THE CROWN (2015 – 2018) – My rating: 8/10

The Crown is a biographical drama streaming on Netflix, created and principally written by Peter Morgan and produced by Left Bank Pictures and Sony Pictures Television for Netflix. The Crown evolved out of Morgan’s 2006 film The Queen and 2013’s stage play, The Audience. The Crown tells the story of Queen Elizabeth II, who reigns in the United Kingdom.

The first season covers the period from Elizabeth’s (Claire Foy) marriage to Philip (Matt Smith) in 1947 to the disintegration of her sister Margaret’s (Vanessa Kirby) engagement in 1955.  Also covered in season 1 is the depiction of Winston Churchill (John Lithgow) resigning as Prime Minister and the monarchy’s denial to Princess Margaret’s request to marry Peter Townsend (Ben Miles), a divorcé.  I tried to watch The Crown but didn’t care for the story or the acting.  After hearing many mentions of The Crown and how good it was, I tried again, almost 2 years later, and binged watched seasons 1 and 2.  I liked it very much, especially when I realized it was about the current reigning Queen of England.  I had just watched the royal wedding between Prince William and Meghan Markle a few weeks earlier and could now relate to all the royal subjects.

The second season covers the period from the Suez Crisis in 1956 through the retirement of the Queen’s third Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan (Anton Lesser) in 1963 to the birth of Prince Edward in 1964. Also covered in season 2, is The Profumo affair, a political scandal,

Beginning with season 3, Olivia Colman will portray the Queen. Season 3 will also cover Harold Wilson’s time as Prime Minister, and will also include Princess Margaret’s five-year affair with baronet and gardening expert Roddy Llewellyn that leads to the Princess’s divorce from Antony Armstrong-Jones in 1978. It will also introduce Camilla Parker Bowles and Lady Diana Spencer, who will be a focus of the fourth season (set during Margaret Thatcher’s premiership). The third season will continue from 1964, covering Harold Wilson’s two terms as the Prime Minister until 1976, while the fourth will see Margaret Thatcher’s premiership and a focus on Diana, Princess of Wales.

The Crown is intended to last 60 episodes over six seasons, with 10 one-hour episodes per season, covering Elizabeth’s life from her younger years to her reign, and with new actors being cast every 2 seasons. For the third and fourth seasons, Olivia Colman will take over as the Queen, Tobias Menzies as Prince Philip, and Helena Bonham Carter as Princess Margaret. Filming for the series takes place at Elstree Studios in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, with location shooting throughout the United Kingdom and internationally.

At times, some episodes of the Crown is a little slow but interesting enough to stick with the series.  I’ve changed by opinion about the acting as it got better and better as the series progressed.  I’m looking forward to season 3 through 6.  I feel as though I have had an intermate history course in the Monarchy as well as how England operates politically.  So far, I’m enjoying The Crown and recommend it to those who are into a historic look at the real Monarchy.  The Crown is currently streaming on Netflix — check it out!

 

DARKEST HOUR (2017) – My rating: 9/10

Darkest Hour is a British war drama directed by Joe Wright and written by Anthony McCarten. It is an account of the early days of Winston Churchill as Prime Minister, when Nazi Germany swept across Western Europe, threatening to defeat the United Kingdom during World War II. This threat lead to friction at the highest levels of government between those who would make a peace treaty with Hitler and Churchill who refused.

Darkest Hour starts in May of 1940 with the opposition Labour Party in Parliament demanding the resignation of British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain (Ronald Pickup) for being too weak in the face of the Nazi onslaught. Chamberlain tells Conservative Party advisers that he wants Lord Halifax (Stephen Dillane) as his successor, but Halifax does not want to become Prime Minister yet. Chamberlain must choose the only other man whom other parties will support: Winston Churchill (Gary Oldman), the First Lord of the Admiralty.

Churchill, who was not well liked, tried to dismiss his new secretary Elizabeth Layton (Lily James) for mis-hearing him, which caused his wife Clementine, (Kristin Scott Thomas) to strongly reprimand him. After Churchill’s acceptance, King George VI (Ben Mendelsohn) reluctantly invited him to form a government that would include Chamberlain and Halifax.

Despite being right about the danger from Adolf Hitler, Churchill’s poor reputation remained because of his record in the Admiralty, the Gallipoli Campaign in the First World War, his views on India and his support for Edward VIII during the Abdication Crisis. Churchill’s first speech is aggressive, promising “Blood, toil, tears and sweat,” for which he is chastised by the King and practically ignored by Parliament. Churchill refuses to negotiate for peace, believing that the Germans are untrustworthy.  Eventually, a plan was devised to cause a vote of no confidence that would allow Halifax to replace Churchill as Prime Minister.  The British Expeditionary Force is trapped at Dunkirk and Calais. Against the advice of the War Cabinet, Churchill orders Brigadier Claude Nicholson in Calais to lead the 30th Infantry Brigade in a suicide attack to distract the enemy while the soldiers at Dunkirk evacuate.

Defeat in France causes the War Cabinet to support negotiating with Germany. George VI unexpectedly visits Churchill, the King, not wanting to rule in exile should Britain be invaded, encourages the Prime Minister to continue the war. Still uncertain of what to do, Churchill decides to ask London Underground passengers; the civilians want to continue to fight. Churchill meets with the Outer Cabinet and other members of Parliament, who also support him. The evacuation of troops from Dunkirk, Operation Dynamo, is successful.

As Churchill prepares to address Parliament, Halifax asks Chamberlain to continue with their plan to resign, but Chamberlain decides to listen to the address first. Towards the end of his speech, Churchill proclaims that “We shall fight on the beaches” should the Germans invade. Chamberlain decides to support Churchill, and Parliament applauds the Prime Minister’s defiance.

Darkest Hour is a great movie and a tells a pretty accurate history of Churchill’s appointment to Prime Minister and the extraordinary rescue of the British Expeditionary Force at Dunkirk.  I highly recommend this movie to all.  Check it out — this is one of Gary Oldman’s greatest performances.

[Darkest Hour is nominated for Best Picture, Best Actor Cinematography, Costume Design, Makeup and Hairstyling and Production Design]