World War II: When Lions Roared (1994) (TV)

Director:

Joseph Sargent

Writer (WGA):

David W. Rintels (written by)

Release Date:

19 April 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History | War

Plot:

This TV Movie is about the Tehran Conference between FDR, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin. It shows the interaction between the three leaders at the close of the Second World War. |

Plot Keywords:

Winston Churchill | Stalin | Tehran Conference | Prime Minister | Diplomacy

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy. Another 1 win & 8 nominations

Cast

Michael Caine	...	Joseph V. Stalin
Bob Hoskins	...	Winston Churchill
John Lithgow	...	Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Ed Begley Jr.	...	Harry Hopkins
Jan Triska	...	Vyacheslav Molotav

Also Known As:

Then There Were Giants

Runtime:

UK:115 min (DVD version) | USA:194 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Prague, Czech Republic

Company:

Gideon Productions

Trivia:

This production was the first to be filmed expressly for broadcast in the high-definition television (HDTV) format.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): During the dinner at the Teheran Conference, Stalin tells Churchill that in Britain there are two parties, while in the Soviet Union there is only one. In fact, Churchill's Coalition government included three major parties, not two: Churchill's own Conservatives, Clement Atlee's Labour Party, and Sir Archibald Sinclair's Liberal Party. Both were in the Cabinet: Atlee was Lord Privy Seal and member of the War Cabinet; Sinclair was Secretary of State for Air.

Quotes:

Joseph V. Stalin: Experience has taught me to face up to reality, no matter how unpleasant it may be, and to tell the truth.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Man Who Shot Chinatown: The Life and Work of John A. Alonzo (2007)

Worthy project bizarrely miscast

I'm afraid that I couldn't get past the miscasting of Bob ('Gor Blimey, Guvnor') Hoskins as Churchill and Michael Caine as Stalin. As soon as they appeared the whole credibility of the movie went out of the window for me, I'm afraid. It's one thing to have star names but when their presence distracts attention from the dramatic production itself, you are in trouble. Bob Hoskins has many qualities, but giving a convincing portrayal of Churchill isn't one of them. He looks woeful beside Albert Finney's performance in the HBO/BBC 'The Gathering Storm' or Simon Russell Beale (albeit too young) in the BBC mini-series 'Dunkirk'. Anyone interested in the events portrayed in 'When Lions Roared' should see the superb BBC/US co-production 'World War II: Behind Closed Doors' (2008)instead. This features archive footage, interviews with participants and convincing dramatized reconstructions to tell the story.