MovieChat Forums > Darkest Hour (2017) Discussion > What's this crap about "choosing whether...

What's this crap about "choosing whether to negotiate or fight"?

posted 7 years ago by ItsTheAngelMan (135)
8 replies | jump to latest

Even though war was already declared on Hitler before Churchill even became PM?
And he goes around on a tube train apparently just asking random folks for their opinion on whether Britain should fight or just cave in? and Gary Oldman looks and sounds nothing like the fucker.

Oh my god the phrase "dumbing down" is so weak for this kind of shit........ jeeeesus Britain, I knew you would never ever be the same after "Deal or No Deal" but come oooon. Does it have to be this painful

Next - Russell Howard playing Sir Isaac Newton?

[–] marecek (122) 7 years ago

WWII ended up being a very different type of war from the norm in European history. Most wars were fought to gain some territory and as a leverage in later bargaining. Some territories in the Caribbean switched hands literally 5-10 times as part of the settlement for this or that war. The notion that Britain might ask for a negotiated peace with Hitler is not crap or nonsense made up for the film. Chamberlain and the Viscount really wished to do that. Churchill became PM at the moment when the bulk of Britain's army was about to be captured and France was about to surrender. Churchill was no idiot, and obviously recognized that this was an option that he would need to consider. However, one factor always weighed strongly against it: in May-June, 1940, I seriously doubt Hitler would have given much thought to negotiating a peace with the UK. The Wehrmacht was on a roll, and he fully expected to be able to defeat the UK. Dunkirk, often preceded by the phrase, "the miracle of", was an extremely lucky break and allowed Churchill to stiffen his spine and stand firm on his insistence on fighting.

[–] Otter (24464) 5 years ago

Dunkirk was a military disaster that was so well spun that it's gone down in history as a sort of victory. It wasnt, it was an ignominious defeat, where the army had to be saved by civilians.

So yes, the debate during the "darkest hour" was whether to negotiate favorable terms of surrender, or to keep fighting until Britain was bombed flat or overrun with Nazi tanks. Neither was a good option, but sometimes there arent any good options.

[–] Cranmer (139) 5 years ago

The tube train scene was a dramatic device intended to show Churchill's common touch and ability to accurately read the mood of the nation. It's rather clumsy, and of course totally fictional, but it was a neat way of summing up the conversations Churchill would have had with people from different walks of life over a period of several months.

[–] Druff (1800) 5 years ago

Thanks OP, I was just in the mood for a lame hot take from some pissy A-hole with a 12 ft. 2x4 rammed all the way up his ass. Your post fit the bill perfectly.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

Well great, it sounds like you actually enjoyed this movie so why should he listen to you?

[–] Druff (1800) 5 years ago

Hey look, another one. Score! =D

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

You're just mocking because you've never had an original thought or criticism of anything in your entire life. You're a screeching baboon.

[–] WillBarna40 (9) 4 years ago

I studied Churchill; the tube scene in the film was of course fictional, but he did, in fact, in the early stages of the war, make a habit of disappearing from time to time, to discuss the state of things with people whom he never normally come into contact.

Good film; he was an imperfect man, of course, and not a particularly nice one, I think, with some vile views on race amongst other things.

But he lead the country brilliantly at a time of direst need; were Halifax to have been leader, mainland Europe would possibly still be under the yoke of the Germans.