There are many little things to quibble about in the broadcast version
of this work of fiction. Such as when Churchill presents his nurse with
only one volume of a four-volume set of his History of the
English-speaking Peoples. Would anyone actually do that? I noted a
glass case on the wall in one of the Chartwell rooms containing pinned
butterflies. However, when I was putting together a talk about Churchill
and Insects a few years ago I communicated with people at Chartwell and
at the British Museum who assured me that none of the insects that
Churchill collected early in life were either recorded or displayed in
any institutional collection. Of greater concern to me was when
Churchill's nurse tells him that he was not highly regarded by her
father after Churchill had sent troops in to crush striking Welsh miners
and Churchill says nothing in response. This is where injecting a bit
of historical accuracy could have helpfully clarified a persistent
slander against Churchill that still routinely crops up in the media.
In the background piece that followed the production the author spoke of
his concern for historical accuracy which simply reinforces the notion
that this slander is accurate as presented.
Stan
On 2016-09-13 1:18 PM, David Riddle wrote:
I think everyone who has commented to date on this film is treating
this film far too seriously.
It is freely based on a work of fiction 'The Churchill Secret KBO' by
Jonathan Smith. The critical word here is 'fiction'. There is no point
in trying to relate it to the actual facts of the situation, even if
anyone, living or otherwise, believes they know what they really were.
After all, the whole event was kept secret, so the real truth is
pretty difficult to ascertain.
The character of the nurse is freely admitted to be fictional, as are
some of the other situations portrayed in the film.
Fundamentally, the piece should be viewed as a largely fictional
drama, and in my view, as well as that of several of my fellow
volunteer House Stewards at Chartwell at least, it was well produced
with some good performances and enjoyable in its own right.
David Riddle
Sent from my iPhone
On 13 Sep 2016, at 18:11, Cita Stelzer <[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:
Whether “Churchill‘s Secret”, broadcast in the USA last night, was
riveting television I leave to the critics. But that it was
historically inaccurate at one important point there is no doubt.
Lindsay Duncan’s beautifully acted television version of Clemmie as a
wife competing with his political career for his time and attention
has no relation to the real-life version. Clementine Churchill, as I
point out in my review of Sonia Purnell’s biography of Clementine
Churchill, was no whining woman at odds with her husband’s political
life. In fact, Clemmie was a full partner in his political career,
entertaining politicians and military figures when he was away in the
trenches in WWI. And as any fair reading of their voluminous
correspondence shows, offering wise advice to the often
impetuous-Winston, advice that prolonged his career. Not only was she
a full partner in his work, she had a full and rich life of her own,
witness her fund-raising work for the Red Cross’s Aid to the Soviet
Union. Kudos to Ms. Duncan, and don’t blame her for being asked to
portray the fiction of a novelist’s imagination.
Cita Stelzer
Cita Stelzer
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[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
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