Young Winston Details

Tom Brown's Schooldays meets The Four Feathers in Richard Attenborough's lavishly mounted but often lifeless account of Winston Churchill's early years. Stodgily scripted by producer Carl Foreman, it follows Churchill's progress from school at Harrow to the Boer War to his first major parliamentary speech as MP for Oldham. Robert Shaw and Anne Bancroft are excellent as Churchill's parents, and there's an impressive array of British talent in support, including Anthony Hopkins as Lloyd George. Meanwhile, in the title role, young Simon Ward gives a creditable performance as the budding British bulldog. Morocco stands in for all places exotic, while Blenheim plays itself.

Generally engaging if lumpy film which switches too frequently from action to family drama to politics to character study and is not helped by irritating directorial tricks.