# The Gathering Storm (2002 film)

The Gathering Storm is a BBC–HBO co-produced television biographical film about Winston Churchill in the years just prior to World War II. The title of the film is that of the first volume of Churchill's largely autobiographical six-volume history of the war, which covered the period from 1919 to 3 September 1939, the day he became First Lord of the Admiralty.
The film, directed by Richard Loncraine and written by Larry Ramin and Hugh Whitemore, stars Albert Finney as Churchill and Vanessa Redgrave as his wife Clementine Churchill ("Clemmie"). The film also features a supporting cast of British actors such as Derek Jacobi, Ronnie Barker (his first role since retiring in 1988), Jim Broadbent, Tom Wilkinson, Celia Imrie, Linus Roache and Hugh Bonneville, and is notable for an early appearance by a young Tom Hiddleston. Lena Headey, Simon Williams, and Edward Hardwicke all make brief appearances amongst the supporting cast. Among the film's executive producers were Ridley Scott and Tony Scott. Originally the film was named The Lonely War.
Finney gained many accolades for his performance, winning both a BAFTA Award for Best Actor and an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor. Ramin and Whitemore won the Emmy for Outstanding Writing. It won a Peabody Award in 2002 for being "a portrait of a 20th Century hero’s return from political obscurity to direct the destiny of a nation." In 2016, Mark Lawson of The Guardian ranked it as the most memorable television portrayal of Churchill. A sequel, Into the Storm, was released in 2009, with Churchill portrayed by Brendan Gleeson, which focuses on the prime minister's days in office during World War II.

## Plot

In 1934, Winston Churchill is deep in his wilderness years, and struggling to complete his biography of his ancestor the Duke of Marlborough, which he hopes will revive his fortunes. Winston is chided by his wife Clemmie for their lack of money and is aware that as a 'man of destiny' his moment may have passed. At the same time he struggles in the House of Commons as a backbencher to get a hearing for his concerns about German re-armament under Hitler and the policy of appeasement. Churchill is also disappointed by the behaviour of his son Randolph Churchill (Tom Hiddleston), which leads to further arguments with Clemmie, who announces she is leaving to go on an extended overseas trip. Churchill is devastated and throws himself into his pet activities: painting, and building walls around the family country house Chartwell. Clemmie eventually returns, and the couple are reconciled.
A young official in the government, Ralph Wigram (Linus Roache) has become concerned about the growth of the German Luftwaffe (air force), and is convinced by his wife to leak information about it to Churchill. Shortly afterwards, Churchill uses Wigram's information to launch an attack on the appeasement policies of Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin (Derek Jacobi). In 1936, Wigram is found dead. Even though his death is thought to be suspicious, his death certificate records the cause as a pulmonary haemorrhage.
With Churchill's fortunes restored, by September 1939, with the declaration of war against Germany at the start of World War II, it is announced that Churchill will be taking over command of the Royal Navy again as First Lord of the Admiralty. An impatient Churchill bids farewell to the staff at the country house, and travels to London. Arriving in the middle of the night at the Admiralty, Churchill is met by a Royal Marine corporal who informs him the fleet have already been signalled that "Winston is Back", to which Churchill triumphantly replies, "And so he bloody well is!"

## Cast

* Albert Finney as Winston Churchill
* Vanessa Redgrave as Clementine "Clemmie" Churchill
* Jim Broadbent as Desmond Morton
* Linus Roache as Ralph Wigram
* Lena Headey as Ava Wigram
* Derek Jacobi as Stanley Baldwin
* Ronnie Barker as David Inches
* Tom Wilkinson as Sir Robert Vansittart
* Celia Imrie as Violet Pearman, his chief secretary
* Hugh Bonneville as Ivo Pettifer
* Gottfried John as Friedrich von Schroder
* Anthony Brophy as Brendan Bracken
* Edward Hardwicke as Mr. Wood
* Tom Hiddleston as Randolph Churchill
* Tim Bentinck as John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, Churchill's ancestor
* Dolly Wells as Sarah Churchill
* Emma Seigel as Mary Churchill
* Nancy Carroll as Diana Churchill
* John Standing as Lord Moyne
* Gerrard McArthur as Vic Oliver

## Locations

Churchill's real-life family home Chartwell was used for the scenes at his house and grounds. Indoor scenes were not filmed inside the house itself, but in replicas of its rooms built on Chartwell's lawn.

## Reception

In 2016, Mark Lawson of The Guardian chose The Gathering Storm as the most memorable television portrayal of Churchill. He wrote: "This BBC-HBO account of Churchill's return from exile to save his nation will always be the one to beat. Finney doesn’t take many roles, and his meticulous preparation is apparent: he uncannily walks and talks almost exactly as Churchill did, while also vividly suggesting – especially in a scene where the leader, nude in his bathroom, dictates a speech to a secretary – the character’s battles between body and mind."
The review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a 83% approval rating based on 6 reviews, with an average rating of 6.60/10.

