Gary Oldman and Ben Mendelsohn’s “rip-roaring” British drama is on TV tonight

It’s a bank holiday weekend, and the BBC has got you sorted with the perfect movie watch tonight.

The British film biography, “Darkest Hour,” earned Gary Oldman some of the most favorable reviews in his acting career for his depiction of Winston Churchill. He went on to receive the Best Actor award at the Oscars, as well as wins at the BAFTAs, Golden Globes, and SAG Awards.

The film unfolds against the backdrop of the initial phase of World War II, specifically during the May 1940 war cabinet crisis, a time when Winston Churchill struggled to convince his cabinet to carry on the fight instead of negotiating peace with Germany.

Featuring Ben Mendelsohn, Lily James, Kristin Scott Thomas and others, Darkest Hour was acclaimed as a “thrilling portrayal” of a crucial event. Critics on Rotten Tomatoes particularly admired Gary Oldman’s “stunning acting performance”.

If you haven’t seen the movie or fancy a rewatch, Darkest Hour airs tonight at 8pm on BBC One.

No need to fret about conflicting schedules on Mondays; Darkest Hour can be conveniently viewed on BBC iPlayer just a short while after it’s aired.

Back in 2018, Oldman revealed that he used a “Churchill app” to get into character.

He suggested that you should download a speech app onto your mobile device, which contains all of Churchill’s speeches. This way, he said, Churchill’s speeches would always be with you, as if Churchill was traveling in your pocket. There were specific talks that he found particularly compelling and played on repeat.

Additionally, he hinted at the potential for reprising his role as Churchill in either a future film depicting events during World War II, or in a dramatization based on Churchill’s own short story titled “The Dream.

A sequel is possible given that the story ends with a summit involving Stalin and Roosevelt. Roosevelt is an intriguing figure who seems to be nearing the end of his time, so it’s plausible,” Oldman suggested.

[In] The Dream, the spirit of his father, Randolph, appears to him within his studio at Chartwell. It’s a conversation between two individuals, rather than an extravagant affair. I’m considering making it a reality.

Nothing from what was mentioned has happened as of now, so for the time being, you can only enjoy his remarkable acting skills displayed in the movie “Darkest Hour”.

Tonight at 8pm, catch the screening of “Darkest Hour” on BBC One. Shortly after it’s aired, you can also stream it on BBC iPlayer.

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2025-05-05 09:20