Young Winston

A decade before he gave the world his Oscar-winning profile of Mahatma Gandhi, director Richard Attenborough guided this elegant and dramatic portrayal of the life of Britain's most formidable statesman of the 20th century, whose views about independence for British colonies were the polar opposite of Gandhi's. In an epic reminiscent of the previous year's release, Nicholas and Alexandra in both scope and cinematography, we view Winston Churchill's life on a desert battlefield. The late Simon Ward, who narrates as well as plays Churchill as a young adult, adeptly and innately capturing the spirit of the young reporter and adventurer. We flash back to when a sweet little 7-year-old Winston (Russell Lewis) and his American-born socialite mother, Jennie (Anne Bancroft) hurrying to catch a train to take Winston to prep school. As they depart, Winston is leaving behind the one person who was truly close to him in his early years, his governess, Mrs. Everest (Pat Heywood, best known for he role as another nurse in Romeo and Juliet). Robert Hardy, who, in later years, was known as the Minister of Magic in the Harry Potter films, plays the headmaster, who makes a favorable impression on Lady Churchill, but whose brutality towards his students ( albeit, at a time when flogging in school was socially acceptable) soon becomes graphically evident. The late Robert Shaw portrays Lord Randolph Churchill, during whose parliamentary campaign Jennie adds an American spin by asking locals of his constituency to vote for her husband , charming an initially reluctant butcher (Colin Blakeley) in his shop. From his birthplace at Bleinheim Palace, we see young Winston and his nanny view his archetypical upper crust parents attending a hunt and neglecting him.His brother, Jack receives mention, but is not shown in the film. As the titular character faces continuing difficulties in school, Lord Randolph's career dwindles over a decision he made. Soon, Lady Churchill receives word from doctors that her husband has only a few years to live, and that he will gradually show increasing signs of dementia ( due, by most accounts, to syphilis) amid periods of lucidity until his early demise. At one point, Lord Randolph's mental illness is revealed as he unleashes undue fury on his 13-year-old son(Michael Creson) when the lad displays youthful overzealousness while joining his parents at breakfast, for which Lord Randolph later apologogizes. A rare, but lengthy conversation with Winston as they discuss the boy's collection of miniature soldiers will have a profound impact on Winston's future. An off screen Noel Davis,' interviews with the three principals in the story is a noteworthy feature, later used in other productions of the era such as Moses, the Lawgiver. Winston begins his military career, but his hopes of expanding it into a Parliamentary career at the side of his father are dashed by Randolph's death. With the support of his mother, he must continue on his life 's adventure solo, for the most part, having lost Mrs. Everest, his beloved " Woomany", the same year as he lost his father. We will follow his adventures in India, and more dramatically, his daring work as a correspondent who goes missing during the second Boer War, managing to escape capture as the world holds its breath, his triumphant return to London and a seat in Parliament. Jane Seymour cameos as Pamela Plowden, with whom Winston had a brief romance, Pippa Steel as Clementine Hozier, with whom he will have a more significant romance. Additional cast members include Edward Woodward (later to appear in the full- fledged Boer War epic, Breaker Morant) as Winston's Commander, Aylmer Haldane, John Mills as Lord Kitchener, Willoughby Gray as Gladstone, Nigel Hawthorne as a Boer Sentry, John Stuart as Speaker Peel, Peter Cellier as a Captain, Jack Hawkins as James Weldon, William Dexter as Arthur Balfour, Ronald Himes as an Adjujant, Dano Shafeek, Basil Dignam as Joseph Chamberlain, Laurence Naismith as Lord Salisbury, Patrick Magee as Sir Bindon Blood, and Anthony Hopkins as David Lloyd George. The British statesman, whose motorcade my mother once encountered on a street in Barbados in her youth entrusted Carl Foreman with the screen adaptation of his 1930 memoir. My Early Life: A Roving Commission. While Churchill didn't see the fruition of his request, we see through this dramatic tale of privilege, tragedy, peril, and resilience, with a score of subtle brilliance by Alfred Ralston that the Prime Minister's faith was well-placed.

This corresponds to the book on which it is based and shows WC's development from a child to a young man. The coverage of British imperialism and so of course race is dated, but if you watch against the grain, you still learn about the times.

No wonder it received 3 Academy Award Nominations !I've been thinking about watching Young Winston for over a year and only WISH I'd watched it soonerWhat a fantastic film: Casting, Cinematography & Script - All Superb; With the usual British self hatred

Simon Ward, Anne Bancroft and Simon Ward were the right star actors for this film, "Young Winston." To have a complete understanding of Winston Church as a famous Prime Minister of Great Britain, it requires a look at the formative years as a boy, adolescent and young man. For the first time, I viewed this movie in 1972. The English Culture has its own uniqueness. His parents were so preoccupied with lives in Parliament and social engagements that he was sent off to Boarding School; Winston's nanny filled in as a beloved confidant. Winston Churchill's Father lost his mental faculties while he was young and left with the responsibilities of support for his immediate family. He was a prisoner during the Boer War and escaped. Then he rose in fame as an astute politician in the English Parliament. Cohesion to the movie was achieved by the voice of an older mature Winston Churchill who spoke flashback narrations through 3 main periods in the life of the "young" Winston Churchill. Despite the lack of captions need for clarity in the audial speaking, it is a five-star production.

