Their Finest (2016)

A former secretary, newly appointed as a scriptwriter for propaganda films, joins the cast and crew of a major production while the Blitz rages around them.

Director:

Lone Scherfig

Writers:

Lissa Evans (based on the novel "Their Finest Hour and a Half" by), Gaby Chiappe (screenplay by)

Stars:

Gemma Arterton, Sam Claflin, Bill Nighy

1 win & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sam Claflin	...	Tom Buckley
Gemma Arterton	...	Catrin Cole
Nicholas Murchie	...	Bus Conductor
Richard E. Grant	...	Roger Swain
Henry Goodman	...	Gabriel Baker
Rachael Stirling	...	Phyl Moore
Jack Huston	...	Ellis Cole
Bill Nighy	...	Ambrose Hilliard / Uncle Frank
Amanda Root	...	Cecy / Mrs Brown (Careless Talk Film)
Patrick Gibson	...	Rex, the Clapper Loader
Darren Clarke	...	The Gaffer
Ed Birch	...	Walter, the Director (Careless Talk Film)
Lissa Evans	...	Make-Up Woman (Careless Talk Film)
Richard Bevan	...	Mr. Richards (Dubbing Editor)
Gaby Chiappe	...	Dolly (Carrot Film)

Storyline

During the London Blitz of World War II, Catrin Cole is recruited by the British Ministry of Information to write scripts for propaganda films that the public will actually watch without scoffing. In the line of her new duties, Cole investigates the story of two young women who supposedly piloted a boat in the Dunkirk Evacuation. Although it proved a complete misapprehension, the story becomes the basis for a fictional film with some possible appeal. As Cole labors to write the script with her new colleagues such as Tom Buckley, veteran actor Ambrose Hilliard must accept that his days as a leading man are over as he joins the project. Together, this disparate trio must struggle against such complications such as sexism against Cole, jealous relatives, and political interference in their artistic decisions even as London endures the bombs of the enemy. In the face of those challenges, they share a hope to contribute something meaningful in this time of war and in their own lives.

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Plot Keywords:

propaganda film | actor | london blitz | screenwriter | sexism | 

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Taglines:

In the fight for freedom everyone played a part

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some language and a scene of sexuality

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site [Germany]

Country:

UK Sweden

Language:

English Hungarian Polish French

Release Date:

7 April 2017 (USA)

Also Known As:

Their Finest Hour

Filming Locations:

Freshwater West, Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK

Box Office

Budget:

€10,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$76,197, 7 April 2017

Gross USA:

$3,595,841

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$12,313,591

Company Credits

Production Co:

BBC Films, Welsh Government, Pinewood Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min

Color:

Color Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Tom Buckley tells Catrin Cole, "Films are like life with the boring bits cut out" he is actually quoting Alfred Hitchcock.

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Goofs

Ju87 siren heard in sound of approaching bomber. Ju87's did not bomb at night during the Blitz.

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Quotes

Ambrose Hilliard: You and me given opportunities only because young men are gone. But to turn or back on those opportunities , wouldn't that be giving death dominion over life?

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Connections

Referenced in KVIFF Guide: Episode #1.9 (2017)

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Soundtracks

Proud and Profane
Written by Ivor Slaney

User Reviews

Good movie about people who make good movies.

It's a movie within a movie. I feel in general, a movie about movies is a good topic for a movie. People love to hear stories about how the movies works. I know personally I'm a sucker for this type of drama.

Based on a book called Their Finest Hour and a Half, which I think is a better title, Their Finest stars Gemma Arterton in a movie that takes place during World War 2 in England, when women join the workforce in order keep the world going that was coming to a halt do to the Blitzkrieg. In this case Arterton's character Catrin Cole, a woman working for a newspaper that leads to an opportunity to write a screenplay for a movie.

What I like about the movie is that it's a funny story about how a screenplay is created. They basically hired Catrin Cole to tell the story of the war from a women's perspective, namely the true story of a pair of twins who attempted to use their boat to help rescue soldiers in France, but the true story is not good enough propaganda to get the citizens of Britain into the cause, so she has to embellish what happen.

As the writing progressed, they keep getting stopped by someone, weather it was the producer or The Secretary of War to add new things so that they can appeal to the masses, a very interesting process made hilarious by the movie.

The whole film is a satire on the film industry of 1940s Great Britain that's still true today. Their Finest also has some romance in it, as Cartin becomes attracted to her fellow writer on the screenplay, Tom Buckley. The film is also a good example about how female roles in society started to shift during World War II.

Bill Nighy was as fun to watch as I was told. He plays an aging actor finding his popularity is stuck on something he did years ago, and like Catin finds an opportunity within the war.

Overall, I really enjoined the movie. Gemma Arterton made a really good lead actress and the movie altogether was a great story.

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