Wednesday, March 19, 2008
The Two Winstons
The Two Winstons presented George Orwell and Winston Churchill in a way that I never would have pictured them before. I knew of each man's importance individually, but I had no idea that they were connected in even the most remote way. It was interesting to see how both men came from similar circumstances to hold similar ideals yet approached things in such different ways. Both men came from middle to upper class families and were sent to boarding school for a large portion of their childhood. Both men also grew up to care a great deal abou the British well-being. However, they tackled the issue in different ways. Churchill dove right into the fray and got involved with politics. He eventually climbed the ladder and was elected prime minister. From this position, he continuously strove to improve the British condition. Orwell chose to educate the population about the negative possibilities out there through his literature. This was a much less direct approach, but it was none the less effective.
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Yes, and since the film is really about Winston Churchill and George Orwell (Eric Blair), I question Schama's use of the title "The Two Winstons." We might draw the connection between Orwell and his Winston character, but where exactly does Winston Smith become an important part of the documentary? It seems the film would have been better served with a more fitting title that emphasized ORWELL, not a mere character, who Schama hardly mentions. The most prominent instance of this that I remember is when Schama said that Winston Smith, and the book he was in, was a favorite of his. In fact, Schama breaks down the "third wall" convention quite a lot in this film, compared to the last one, by consciously bringing his own opinions into the film (about Smith and at the end, though I can't remember exactly what he said at the end, but it was definitely about him).
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