Starring: Gary Oldman, Ben Mendelsohn, Kristin Scott Thomas, Lily James, Stephen Dillane, Ronald Pickup
OUR RATING: ★★★★☆
Story:
War bio-drama directed by Joe Wright based on the true story which begins on the eve of World War II as, within days of becoming Prime Minister of Great Britain, Winston Churchill (Gary Oldman) must face one of his most turbulent and defining trials: exploring a negotiated peace treaty with Nazi Germany, or standing firm to fight for the ideals, liberty and freedom of a nation.
As the unstoppable Nazi forces roll across Western Europe and the threat of invasion is imminent, and with an unprepared public, a skeptical King, and his own party plotting against him, Churchill must withstand his darkest hour, rally a nation, and attempt to change the course of world history.
Our Favorite Quotes:
'Success is not final, failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.' - Winston Churchill (Darkest Hour) Share on X 'Those who never change their mind never change anything.' - Winston Churchill (Darkest Hour) Share on X
Best Quotes (Total Quotes: 38)
Neville Chamberlain: We must now select my successor and it’s only one man the opposition will accept.
Viscount Halifax: He stands for one thing and one thing only: himself.
King George VI: Why have I been forced to send for Churchill. His record is a catastrophe.
Clementine Churchill: Let them see your true qualities, your lack of vanity.
Winston Churchill: My poor judgment and my lying will.
Clementine Churchill: Your sense of humor.
Winston Churchill: Ho, ho, ho.
Clementine Churchill: Be yourself.
Winston Churchill: Myself.
Winston Churchill: Your Majesty.
King George VI: Mr. Churchill, it is my duty to invite you to take up the position of prime minister of this United Kingdom.
King George VI: Mr. Winston Churchill, you have an enormous task ahead of you.
[referring to Churchill]
Viscount Halifax: He’s a bully. We may have to replace him.
Viscount Halifax: He’s an actor in love with the sound of his own voice.
Eddie Walsh: You need to reply to the Lord re this seal?
Winston Churchill: I am still in the privy and I can only deal with one shit at a time.
Winston Churchill: Here’s to not buggering it up.
Everyone: To not buggering it up!
Viscount Halifax: All our forces are in Dunkirk, where we cannot reach them.
Winston Churchill: The Germans are pushing us into the sea.
[to King George VI]
Winston Churchill: My father was like God. Busy elsewhere.
King George VI: How do you manage drinking during the day?
Winston Churchill: Practice.
King George VI: Are you not afraid?
Winston Churchill: Most terribly.
Winston Churchill: I speak to you for the first time as Prime Minister. In a solemn hour for the life of our country.
Winston Churchill: We are in the preliminary stages of one of the greatest battles in history.
Neville Chamberlain: We are looking at the collapse of Western Europe in the next few days.
Sir Anthony Eden: You’re suggesting that somehow we’re winning. We’re not.
Reporter: [to Churchill] Is it true we’re in full retreat?
Neville Chamberlain: The Germans have encircled 60 British and French divisions. We are looking at a collapse of Western Europe in the next few days.
Elizabeth Nel: How long have they got if we don’t rescue them?
Winston Churchill: Maybe two days. We would need a miracle to get our men out.
Elizabeth Nel: [to Churchill] How many men will survive?
King George VI: [to Churchill] Go to the people, tell them the truth.
Winston Churchill: Those who never change their mind never change anything.
Clemmie: [to Churchill] You are strong because you are imperfect. You are wise because you have doubts.
Clementine Churchill: [to Churchill] You have the full weight of the world on your shoulders.
Viscount Halifax: We’re facing certain defeat on land, the annihilation of our army, and imminent invasion. We must negotiate peace talks.
Winston Churchill: When will the lesson be learned! You cannot reason with a tiger when your head is in its mouth!
Viscount Halifax: Nonsense, the only slippery slope…
Winston Churchill: Would you stop interrupting me while I am interrupting you!
Viscount Halifax: There is the question of peace talks between ourselves and Germany.
Winston Churchill: Europe is still…!
