ZebraspotsInto the Storm
May 30th 2009 15:26
The Big Three
HBO's Churchill biopic premiers tomorrow at 9PM ET. Brendan Gleason (Breakfast on Pluto, In Bruges, Harry Potter) plays the former Prime Minister who, on vacation in France, looks back at his work during the Second World War.
This looks like it will be a great feature; not only is Churchill kind of a big deal, but Brendan Gleason is a first-rate actor. It will be interesting to see his approach as an Irish actor. In interviews, he has admitted that he "had to confront [his] own baggage in terms of where [he] was coming from (Southern Ireland, where Churchill's reputation is not quite the same as in England) and whether [he] could actually achieve this or not."
With Churchill, I had to say, why do I want to take on this man who's an imperialist, who divided Ireland? In 'Michael Collins' I played an aide to Collins, who was in negotiations across the table from Winston Churchill at the time, so I knew what it felt like being on the other side. I actually had a lot of issues to confront in myself. I wasn't in awe of him in that regard. I also had to demystify him because there was a certain mythic thing about the other way of looking at him that was equally dangerous.
Gleason is a top-notch, intelligent artist and I'm confident that not only will he do a fine job, but he will also add a unique depth by nature of his complex road to understanding his role and the character.
I'm also looking forward to Gleason's recitation of Churchill's famous speeches.
HBO provides excerpts at their site, including the the 1940 oft-quoted "We Shall Fight on the Beaccohes," which closes with
Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous States have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of Nazi rule, we shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender, and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this Island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God's good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old.
Pretty fucking rousing, huh. Read more of Churchill's speeches at WinstonChurchill.org.
View more production stills at HBO Films. Read more about the Yalta Conference, when the Big Three (Churchill--who would be replaced by Atlee at Potsdam-- an ailing FDR-- who would be succeeded at Potsdam by Truman-- and Stalin--who, uh, made sure he wouldn't be replaced) met for the second of the three great conferences to discuss the fate of Europe.
The Real Big Three
This image was taken from the following Wikipedia page (Yalta summit 1945 with Churchill, Roosevelt, Stalin.jpg) and is in the public domain.
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