The Prime Minister (1941)

Director:

Thorold Dickinson

Writers:

Michael Hogan (screenplay) and
Brock Williams (screenplay)

Release Date:

3 May 1941 (UK)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | History | Romance | War

Plot Keywords:

Russia | Fire | London England | Speech | Bismarck

Cast

John Gielgud	...	Benjamin Disraeli
Diana Wynyard	...	Mary Disraeli
Will Fyffe	...	The Agitator
Owen Nares	...	Lord Derby
Fay Compton	...	Queen Victoria
Pamela Standish	...	Princess Victoria
Stephen Murray	...	Mr. W.E. Gladstone
Frederick Leister	...	Lord Melbourne
Nicholas Hannen	...	Sir Robert Peel
Anthony Ireland	...	Count D'Orsay
Irene Browne	...	Lady Londonderry

Runtime:

USA:94 min | UK:109 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Sweden:Btl | USA:Approved (PCA #7464)

Filming Locations:

Teddington Studios, Teddington, Middlesex, England, UK

Company:

Warner Brothers-First National Productions

Trivia:

The three Sheridan sisters (Glynis Johns, Andrea Troubridge and Margaret Johnston) do not appear in the American released print (as shown on the Turner Classic Movies channel). Perhaps they are in the British version which ran 15-20 minutes longer..

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the scene where the news of the Russian invasion reaches the House of Commons, the members pass the news down the rows, one by one. However, several of the members start sharing the news before they could possibly have heard it from anyone next to them. The scene looks good, but doesn't hold up to scrutiny.

Quotes:

Benjamin 'Dizzy' Disraeli, aka Lord Beaconsfield- Disraeli: In an autocracy, the leader is the people. Europe is at the mercy of the most ruthless band of autocrats the world has yet seen. I know these dictators, these men of blood and iron, they have one weakness; they are always in a hurry. Their god is power...

Movie Connections:

Version of "Hallmark Hall of Fame: Invincible Mr. Disraeli (#12.4)" (1963)

Soundtrack:

God Save the Queen!

World war II propaganda flick

This film was produced in 1941, and the feeling one gets when watching it that you are being educated in how to be loyal to England. A loose portrayal of the life and career of Benjamin Disraeli, culminating in him making military moves, with the consent of queen Victoria behind the cabinets back.

Very ham-fisted in its message, you almost want to start arguing with the screen, not because its particularly inaccurate in its portrayal of Disraeli, just that its essentially a war-time propaganda film, and nothing can be that cut and dried.

Gielgud is fascinating to watch as always, but even he seems to begin to grate towards the end.

*1/2 out of ****