Churchill: The Hollywood Years

Churchill: The Hollywood Years
UK Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Peter Richardson
Produced by	Jonathan Cavendish, Dixie Linder, Ben Swaffer, Steve Christian, Brian Donovan, Nick Hirschkorn, François Ivernel, Cameron McCracken, James Mitchell
Written by	Peter Richardson, Pete Richens
Starring	Christian Slater, Neve Campbell, Miranda Richardson
Music by	Simon Boswell, Rod Melvin
Cinematography	Cinders Forshaw
Editing by	Geoff Hogg, Duncan Shepherd, John Wilson
Distributed by	Pathe Films
Release date(s)	3 December 2004 (2004-12-03) (UK)
Running time	84 min.
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Churchill: The Hollywood Years is a 2004 film, directed by Peter Richardson. It stars Christian Slater as Winston Churchill, and Neve Campbell as Elizabeth II. Academy Award nominee Miranda Richardson and Anthony Sher also star.

The film is a satire on the Hollywood take on history, such as U-571 (portraying the capture of an Enigma machine as being by the Americans rather than the Polish and later British) and Pearl Harbor (where American participation in the Battle of Britain was exaggerated).

Cultural references

• The scene between Charoo and the waitress in a station tearoom, and Elizabeth's response on Churchill's arrival there, are parodies of scenes from Brief Encounter, between Stanley Holloway and Joyce Carey, and Trevor Howard and Celia Johnson, respectively.
• The cab driver and the King mistake Adolf Hitler for Charlie Chaplin, who played a spoof of Hitler in the satirical film The Great Dictator.
• The "Siegfried Line" rap takes its title and (loosely) some of its lyrics from the British wartime song "We're Going to Hang out the Washing on the Siegfried Line". The introduction to the song is a reference to Top Gun.
• The song "Hitler Has Only Got One Ball" is frequently referenced, including once where it is delivered by Tommy Trinder.
• The presence of "Irish Cockneys" is a reference to the steerage passengers in Titanic.
• Churchill's final exit in a Spitfire references the portrayal of the American contribution to the Battle of Britain early in the film Pearl Harbor.
• Brian Perkins' commentary on Hitler and Elizabeth's wedding is a parody of Richard Dimbleby's hushed radio commentaries of royal events.
• Eva Braun is shown listening to the end of an episode of The Archers, even though it did not start until six years after the war ended.
• Jimmy Charoo takes his name from a song Dick van Dyke sings in Mary Poppins (he also lives on "Ye Olde Dick Van Dyke Street")

Cast

Historical characters

• Christian Slater – Winston Churchill
• Neve Campbell – Princess Elizabeth
• Miranda Richardson – Eva Braun
• Anthony Sher – Adolf Hitler
• Harry Enfield – King George VI
• Jessica Oyelowo – Princess Margaret
• Henry Goodman – Franklin D. Roosevelt
• Jon Culshaw – Tony Blair
• Romany Malco – Denzil Eisenhower
• David Schneider – Joseph Goebbels
• Phil Cornwell – Martin Bormann
• Steve O'Donnell – Hermann Göring
• John Fabian – Victor Sylvester

Other

• Rik Mayall – Baxter
• Bob Mortimer – Potter
• Vic Reeves – Bendle
• Sally Phillips – Waitress
• Steve Pemberton – Chester
• Hamish McColl – Captain Davies (present day)
• Leslie Phillips – Lord W'ruff
• Mackenzie Crook – Jimmy Charoo
• Brian Perkins – Radio Presenter
• James Dreyfus – Mr. Teasy-Weasy

Filming

It was filmed between 24 March and 12 May 2003.

Locations

Mainly filmed at the Royal William Yard, Stonehouse, Plymouth

• Oldway Mansion doubles as Buckingham Palace

Oldway Mansion is in Paignton, Devon and was the home of Isaac Singer, the sewing machine magnate

• Powderham castle, Exeter

• The old fish quay at Brixham, Devon doubles as Plymouth Docks.

References

External links

• Peter Richardson TV
• Churchill: The Hollywood Years at the Internet Movie Database
• Review - The Observer
• Review - The Guardian