If you're a history buff, check out the HBO feature "The Gathering Storm." It is a compelling look at Sir Winston Churchill, not as we've seen him before in several World War II epics, but in the buildup to the British entry into what would be World War II. Albert Finney is tremendous as "the voice in the wilderness" warning of the building Nazi threat, as is Vanessa Redgrave as his wife, Clemmie.

My only major complaint with the film is that it's promoted as Churchill's life from 1934 to 1939. Yet Chamberlain's ill-fated "peace in our time" is ignored. There are a few other inaccuracies, but those are lost in the Finney's superb portrayal.

The movie is a fine commentary on how we often choose leaders who tell us what we want to hear, and ignore those who tell us what we need to hear. Yet we often cry out for the latter in times of trouble. A perfect example is the end of this particular movie, when Germany invades Poland and Chamberlain names Churchill First Lord of the Admiralty (i.e., head of the British Navy). Churchill enters his new office, and a young sailor/guard points out that the whole Navy received a transmission informing them of his "return." (Churchill had lost considerable political influence when MacDonald chose not to invite him into the Cabinet in 1931, and fell into further disfavor in his support of Edward VIII and his harsh, pre-war criticism of Hitler).

Churchill asks the young sailor what the text of the transmission. "Winston is back!" the guard tells him. Half a year later, Churchill would become prime minister, where he would -- in my opinion -- grow into the greatest statesman ever.

"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." -- Winston Churchill, June 4, 1940, addressing the House of Commons shortly after the British escape from Dunkirk.

God bless him. He was a great one.