Standing tall... Churchill’s new film
CINEMA audiences have been so electrified by the new film about Sir Winston Churchill they are rising to their feet and applauding – to the surprise of its makers.
Reports are coming in from across Britain and the US of early screenings of Darkest Hour getting standing ovations like those normally given to live theatre performances.
British star Gary Oldman has already secured a Golden Globe award for best actor in a movie role for his portrayal of the uncompromising wartime PM.
And his extraordinary recreation of Churchill’s spine-tingling rallying call to “fight on the beaches” and his pledge to “defend our island, whatever the cost may be” has thrilled audiences.
Cinema operators have been reporting unprecedented outbreaks of spontaneous applause.
And on movie forums, fans are speculating the reaction is down not only to the quality of the film but also an appreciation of Britain’s war effort.
Darkest Hour comes in the wake of the release of blockbuster Dunkirk, which was also set in the terrible days of the Nazi onslaught against Europe in 1940, and many believe the spirit of that time is echoing with Britons today.
Darkest Hour producer Eric Fellner, the co-chairman of Working Title Films, said it had been “quite extraordinary” to hear of the standing ovations.
He said: “It has been reported back to us, not only here but in America, and across the whole of the country not just in big metropolitan areas.
“We’ve been hearing it a lot. It’s very surprising. It very rarely happens other than at the premiere or special screenings. It’s completely unusual.”
Darkest Hour ends with Oldman delivering Churchill’s legendary speech to the Commons after Dunkirk.
Mr Fellner added: “I think we’ve just hit a zeitgeist where people are fascinated by and feeling a need for leadership.”
Cinema-goer David Cowgill from Knutsford, Cheshire, said: “Our local cinema was packed and at the end a large section of the audience applauded.
“I asked myself if they were showing appreciation of a good film or was it Dunkirk Spirit. My gut reaction says the latter.”
Daily Express critic Allan Hunter called Oldman’s portrayal a “stunning tour de force” while the 59-year-old actor is tipped for an Oscar.