Churchill's Secret (2016)

British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill (Sir Michael Gambon) suffers from a stroke in the summer of 1953, which is consequently kept a secret from the rest of the world.

Director:

Charles Sturridge

Writers:

Jonathan Smith (based on the novel "The Churchill Secret - KBO" by), Stewart Harcourt (screenplay)

Stars:

Michael Gambon, Romola Garai, Lindsay Duncan

6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Gambon	...	Winston Churchill
Romola Garai	...	Nurse Appleyard
Lindsay Duncan	...	Clemmie Churchill
Daisy Lewis	...	Mary
Matilda Sturridge	...	Rosie
Peter Agnelli	...	De Gasperi (as Peter Brown)
Patrick Kennedy	...	Jock Colville
Christian McKay	...	Christopher Soames
Chris Larkin	...	Rab Butler
Bill Paterson	...	Lord Moran
Ian Mercer	...	Sgt Murray
Matthew Marsh	...	Lord Beaverbrook
John Standing	...	Lord Camrose
James Wilby	...	Brendan Bracken
Tara Fitzgerald	...	Diana

Storyline

In June 1953, two years after he was re-elected as Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill (Sir Michael Gambon) collapses following a dinner party at 10 Downing Street. Diagnosed by Dr. Lord Moran (Bill Paterson) as having a stroke, there are fears that he may not survive, and he is taken to his country home Chartwell. Publicly, he is said to be suffering from exhaustion, and the newspaper owners consent to printing the deception. As his children arrive to watch over him, they feud over son Randolph's (Matthew Macfadyen's) drinking and daughter Sarah's (Rachael Stirling's) less than illustrious movie career, while Winston's wife Clemmie (Lindsay Duncan) reflects on the loss of another daughter who died in infancy. The Cabinet is informed of events as Moran brings in plain-spoken Yorkshire nurse Millie Appleyard (Romola Garai) to look after the great man. With her help and his wife's devotion, Churchill survives to address the Conservative Party conference later in the year, before ...

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Plot Keywords:

political leader | flashback | british politics | british politician | secret | 

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

As soon as she enters the bedroom intended for Sir Winston Churchill, Millie the nurse (Romola Garai), states there is insufficient space and that she will require access to both sides of the bed. The same thing was said by the nurse (Mary MacLeod) in Brideshead Revisited (1981), where the invalid is Lord Marchmain. Both dramas, made 35 years apart, were directed by Charles Sturridge. Coincidentally Sir Michael Gambon has also played Lord Marchmain, but in Brideshead Revisited (2008).

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Goofs

Churchill had no nurse during this time.

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Quotes

[Winston is giving a speech to the Conservative Party conference in Margate. After faltering, he abandons the rest of his speech, as he had arranged he would do if he got into difficulties, and moves to a rousing finale]
Winston Churchill: One word personally about myself. If I stay on for the time being, bearing the burden at my age, it is not because of love of power or office - I've had an ample share of both. If I stay it is because I have a feeling that I may, through things that have happened, have an ...
[...]

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Connections

Featured in Too Much TV: Episode #1.1 (2016)

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Soundtracks

I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles
(uncredited)
Written by James Kendis, James Brockman and Nat Vincent
Performed by Michael Gambon

User Reviews

Brilliant!!

If you rangefinder 8,you either are not British or do not know your History,or both!

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 September 2016 (USA)

Also Known As:

Churchill's Secret

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Masterpiece, Daybreak Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1