Call it The King’s Speech II: The Prime Minister’s Speech. Winston Churchill (Brian Cox, looking if not quite sounding the part) is called upon to extoll the glories of the D-Day invasion to his people even as he is wracked with horror about its prospects — he is haunted by the disastrous beach invasion he directed at Gallipoli decades before — and filled with impotent fury over his utter inability to exert any influence over its execution. He gets some good counsel on both scores from an old friend and his sovereign king (a splendid James Purefoy), but it shrivels away under the shrill scoldings of his unhappy wife. The story might have been touching — the fading public servant learning both the cost and the value of service in a reduced capacity — were it not for the dire script, its dialogue groaning under helpful history lessons (“The Boer war, in which we both saw action”), spelled-out observations (“Sometimes you can’t lead everything from the front”), and ill-fitting sentimentality (“I would understand if you left me; I’d leave me if I could”). Also maybe call it one of the top five best-looking bad films ever made, thanks at least in part to cinematographer David Higgs’ mastery of the long shot and the team assigned to scouting and securing locations. Simply and thrillingly gorgeous to behold. Directed by Jonathan Teplitzky. (2017) — Matthew Lickona
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