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Gathering Storm [DVD] [2002]
 
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Gathering Storm [DVD] [2002]

DVD ~ Albert Finney
4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
RRP: £13.99
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Frequently Bought Together

Gathering Storm [DVD] [2002] + Winston Churchill The Wilderness Years [2005] [DVD] + Churchill [DVD] [2003]
Total RRP: £53.97
Price For All Three: £23.34

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Product details

  • Actors: Albert Finney, Vanessa Redgrave, Jim Broadbent, Linus Roache, Lena Headey
  • Directors: Richard Loncraine
  • Writers: Hugh Whitemore, Larry Ramin
  • Producers: C. Cory M. McCrum-Abdo, David M. Thompson, Frank Doelger, Julie Payne, Lisa Ellzey
  • Format: PAL, Widescreen
  • Language English
  • Subtitles: English
  • Region: Region 2 (This DVD may not be viewable outside Europe. Read more about DVD formats.)
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Classification: 12
  • Studio: Warner Home Video
  • DVD Release Date: 15 Sep 2003
  • Run Time: 96 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B0000AZVHL
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 842 in DVD (See Bestsellers in DVD)

    Popular in this category:

    #51 in  DVD > Documentary

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Reviews

Amazon.c.uk Review

The Gathering Storm is a fictionalised portrayal of Winston Churchill and his wife Clementine during their wilderness years of the 1930s. It deservedly won numerous awards, including an Emmy, BAFTA and Golden Globe in recognition of Albert Finney's wonderful central performance. Equally deserving were those for all aspects of the production design: period wardrobe, set dressing and use of location are equally impressive, apparently ensuring that this production has everything going for it in its depiction of pre-War Britain. The snag is that its restriction to TV movie format, a mere 90 minutes, excludes a lot of historical context that ought not to have been left out.

Seeing Churchill's adoration of his wife (Vanessa Redgrave) or the family woes troubling Ralph Wigram (Linus Roache) is all very emotionally dramatic, but it uses precious screen time that might have been better devoted to highlighting the political situation abroad, or indeed the monarchy's situation at home. The enterprise smacks a little too much of sentimental contrivance, lionising Churchill in rose-tinted retrospect. True, some attempt is made to acknowledge the personality traits that excluded him both from office and popularity prior to Germany's re-building, but like so much else pertinent to the machinations of anticipating the war, these are glossed over for familial feel-goodery and button-pushing poignancy. This is a film that's easy to admire, but ought not to be mistaken for well-rounded history.

On the DVD: The Gathering Storm doesn't look or sound quite as crisp and clear as you'd hope for a recent TV-movie transfer. That's down to some obvious grain in the picture, and the 2.0 surround audio that tends to lose quieter dialogue moments. There are extensive cast and crew biographies that will no doubt help international viewers place the naggingly familiar British faces. There's also the accumulatively enthusiastic commentary from director Richard Loncraine and producer Frank Doelger, which happily points many of them out. --Paul Tonks



Synopsis

A look inside the marriage of Winston and Clementine Churchill during a troubled time in their lives.

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Customer Reviews

13 Reviews
5 star:
 (12)
4 star:
 (1)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.9 out of 5 stars (13 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
42 of 42 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful, 9 Sep 2005
By zztopbanana (Lancashire, UK) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   
***

Gathering Storm is truly a top drawer dramatisation and Albert Finney's portrayal is flawless.

My only gripe is that it was too short, much too short - a program such as this and of this quality with this cast should either have gone the whole hog and encompassed Churchill's finest hours ( ie, post WWII ) or have spawned a sequel for this purpose.

However, what wasn't or might have been doesn't detract from what was, or what is, and Gathering Storm is a classic of the highest order.

As this is written, it is priced at less than £8 - I paid full whack and it was still a bargain.

And as for the rating, well, 5 stars is not enough.

***

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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Winston Is Back! By Bloody Hell He Is!, 23 April 2007
By prisrob "pris," (New EnglandUSA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)      
"This is a hugely entertaining movie that gives us a personal glimpse of Churchhill's life at the prelude of his illustrious career. The movie works as well as it does because of Albert Finney's brilliant performance as Churchhill. Finney won an Emmy for this performance and it's not hard to see why. His portrayal of the former Prime Mister of England is the greatest acting performance I've seen in years. The way Finney so effortlessly molded himself into the character is simply astonishing." David Blair

The opening scene of this epic shows Winston Churchill getting up out of bed, buck naked, we see his buttocks as he goes to take a 'piss' while reciting a speech he was about to make. We know without a doubt that this is a movie without compromise, and Albert Finney has become Churchill. I doubt I will see acting as fine as this again. I am enmeshed in his character, and I believe he was more Churchill than Churchill.

As fabulous as the acting is the story holds you spellbound. The story of Churchill without power and out of office as it were and floundering. Then he is given information about Germany and his life begins anew. The story of Clementine, his wife, as played by Vanessa Redgrave. Their love story, and as Winston says at one point near the end of the movie. "Thank you for loving me as I never thought I would be loved". How wonderful to have a love as deep and as long and to be as thankful for someone else in your life. Their family and their personal life comes alive. The travails and the daily life become up close. The friends and foes are put to test, and Winston's true personality shines. He is a great man, and as he has said, he knows it! We see the warts and all. His drinking, his financial issues, his 'black dog' or depression, and the wonderous man who works 20 hours out of 24.

I learned a great deal about Winston Churchill I did not know. This movie opened the door into his personal life, and he became a real flesh and blood man. 'The Gathering Storm' was the title of one of his books and it fits this movie well. Clemmie, his wife is the epitome of the woman behind the man. She gave up much, but it was returned in spades via her husband and her children. The stories entwined that of Winston, his public life and that of Winston, his private life. I want more of this calibre. My best friend told me this movie was a favorite. It has become a favorite of mine, and I only finished the viewing.
Heartily Recommended. prisrob 4-22-07

The Wit & Wisdom of Winston Churchill
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The Gathering Storm, 9 Sep 2003
Having initialy watched this film at home, I found it to be as one of those few "I must have this in my collection" type of film.

Totally engrossing, powerful and dynamic, it shows the layout of Winston Churchill's hand-me-down destiny from the days of the Duke of Marlborough at Blenheim, telling him of his destiny.

Totally gripping and exciting, it is a dynamic film that shows the many mistakes the Party in power made whilst not listening to him, and Churchill's determination to protect the land, i.e. Britain, that he loved.

The secondary part of this film reveals the personal life between He and Clementine his wife, and his family. How she was his mainstay and support. Yet also reveals his eccentric and down-to-earth lifestyle at the same time.

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