Young Winston (1972)

This historical drama is an account of the early life of British politician Winston Churchill (Simon Ward), including his childhood years, his time as a war correspondent in Africa, and ... See full summary »

Director:

Richard Attenborough

Writers:

Winston Churchill (based upon "My Early Life: A Roving Commission"), Carl Foreman (written for the screen by)

Stars:

Robert Shaw, Anne Bancroft, Simon Ward

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Shaw	...	Lord Randolph Churchill
Anne Bancroft	...	Lady Jennie Churchill
Simon Ward	...	Winston Churchill
Jack Hawkins	...	Mr. Welldon
Ian Holm	...	George E. Buckle
Anthony Hopkins	...	David Lloyd George
Patrick Magee	...	General Bindon Blood
Edward Woodward	...	Captain Aylmer Haldane
John Mills	...	General Kitchener
Peter Cellier	...	Captain 35th Sikhs
Ronald Hines	...	Adjutant 35 Sikhs
Raymond Huntley	...	Old Officer (scenes deleted)
Russell Lewis	...	Winston Churchill (Age 7)
Pat Heywood	...	Mrs. Everest
Laurence Naismith	...	Lord Salisbury

Storyline

This historical drama is an account of the early life of British politician Winston Churchill (Simon Ward), including his childhood years, his time as a war correspondent in Africa, and culminating with his first election to Parliament.

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Plot Keywords:

election | winston churchill | parliament | colonialism | 19th century | 

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Taglines:

Rebel Soldier Hustler Prisoner Fugitive Firebrand [Australia Theatrical]

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | War

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 October 1972 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

El joven Winston

Filming Locations:

Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation, Open Road

Technical Specs

Runtime:

157 min

Sound Mix:

Mono 6-Track Stereo (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Robert Hardy who plays the Headmaster later went on to portray Winston Churchill in five separate films; "Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years" (1981), "The Woman He Loved" (1988), "War and Remembrance" (1988), "Bomber Harris" (1989) and "Agatha Christie Marple: The Sittaford Mystery (2006) (TV)".

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Goofs

As the 'last ever cavalry charge' reached the enemy lines, a white flare, used as a signal for the hordes of extras, can be seen dropping from the sky.

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Quotes

Winston Churchill: I'm free! I'm Winston Bloody Churchill, and I'm free!

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Soundtracks

"Triumphal March"
(uncredited)
from "Caractacus"
Music by Edward Elgar
Arranged by Alfred Ralston

User Reviews

" It may be our empire too is doomed, but for us, there is such a thing as Moral Force "

From the autobiographical works of the Prime Minister of England comes this remarkable chronology of his life. The Film is called " Young Winston " and was directed by equally famous, Sir Richard Attenborough. The film encapsulates Churchill's early life (Russell Lewis) during his formative school years of which he later recalls both the loving affection given by his nanny (Pat Haywood), a woman he fondly remembers in his memoirs and the brutal education system he was subjected to. It is to his credit he relates his Father's (Robert Shaw) struggle to maintain his conservative political status as well as his parental obligations. All the while, Winston tries to earn approval and become a success. His mother, Lady Jennie Churchhill (Anne Bancroft) is seen as both a proper wife and mother as well as a spirited Representative of her family's social affairs. The audience is also privy to the courageous undertakings of the ambitious Churchill (Simon Ward) as he experiences both the hazards of war and the warnings of the political arena. In this he is scrutinized carefully by both friend (Anthony Hopkins) and adversaries like Lord Salisbury (Laurence Naismith) alike. The movie, like his biography, is creatively smooth and contains both the hurtles and inner doubts. As a result, it becomes an exceptional narrative studded with noted movie icons like Jack Hawkins, Patrick Magee, Edward Woodward and John Mills. In addition the colorful costumes, panoramic scenes and exciting action make for an interesting historical film of one of the world's most respected leaders. Superb Movie and definitely a Classic. ****