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2 • September 11 - 17, 2016 • Brainerd Dispatch By Jacqueline Spendlove TV Media I imagine it was easier being a public figure in the '50s than it is today. Thanks to the Internet, so- cial media and instant photogra- phy, the words and actions of to- day's politicians and celebrities are spread far and wide almost im- mediately. Needless to say, this was not al- ways the case. Back in Winston Churchill's day, when that most venerable of men was serving as prime minister of the United King- dom for the second time, he suf- fered a debilitating stroke — and, amazingly, no one knew about it outside his inner circle. A special "Masterpiece" drama examines this time in Churchill's life, in the summer of 1953, while the PM re- learned how to speak and walk, totally unbeknownst to the major- ity of the world, or even the gov- ernment. "Churchill's Secret" airs Sunday, Sept. 11, on PBS. Widely regarded as one of Brit- ish history's most influential fig- ures, Churchill has been portrayed numerous times on screen, gener- ally with his iconic cigar-mouthed, homburg-topped look. "Churchill's Secret" takes a look into a little- known period in the British Bull- dog's life, as the 78-year-old man makes a gradual and difficult re- covery from a series of strokes that very well could have killed him. He's played by master of the screen and stage Michael Gambon ("Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2," 2011), whose acting career has spanned more than half a century and has earned him countless accolades. Seldom far from the PM's side are his wife, Clementine (Lindsay Duncan, "The Honourable Woman"), private sec- retary and close friend Jock Colville (Patrick Kennedy, "Atone- ment," 2007) and nurse Millie Ap- pleyard (Romola Garai, "Amazing Grace," 2006). The film is set in the summer of 1953, a little less than two years into Churchill's second run as prime minister. After suffering a stroke during a 10 Downing Street dinner, the PM loses conscious- ness and his speech is severely im- paired. Determined from the start to keep it from the public, he goes ahead with a Cabinet meeting the next morning, before being spirit- ed away to Chartwell, his country seat in Kent. "He stayed at his house for months ... nobody saw him," Gam- bon told the Independent. "It's a bit odd. We wouldn't tolerate that now. If the prime minister had a stroke, we'd know about it two minutes later." To be sure, the level of discre- tion exercised by everyone close to the PM is impressive, with even Fleet Street being silenced, thanks to the loyalty of three of the most powerful press barons. Most of the characters in the film are based on real people in Churchill's life, though Nurse Millie is fictional, in- vented by author Jonathan Smith for his book on which the drama is based. "When I came to write the book, I tried to see the story from the points of view of the powerful central players," the author ex- plained to the Mirror. "I also want- ed to see it as one of the PM's nurses might have done. So I took a liberty. I made up Nurse Apple- yard, the only fictional character in 'Churchill's Secret.' She was with Churchill every faltering step of the way, with every breath he took, and she helped unlock the story for me." Indeed, the respect and fond- ness that grow between the felled PM and his no-nonsense nurse are a nice infusion into a largely sad story. Transported to Chartwell without even being told for whom she would be working, Millie takes no guff, either from her often grumbly patient himself or from his boorish, wholly unpleasant son Randolph (Matthew Macfadyen, "Death at a Funeral," 2007). She sits beside him as his booze-swill- ing children bicker in the next room, is called in to join the family during movie night, and is an ever- present source of patience and fortitude as Churchill slowly recov- ers. But why keep it from the public at all? The man who had guided his country through the darkest days of World War II didn't want the people of England to know that their leader was — for the time being, in any event — inca- pable of leading. Had Churchill's stroke become public knowledge, he could have been forced to re- sign. To make matters more prob- lematic, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden (Alex Jennings, "The Queen," 2006) — the man expected to step in as Churchill's successor — was himself in hospital recovering from surgery. With no one currently available to run the country, there ran the risk of a general election being called, and a scramble for leadership that could de- stabilize the govern- ment. So it fell to those closest to Churchill to quietly keep things run- ning, while the majority of the nation remained blissfully un- aware that their PM was bedrid- den, relearning to speak and strug- gling to remember the most pivotal moments and ac- tions from the war. They undoubted- ly pulled it off, since the events of "Churchill's Secret" have hereto- fore remained unknown to many. The film has already aired on ITV in the U.K., and the response has been mostly positive. The acting of many of the cast members has been praised, in particular, with more than one critic noting that Gambon's wonderful performance allows one to forget that he really doesn't look a whole lot like Churchill. Tune in to "Master- piece" to see "Churchill's Secret" when it makes its way across the pond Sun- day, Sept. 11, on PBS. Romola Garai as seen in "Churchill's Secret" PBS looks into a little-known period in Churchill's life Cover Story this week 501 W Washington St, Brainerd 218-828-1823 Free loaner cars available with most services! www.heartlandtireservice.com FULL SERVICE OIL CHANGE Up To 5Qts Oil & Filter. Top Off Vital Fluids. 44 Point Inspection. Check Air Pressure. plus tax & fees SAVE UP TO $ 120 Passenger, Van, Pick-Up, Performance See associate for details. Expires 9-31-16 BRAKE SALE $ 18.95 CONVENTIONAL OIL GOOD $ 49.99 FULL SYNTHETIC OIL BEST HIGH MILEAGE OIL BETTER $ 34.99 Expires 9-31-16 Save up to $50 $25/Axle Brake Fluid Flush $ 69.99 With any other Brake Service Reg. $94.99 See associate for details Expires 9-31-16 001470578r1 ON A SET OF 4 INSTALLED GOODYEAR TIRES 001467696r1 11633 State Hwy. 18, Brainerd, MN 56401 218-829-3278 www.isemanhomes.com Dealer License #MD05870 You're Home Now Iseman Homes an industry leader since 1920 providing value, service, stability and quality.

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