Joe Shapiro

I have viewed this dvd in totality or highlights at least twenty times. It reaffirms how great leaders command the devotion of a nation, holding fast to decency and faith in the nation and its people. It accurately depicts the actual people involved except for the metro underground portion being a composite of the spirit of defiance so forcefully displayed. Highlights include the compassion Churchill displays when Miss Layton identifies the photograph as being her brother who never made it to Dunkirk. The subtle realization by Layton that her new employer was very important and worthy of devoted service is conveyed when she realizes that the telegram was from the Palace. Oldman, Layton and the others are magnificent and subsume the viewer, their likeness being accurate and convincing. It has been noted by biographers that Churchill’s greatness was not that he defeated the Germans threat of invasion; rather, he prevented the English government from surrendering. This primary theme is brilliantly depicted. I keep re-viewing it, always rewarded with renewed faith that virtue will prevail over evil. Incidentally, the subtitles add to comprehension inasmuch as Churchill did mumble. This movie ranks as one of the ten best in my judgment.