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result |
| 2002 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Motion Picture Made for Television | Best Motion Picture Made for Television | Won |
| 2002 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Actor in a Motion Picture or Miniseries | Albert Finney | Won |
| 2002 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Actress in a Motion Picture or Miniseries | Vanessa Redgrave | Won |
| 2002 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture or Miniseries | Jim Broadbent | Won |
| 2002 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture or Miniseries | Tom Wilkinson | Nominated |
| 2002 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Direction of a Motion Picture or Miniseries | Best Direction of a Motion Picture or Miniseries | Nominated |
| 2002 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Writing of a Motion Picture or Miniseries | Best Writing of a Motion Picture or Miniseries | Won |
| 2002 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Ensemble in a Motion Picture or Miniseries | Best Ensemble in a Motion Picture or Miniseries | Nominated |
| 2002 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Costume Design in a Motion Picture or Miniseries | Best Costume Design in a Motion Picture or Miniseries | Nominated |
| 2002 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Lighting in a Motion Picture or Miniseries | Best Lighting in a Motion Picture or Miniseries | Nominated |
| 2002 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Music in a Motion Picture or Miniseries | Best Music in a Motion Picture or Miniseries | Nominated |
| 2002 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best New Theme Song in a Motion Picture or Miniseries | Best New Theme Song in a Motion Picture or Miniseries | Nominated |
| 2002 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best New Titles Sequence in a Motion Picture or Miniseries | Best New Titles Sequence in a Motion Picture or Miniseries | Nominated |
| 2002 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Sound in a Motion Picture or Miniseries | Best Sound in a Motion Picture or Miniseries | Nominated |
| 2002 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Made for Television Movie | Ridley Scott, Tony Scott, Julie Payne, Tracey Scoffield, Lisa Ellzey, Frank Doelger, and David M. Thompson | Won |
| 2002 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie | Albert Finney | Won |
| 2002 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie | Vanessa Redgrave | Nominated |
| 2002 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie | Jim Broadbent | Nominated |
| 2002 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special | Richard Loncraine | Nominated |
| 2002 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special | Larry Ramin and Hugh Whitemore | Won |
| 2002 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special | Irene Lamb | Nominated |
| 2002 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Costumes for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special | Jenny Beavan, Anna Kot, and Clare Spragge | Nominated |
| 2002 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Single-Camera Sound Mixing for a Miniseries or a Movie | David Stephenson, Rick Ash, John Hayward, and Richard Pryke | Nominated |
| 2003 | AARP Movies for Grownups Awards | Best Grownup Love Story | Albert Finney and Vanessa Redgrave | Won |
| 2003 | American Film Institute Awards | Top 10 Television Programs | Top 10 Television Programs | Won |
| 2003 | British Academy Television Awards | Best Actor | Albert Finney | Won |
| 2003 | British Academy Television Awards | Best Actress | Vanessa Redgrave | Nominated |
| 2003 | British Academy Television Craft Awards | Best Costume Design | Jenny Beavan | Nominated |
| 2003 | British Academy Television Craft Awards | Best Make-Up and Hair Design | Daniel Parker, Frances Hannon, and Stephen Rose | Won |
| 2003 | British Academy Television Craft Awards | Best Original Television Music | Howard Goodall | Nominated |
| 2003 | British Academy Television Craft Awards | Best Production Design | Luciana Arrighi | Won |
| 2003 | Broadcasting Press Guild Awards | Best Single Drama | Best Single Drama | Won |
| 2003 | Broadcasting Press Guild Awards | Best Actor | Albert Finney | Won |
| 2003 | Broadcasting Press Guild Awards | Best Actress | Vanessa Redgrave | Won |
| 2003 | Cinema Audio Society Awards | Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for Television – Movies of the Week and Mini-Series | David Stephenson, Rick Ash, John Hayward, and Richard Pryke | Nominated |
| 2003 | Directors Guild of America Awards | Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television or Miniseries | Richard Loncraine | Nominated |
| 2003 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Miniseries or Television Film | Best Miniseries or Television Film | Won |
| 2003 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film | Albert Finney | Won |
| 2003 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film | Vanessa Redgrave | Nominated |
| 2003 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film | Jim Broadbent | Nominated |
| 2003 | Peabody Awards | Peabody Awards | Scott Free Productions, in association with HBO Films and BBC Films | Won |
| 2003 | Producers Guild of America Awards | David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television | Ridley Scott, Tony Scott, Julie Payne, and Frank Doelger | Nominated |
| 2003 | Royal Television Society Awards | Actor (Male) | Albert Finney | Nominated |
| 2003 | Satellite Awards | Best Motion Picture Made for Television | Best Motion Picture Made for Television | Nominated |
| 2003 | Satellite Awards | Best Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television | Albert Finney | Nominated |
| 2003 | Satellite Awards | Best Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television | Vanessa Redgrave | Nominated |
| 2003 | Satellite Awards | Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television | Jim Broadbent | Nominated |
| 2003 | Satellite Awards | Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television | Linus Roache | Won |
| 2003 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie | Albert Finney | Nominated |
| 2003 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie | Vanessa Redgrave | Nominated |
| 2003 | Writers Guild of America Awards | Long Form – Original | Larry Ramin and Hugh Whitemore | Won |