I saw this back in 1972 and was glad to get my DVD in the other day. I just watched it with the wife who isn't familiar with Winston. She found it most interesting. As for me, this film is a minor masterpiece of superior directing, casting, research and production. Very accurate in all areas of Winston's life. The actors are all top notch and carry the storyline well. Simon Ward is excellent as Winnie and captures his gestures and mannerisms in such a fashion that he transforms into Churchill in some sequences. Not much is mentioned of his brother, Jack, but Winston's early military exploits are well done and accurate (I often wonder about what scenes were edited from the film that might have been really great to see). The attention to detail is superb, even the correct weaponry, the badge flashes on the soldiers sun helmets, the train sequence in the Boer War segment, the artillery used in the Sudan segment and even the RN sailor's straw hats are spot on. Well done, Mr/Sir Attenbourgh for a great and epic film that can now gain a new audience after laying in some dusty film vault for decades. Enjoy, five Churchill cigars for this gem.

Simon Ward is perfectly cast as young Winston. At the surface, he captures the voice, the mannerisms, etc. Within, he solidly depicts the hard driving, and often off putting ambition that drove this much ignored and under-loved child of an ambitious, self-destructive father and self-centered, spend-thrifty mother to overcome his deficiencies of education (no Eton, Oxford, or Cambridge) and money to rise through the talents he possessed in abundance, including death-defying courage, autodidactic learning of history and politics, and a skill with the pen rivaled among modern politicians only by Lincoln. Excellent sets and costumes. Wonderful location shooting capture Afghanistan, India, the Sudan, and London. Direction pedestrian. The music is perhaps the worst score of any historical epic. Supporting actors Bancroft and Ryan are fine.

Very disappointing. Last Sony DVD release is better picture quality, no cleaning or restoration and not the full version. This is not the best/full version of the film. Although there are some deleted scenes, there are many missing and the quality is even worse than the main feature. I was lead to believe this would include both versions (roadshow version has far more scenes) and it is not the case. The original film is a gem but this release does not do it justice. The film is five stars but this release is just one :(

2019 October special edition!! n After decades of waiting I thought this was going to be the REAL film! the cinema release I watched in 1972.WHAT A TOTAL DISAPPOINTMENT!!!!!!! The producers of this attempt should be ashamed! It is better than previously truncated and butchered versions BUT IT IS NOT THE THE ORIGINAL FILM ! Buy it only if you want to see some missing scenes and as another curiosity of WOEFUL production values ! the presentation on the disc itself and sleeve is basic and lamentable! SURELY SOMEONE IS CAPABLE OF RESTORING THE VERSION SHOWN IN BRITISH CINEMAS IN 1972

Having just received the bluray,I have discovered this is NOT the full roadshow version.Whilst it does include the overture,intermission and exit music,the deleted scenes are not included in the actual film,including the end 'I had a dream' scene,just as extras in full screen and terrible quality.Such a shame the effort was not made to include them in the actual film,which otherwise looks decent quality.

Superb film/documentary but with one major flaw - there is a big chunk missing from the middle of the film, (ONE OF THE BEST BITS). I had a very old version that was scratched, so I bought this new one 5 months ago, (sadly can't return it). Just watched it and realised the flaw. Dug out my old copy and found the missing chunk. In fact TWO CHUNKS. Very disappointed. DO NOT BUY.

It’s hard to believe that Simon Ward wasn’t first choice to portray the titular character in his formative years because he truly shines here, giving perhaps a career defining performance as that most indefatigable of political titans and first amongst Britons, Winston Spencer Churchill.Indeed, between them, both the script and Ward successfully convey the many insecurities and vulnerability prevalent in the young Churchill, compellingly weaving his innate diffidence against a turbulent backdrop of reckless adventure and bone headed audacity. Through Ward, Churchill’s subsequent truculence and chutzpah really shines through here, albeit in embryonic form, affording viewers an engrossing, masterful performance.Artistically Young Winston employs some uncommon yet arguably effective techniques in telling its meandering story - not least via the utilisation of pseudo confessional ‘interview’ sequences. Conducted by an unseen, impertinent interviewer, Winston’s stern father and dotting mother are depicted in more candid and vulnerable moments. In this way the script ingeniously conveys the distant and rigidly Victorian relationship existent between Mother, Father and son enhancing the film’s narrative.Despite its many qualities however Young Winston inevitably suffers from a few shortcomings as well. Arguably greatest amongst these is the script’s disconcertingly peregrinating structure. Indeed the film opens with Ward’s Churchill before reverting to his still younger incarnations and back again, several times! This highly speculative, presumably artistic decision (at the behest of director Richard Attenborough perhaps?) achieves precious little beyond needlessly undermining the story’s fluidity.Though the film’s scale is suitably grandiose when depicting Churchill’s military adventures the Boer War segment is by far the weakest showing notable signs of budgetary constraints. Certainly, though the rolling Welsh hills may well have proven to be a fiscally prudent location to film in they were never going to make a convincing substitute for the arid, sub-equatorial African veld! By contrast though the Malakand Field Force and Omdurman segments are all together more satisfying and better choreographed affairs.On a technical note, one other minor disappointment to this otherwise exemplary HD release is the omission of deleted footage from some of the action/military sequences. True, deleted scenes are included here but said footage would’ve been a welcome addition and surely not difficult to source. The material definitely still exists too given that segments were featured on an old 1990’s WH Smith VHS documentary entitled ‘Colonial Wars’ (since uploaded to YouTube I note).Overall though Indicator have done a sterling job as usual with this HD release boasting excellent picture quality and an abundance of informative extras. Despite its arguable structural flaws and sometimes questionable artistic aspects then Young Winston comes highly recommended!