, Winston Churchill believed that his political career was finished. Buried by his political rivals and cut off by his enemies, Churchill was out of power, nearly broke and politically isolated. Ten years later, his brilliance and unconquerable spirit would lead the world in its desperate fight against Hitler. His life over this ten year period is an amazing and intimate story of political intrigue and personal courage. Originally broadcast as a TV drama and starring Robert Hardy as Churchill, this four DVD box set brings you over six hours programming offering a fascinating insight into the complex man. ...Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years - Complete Series - 4-DVD Box Set (UK)
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
19 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This series held my interest from beginning to end. How could it miss with such a monumental protagonist and such absorbing subject matter. I especially liked Nigel Havers as Randolph, and the actors who played Stanley Baldwin, Ramsay McDonald, and Clement Atlee. I am afraid that I am less enthusiastic about Sian Phillips, who always plays Sian Phillips, and who, in my estimation, managed to make Clemmie rather unpleasant (almost as unpleasant as Phillips, appropriately, made Livia Augusta in "I Claudius."). As for Robert Hardy, he does an on-target impression of Sir Winston Churchill, but I think that he was misdirected.
Did Sir Winston really orate twenty-four-seven? Surely he spoke in a more modulated voice with the family around the dining room table [when he wasn't shouting at Randolph] or in the privacy of his bedroom! In this production, he addresses his "dear Clemmie" in his "fight-them-on-the-beaches" persona, to such an extent that Hardy's portrayal sometimes slips into parody. But again, I believe that the fault must be laid at the door of the director.
This quibble aside, the production is excellent. The recreation of the scenes in the House of Commons is fascinating. When Churchill is at the dispatch boxes letting the coalition government have it, Hardy is magnificent. This series is highly recommended for anyone interested in British political history.
Did Sir Winston really orate twenty-four-seven? Surely he spoke in a more modulated voice with the family around the dining room table [when he wasn't shouting at Randolph] or in the privacy of his bedroom! In this production, he addresses his "dear Clemmie" in his "fight-them-on-the-beaches" persona, to such an extent that Hardy's portrayal sometimes slips into parody. But again, I believe that the fault must be laid at the door of the director.
This quibble aside, the production is excellent. The recreation of the scenes in the House of Commons is fascinating. When Churchill is at the dispatch boxes letting the coalition government have it, Hardy is magnificent. This series is highly recommended for anyone interested in British political history.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I love watching period dramas. I also enjoy learning about history circa 1930/1940s. This DVD set combines these for me most satisfactorily. This is a very interesting series based on Churchill's time out of office. The portrayal of Winston through the ups and downs of the 1930s before he reaches his famous post as wartime Prime Minister is fascinating. It does not allow itself to fall into the trap of hagiography, as both the strengths and weaknesses of Churchill are revealed. What is even more rewarding is the acting undertaken by Winston's political contemporaries. Stanley Baldwin, Ramsay Macdonald, Neville Chamberlain and Samuel Hoare are all presented to you in such inimitable fashion. Well worth a watch and owning a copy.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Nowadays, the subject of this series would attract at most a two hour film dramatisation. Eight episodes gives the writers enough time to examine in some detail the ten years leading up to the start of the Second World War when Churchil was out of office and largely ignored. The picture and sound quality are perhaps showing their age but the quality of the acting makes up for this. A strong cast all round with few if any weak links but for me the honours go to Peter Barkworth as Stanley Baldwin, Eric Porter as an uncanny lookalike Neville Chamberlain and Edward Woodward as Sam Hoare. The scenes in the House of Commons are especially effective when the impact of Churchill's oratory is vividly portrayed by Robert Hardy.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Familiar Faces
A superb series tracking the life of the greatest Englishman ever to have lived in the 20th century. (not my words - he was voted that in a 2002 poll). Read more
Published 3 months ago by Len Loullis
Thoroughly enjoyable and educational
This is a very good series with some splendid acting, most notably Robert Hardy in the title role, but well supported to be large cast. Read more
Published 9 months ago by RR Waller
Robert Hardy for PM!
After watching Albert Finney's tour de force as Churchill in 'The Gathering Storm' I didn't think I could accept another actor in the role but I reached back through the years to... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Antares
Great story, horrible sound
I just want to add to the excellent previous reviews that I think this 1981 production is a great story and that both Robert Hardy and Sian Phillips works fine in their respective... Read more
Published 19 months ago by Jan
Not What I Expected
I am a very big fan of the historical drama series that the BBC produced in the 1970's and 80's, including "Fall of Eagles", "Six Wives of Henry VIII", "Elizabeth R", "The Last... Read more
Published on 17 Dec 2009 by givbatam3
Incredibly bad quality
First time I ever returned a DVD to Amazon. The sound quality of this DVD is pretty bad, but the picture quality is so awful there were times I thought I was looking at an... Read more
Published on 22 Sep 2009 by Edward Serotta
The Crucial years of History
I was born decades after the events depicted in this drama I have watched some documentaries about WW2 and read a little about Churchill; However before watching this series my... Read more
Published on 15 Sep 2009 by One view
"The price of greatness is responsibility."
The movie covers the ten lonely, frustrating years of Churchill's political comeback. Sacked for his Gallipoli blunder, failed as Chancellor of the Exchequer, he was long... Read more
Published on 9 Feb 2009 by Billy Ray Cyrus
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