Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years backdrop

Documentary

Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years

6.3(4)

First Aired:September 6, 1981

Seasons:1 season

Episodes:8

Status:Ended

Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years is an 8-part 1981 drama serial based on the life of Winston Churchill, and particularly his years in enforced exile from political position during the 1920s and 30s. It was written and directed by Ferdinand Fairfax and Churchill was played by Robert Hardy. Hardy's brilliant performance as Churchill won critical acclaim and a BAFTA award in 1982. He reprised the role in The Sittaford Mystery, Bomber Harris and War and Remembrance and at the 50th anniversary celebrations of the end of World War II in 1995 when he quoted a number of Churchill's wartime speeches in character.

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Cast

Robert Hardy

Winston Churchill

Eric Porter

Neville Chamberlain

Peter Barkworth

Stanley Baldwin

Nigel Havers

Randolph Churchill

Siân Phillips

Clementine Churchill

Edward Woodward

Sir Samuel Hoare

Seasons

E1Down and Out

60m

Sep 6, 1981

When the Tories lose their majority in Parliament, Winston loses his spot in the cabinet. Deciding to take the opportunity to feather his nest he goes to America on a speaking tour and invests the proceeds in a a pre-crash stock market.

E2Politics are Foul

60m

Sep 13, 1981

Churchill's views on the Indian question bring him into conflict with his own party.

E3In High Places

60m

Sep 20, 1981

Churchill takes a European trip to visit famous battlefields and hopes to meet with Hitler but the meeting fails to materialize. The India question still rages in the U.K. Eager to win a victory on the India question Sir Samuel Hoare enlists the aid of Lord Derby to suppress certain unfavorable testimony, but one of the witnesses comes forth to Churchill.

E4A Menace in the House

60m

Sep 27, 1981

Churchill asks the House to institute a committee to investigate the interference with evidence on the India question. But committee members Ramsay McDonald, Sir Louis Kershaw and Clement Attlee are unable to conclude that there's been any wrongdoing. The findings of the committee further damage Churchill's standing in the house.

E5The Flying Peril

60m

Oct 4, 1981

Churchill sounds the alarm in the House of Commons that Germany is re-arming and that Britain is falling behind in the race for air superiority. Meanhwile Randolph Churchill backs several ill-advised candidates and Clementine goes traveling and meets another man. When Germany's air superiority becomes public the MacDonald government falls and Churchill works in the general election to return the conservatives to power. Although they are successful, Churchill is once again passed over for a cabinet position.

E6His Own Funeral

60m

Oct 11, 1981

George V dies. Churchill continues to rail against the government's failure to adequately prepare for war. Wigram grows increasingly despondent at the prospect of war when Hitler occupies the Rhineland. Sarah elopes to America with a Jewish musical hall comedian. When the new king gets embroiled in a dispute over his relationship with an American divorcée, Churchill champions his cause losing yet more popularity with house members.

E7The Long Tide of Surrender

60m

Oct 18, 1981

Churchill is completely marginalized following the election of Nevill Chamberlain as P.M. Chamberlain pursues a policy of appeasement and orders ministers to cut defense spending. He also brings a civil servant, Sir Horace Wilson on as an aide. Lord Halifax broaches the subject of disarmament with Goehrin which causes Anthony Eden to resign as foreign minister. After promising Churchill that there will be no more accommodations, Chamberlain flies to Munich to meet with Hitler on Czechoslovakia.

E8What Price Churchill?

60m

Oct 25, 1981

Churchill's warnings come true as Hitler seizes Czechoslovakia and attacks Poland. Still Chamberlain resists admitting that it's to be war and that he must offer Churchill a position in the government.