Intriguing, informative and important

Rating: 9/10 (6 June 2015)

The role that the cryptologists at Bletchley Park played during WW II is well known - as is their contribution to the victory over Germany. What is less known is the "back story" of how it happened and who did it.
"The Imitation Game" is the story of the code breakers and the interpersonal and bureaucratic struggles they had to overcome to break the Enigma code. It also gives a very poignant snapshot of intolerance and ignorance which was typical of England (and America) at that time. Homophobia was the order of the day - actually being illegal in England. Alan Turing was a homosexual whose work and life were threatened, and then ruined by the prevailing attitudes of the day.
I was afraid that this would be the main point of the movie, but it was properly handled within the context of the greater story - the breaking of the Enigma code - and the ushering in of the computer age.
The movie is a marvel - weaving in the eccentricities of Alan Turing - his arrogance - and peculiarities with the task he was called to accomplish. His homosexuality is tastefully handled as it is unveiled during his school boy days.
His lack of social graces is humorous, while showing how detrimental it was to his performance as part of a the team. He was extremely literal - as evidenced by his being responses to being invited to lunch one day. NOTE: he shares this literalness with Stonewall Jackson - ref Rebel Yell by S.C. Gwynne.
The casting is brilliant - the performances are brilliant - especially Benedict Cumberbatch who plays Turing. He does not overplay his eccentricities - watching him makes you think you are really encountering this very strange genius. From a team building perspective it is interesting how he learned how to reach out to his team - and not alienate them.
One of the most frustrating things about the movie was seeing the close-mindedness of the establishment as exemplified by Charkles Dance who plays Commander Denniston - who is in charge of the Bletchley project. He clearly is dealing with non linear people and processes using a "military like" linear thought process and expectations. I am reminded of Salieri trying to keep up with Mozart in Amadeus. Fortunately, Turing and his associates had MI6, the British spy agency, on their side. Spooks do not think along standard lines either.
The development of the machine which eventually breaks the Enigma code is very tense, especially when they discover the (typically German) method of signing on and off in their coded messages. The "Heil Hitler" at the end of each code was symptomatic of how damaging mindless obedience to Hitler and the tenants of Nazism was to Germany itself.
Finally the conundrum which the breaking of the code placed the Bletchley team in was very intriguing. Recognizing that the fact that the German messages were being decrypted was a crucial secret. Knowing when to use the knowledge of where and when the Germans were going to attack was the result of a ratio of the importance of the military action against the probability that the action would tip the Germans off that the code had been compromised. This sets up one of the greatest ethical dilemmas in the war. As a result, Churchill let Coventry be bombed - with the loss of many lives. Yet the information from Enigma was used to great effect at Stalingrad (THE turning point of the war); in D-Day; and in the Mediterranean.
As you can see- there is much to recommend this film. Great story, great performances, great insight into the era it took place. If you have not seen it, you should.