‘Delightful’ WWII period drama is streaming for free but fans need to be quick

Period drama, Their Finest, starring Gemma Arterton, has captivated viewers – but it’s only available for a limited time.

Period drama enthusiasts searching for the perfect film need look no further.

The historical movie, Their Finest, is set in wartime London during the Second World War and follows former James Bond star Gemma Arterton as she transforms into Catrin Cole, a writer who unwittingly fights a lone battle against sexism in the British film industry.

Few wartime films balance humor, heartbreak, and romance as gracefully as Their Finest. Released in 2016 and directed by Lone Scherfig, the British drama offers a deeply charming and emotionally rich look at filmmaking during World War II — while also becoming a moving story about grief, resilience, and the power of storytelling in times of crisis.

Set in London during the Blitz, Their Finest unfolds against the backdrop of bombings, uncertainty, and national exhaustion. But instead of focusing on the battlefield itself, the film explores another wartime front: the British film industry and its role in lifting morale during one of the darkest periods in modern history.

At the center of the story is Catrin Cole, played beautifully by Gemma Arterton.

Catrin is an ambitious writer hired by the Ministry of Information to help create propaganda films intended to inspire the public and boost wartime morale. Initially brought in to write “women’s dialogue” — small emotional scenes considered suitable for female audiences — she quickly proves herself far more talented than anyone expected.

As she becomes involved in writing a patriotic feature film inspired by a true story, Catrin finds herself navigating a male-dominated industry while also discovering her own voice as a storyteller.

Gemma Arterton gives one of her strongest performances in the role. Catrin is intelligent, observant, emotionally resilient, and quietly determined. Through her, the film explores questions about creativity, gender, authorship, and how women found ways to carve out space for themselves during wartime Britain.

Alongside her is Sam Claflin as Tom Buckley, a sharp, witty screenwriter with whom Catrin develops a layered working relationship that gradually becomes something deeper. Their chemistry gives the film much of its emotional warmth.

Their connection feels believable not because it’s overly romanticized, but because it grows through collaboration, creative tension, shared humor, and the emotional uncertainty surrounding wartime life.

One of the film’s most memorable performances comes from Bill Nighy as Ambrose Hilliard, an aging actor whose vanity, charm, and unexpected vulnerability make him unforgettable. Nighy brings humor to many of the film’s lightest moments while also delivering some of its most emotionally touching scenes.

Visually, Their Finest beautifully recreates wartime London.

Bomb-damaged streets, smoky studios, crowded offices, costume sets, and film stages all feel richly alive. The contrast between destruction outside and creativity inside the studio gives the film much of its emotional identity. While bombs fall across the city, filmmakers continue building stories — scripts, characters, costumes, scenes — because people still need hope.

And that idea sits at the heart of the film.

Their Finest is ultimately about storytelling as survival.

It asks why stories matter during times of fear, loss, and uncertainty — and whether cinema can offer comfort even when reality feels unbearable.

The fictional film being made inside the story becomes symbolic of something larger: people trying to create meaning during chaos.

Yet despite its wartime setting, the film never feels overwhelmingly bleak. It balances emotional depth with humor, wit, romance, and moments of joy. That tonal balance is what makes it so affecting. It feels heartbreaking without becoming heavy, and hopeful without ignoring pain.

At its core, Their Finest is a tribute to artists, writers, performers, and ordinary people doing their best to keep moving forward during impossible circumstances.

It’s about the power of imagination during war.

About women finding their voice.

About love arriving unexpectedly.

And about the films — and stories — that help people endure.

Warm, bittersweet, beautifully acted, and quietly inspiring, Their Finest remains one of the most underrated British period dramas of recent years — a heartfelt reminder that sometimes stories are not an escape from reality, but a way of surviving it.