Inspired by: A Darkest Hour

Junior Media Manager, Evan, tells us what inspires him

I was and continued to be inspired by 2017’s The Darkest Hour. The film is set at the precipice of World War 2 and with the Nazi regime storming through France the decision to negotiate for peace or stand and fight the looms over the British parliament. The film was nominated for best picture and excels across the board but in particular the writing and lead performance by Gary Oldman separate themselves as truly spectacular.

At the very centre of the Film is the iconic Winston Churchill portrayed by Oldman. The ever-defiant Churchill’s is steadfast in his opinion that Britain and its Empire must stay true their ideals and fight Nazi Germany. This is not the opinion held by current prime minister Neville Chamberlain or even the general consensus within Churchill’s own conservative political party. With the film primarily focused on the turmoil surrounding the British parliament writer Anthony McCarten does an astounding job of building suspense by delicately balancing the moral responsibilities of the parliament with the more robust nationalistic view that Churchill rallies behind. With live action war scenes almost skipped altogether this balance is crucial to the flow of the film with McCarten’s dialogue a perfect representation of the famous Churchill oratory skills. As the film develops a dogged Churchill wins over the parliament and inspires his Nation to stand up to tyranny.

As strong as McCarten’s writing is Oldman portrays the flawed but exquisite character of Churchill with a delicate grace and power that is unrivalled. While many actors would be daunted by playing such a pivotal character in history Oldman makes it look effortless, transporting the audience to the centre of the political debate that shaped the future of the world. I am almost ashamed to say but he even had an Australian on the edge of his seat feeling extremely patriotic towards the mother country! Another truly amazing element of the character is the CGI they use to make Oldman look the splitting image of Churchill, allowing a sensational actor to play a role he was born to play. 

The Darkest Hour is definitely one of my favourite films and definitely worth a watch, especially for all you Brits out there!      

You can read more of what inspires our production team members in our video production blog.