Drama-documentary sequel to the Emmy award-winning The Gathering Storm, charting Winston Churchill's rise to power as prime minister, his dogged determination to lead the country to victory in World War II, and his devastating loss of power in the 1945 general election.
Told through a series of carefully juxtaposed flashbacks, the film offers a fascinating portrait of this inspiring yet flawed man. His defiance, headstrong stubbornness and blinkered single-mindedness were the traits that made him a great wartime leader. The same traits meant he lost touch with the British people, resulting in him being ousted from Government within weeks of the World War II victory celebrations.
The film also explores Winston's changing relationship with close friends and family: how the intimacy between a man and his wife is sacrificed for the sake of a greater goal. There are moments of painful poignancy when the emotional consequences for his wife, Clementine Churchill, become clear, and she is forced to lead a life in the shadow of such a personally and publicly demanding global figure.
With the benefit of hindsight, Into the Storm offers an intimate perspective on pivotal events in history. The film shows how war is not simply played out on the battlegrounds but also in the minds and hearts of people.
Into the Storm is a Film programme that first aired in 2009 and has been classified a 12 certificate.
