A man of many talents and interests, Winston Churchill had a keen interest in films and Hollywood, recognising not just their entertainment value but also their potential as a key tool for disseminating propaganda. Whilst on a visit to Hollywood in 1929, Churchill met Charlie Chaplin, who had long been intending to make a film about Napoleon. This was the start of a close friendship between Churchill and Chaplin.  Shortly after their first meeting, Churchill suggested that he should write a screenplay for Chaplin based on the theme of “The Young Napoleon” and reportedly sketched with great enthusiasm a scene in which Napoleon flies into a rage while taking a bath, and slips on some soap. Chaplin never made a Napoleon movie, but the thought of Chaplin playing Napoleon and slipping in his own slapstick style on a bar of soap is an interesting one!

Winston Churchill with Charlie Chaplin

His interest in film undimmed, Churchill signed a £10,000 contract in 1934 with the Hungarian-born British film mogul, Alexander Korda, for a screenplay based on the reign of King George V. Korda observed that the first draft, composed by Churchill in less than two weeks, was “really splendid,” but “a bit heavy on politics”. Churchill turned in a revised script in 1935 but it was never filmed.  The screenplay featured a particular scene set in the trenches of World War One that was heavily influenced by Churchill’s knowledge and experience of that war.    However, again this screenplay wasn’t developed into a production film but it did reinforce Churchill’s belief in the power of film and the moving image that could be exploited as a medium for influencing public opinion. 

No doubt Churchill would fully exploit the power of social media if he lived today.  I wonder how he would fit his famous speeches into a Tweet limit of 140 characters?!?!