I got on a mini-history kick this weekend and I ended up watching three films directly related to Winston Churchill. Of course, I watched them in the wrong order, chronologically. There's so much of World War II I don't know about, even though I find it fascinating.
My father fought in WWII. He was stationed in England near the end of the war. Thankfully, he and four of his brothers all returned safely. Not all could say that. I know there's millions of words written about that terrible war--it's all there for me to read about and research. But watching films about it is pretty cool, too.
The first film I watched was Churchill: The Untold Story of D-Day. I thought I was choosing another film when I selected it online. Nope--this one was different, but I enjoyed it very much. As the title alludes, the film shows us Churchill near the end of the war and his reservations of the largest military assault ever amassed on earth. Like many historical depictions, I wonder just how much of the story was true, and what--if anything--was embellished.
The next film I watched was Darkest Hour. This was the film I thought I was choosing the first time. This one earned its star, Gary Oldman, an Oscar. In Darkest Hour, we learn about how Churchill approached his appointment as Prime Minister and his first major emergency--evacuating most of the British Army from Dunkirk, at the same time, considering a possible peace treaty with Germany. I didn't know anything about that.
The last film, Dunkirk, told the story of the soldiers trapped in France. It mentioned Churchill briefly. It was interesting how this trio of films spotlighted an individual as well as his leadership and the consequences of the choices he made. Like I said, there must be thousands of books written about Churchill, the individual battles, and the war in general. I found each film informative, interesting, and educational. It reminds me of just how much there is to learn about these important events and the people who changed the world.
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