Viscount Halifax: Europe is lost!
Viscount Halifax: There’s nothing patriotic in fighting till the end! Now is the time to negotiate!
Winston Churchill: When will the lesson be learned! You cannot reason with a tiger when your head is in its mouth! I take full responsibility.
Viscount Halifax: Really?
Winston Churchill: Really! Yes, sir! It is the reason I sit in this chair!
[referring to Hitler]
Winston Churchill: That tyrant.
Winston Churchill: You ask what is our aim. Victory at all costs.
Winston Churchill: You ask what is our policy. I say it is to rage war by sea, land and air, use all our might. We shall never surrender!
[looking in the mirror as she’s putting on her earings]
Clemmie: Here’s a woman who’s always tired. She lives a life where too much is required.
[riding in the underground with other London commuters]
Winston Churchill: And what if I put it to you all that we might if we, uh,if we ask nicely get very favorable terms from Mr. Hitler if we enter into a peace deal with him right now? What would you say to that?
Train Commuters: Never! Never! Never! Never! Never!
Winston Churchill: Never.
Young Girl on Train: Never.
Winston Churchill: Will you never give up?
Young Girl on Train: No. Never.
Winston Churchill: Then out spake brave Horatius, Captain of the Gate: To every man upon this earth death cometh soon or late. And how can man die better than facing fearful odds for the ashes…
Marcus Peters: For the ashes of his fathers and the temples of his Gods.
[Winston starts sniffling and crying]
Young Girl on Train: Are you crying?
Winston Churchill: I, uh… Yes, yes. I, um, I blub a lot, you know. You’ll, you’ll have to get used to it.
Winston Churchill: We have before us many, many long months of struggle and suffering. We will know many old and famous states have fallen into the grip of the Nazi rule. We shall defend our island whatever the cost may be! We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds. We shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills. We shall never surrender! For without victory there can be no survival!
Winston Churchill: We’ve survived all of these years. We shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields, and in the streets. We shall fight in the hills. We shall never surrender! For without victory there can be no survival!
[written quote before credits]
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill
Total Quotes: 38
What are your favorite Darkest Hours quotes? Let us know what you think in the comments below as we’d love to know.
Trailer:
I hung on to every word. It so moved me that I left the movie in a state of transcendence – determined to tell my close friends and family and to return the next day to try to capture more of the wisdom presented.
What was he going to quote of Cicero? Thanks for the quotes published here. I hope that more will be published.
What is the Horatio’s quote in the underground told by Churchill? Which Horatio? Nelson maybe?
See below reply.
What was the quote Churchill recites to the people on train?
I believe the quotes Churchill recites on the train is:
Winston Churchill: Then out spake brave Horatius, Captain of the Gate: To every man upon this earth death cometh soon or late. And how can man die better than facing fearful odds for the ashes…
Marcus Peters: For the ashes of his fathers and the temples of his Gods.
The best quote in The Darkest Hour came at the end, amazingly, not from Winnie, but from Lord Halifax, in response to his neighbor in parliament’s question, “What just happened?”
What just happened?
He mobilized the English language and sent it into battle.
What is the poetic lines Clementine uttered at the end of the movie while she was dressing about being tired? Did anyone catch them?
I believe the line is as follows:
Clemmie: Here’s a woman who’s always tired. She lives a life where too much is required.
What was the quote about old age and wisdom?
In the absence of youth, may wisdom prevail
I am trying to find that as well. It was a beautiful quote about courage.
Until someone helps us find it, here is another you may like:
“Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities… because it is the quality which guarantees all others.”
What was the last quote put up near the very end of the movie? It was inspiring. It was a quote not an actor speaking but a quote.
I found it! “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”
Thank you! Beautiful quote!
We have just seen the Darkest Hour. We found the film and performances given, both absorbing and moving. With respect to the quote at the end of the film and in the credits, I found this to be as applicable today as it is was at the onset of World War 2. A wonderful and succinct set of principles to adhere to in adversity.
Well done Peter for finding the quote and reproducing on this site.