Gary Oldman's performance of Churchill in Darkest Hour is getting 'extraordinary' standing ovations in cinemas
Gary Oldman's performance of Winston Churchill is capturing the imaginations of film fans as well as awards voters.
The rendition of the British Prime Minister's most rousing speech in new film Darkest Hour is reportedly generating spontaneous standing ovations around the world since its release last week.
Churchill's “magnificent oration” which saw him famously call to “fight on the beaches” in 1940 arrives towards the end of Joe Wright's film with producer Eric Fellner telling The Telegraph that Working Title Films has received reports of “extraordinary” applause.
“It has been reported back to us, not only here but in America, and across the whole of the country not just in the big metropolitan areas,” he said.
“We've been hearing it a lot. It's very surprising. It very rarely happens other than at the premiere or special screenings of the films, so it's quite extraordinary.”
Fellner added that he believes the film may tap into “a zeitgeist where people are fascinated by and feeling a need for leadership” in a post-Brexit Britain.
Oldman received a Golden Globe for his performance as well as a BAFTA nomination. He is expected to be in contention for Best Actor at the Oscars when the nominations are announced next Tuesday (23 January).
In an interview with The Independent, director Wright - whose previous credits include Atonement and Hanna - described Darkest Hour as “a return to drama” following the commercial flop of previous film Pan as well as his version of “a Hitchcockian thriller.”
Darkest Hour is in cinemas now.
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