TV Documentary: Behind Closed Doors

The 2008 film combines narrative-led documentary segments, interwoven by dramatic re-enactments, with actors representing main political figures of the period. The original narrative voice-over was performed by Samuel West, while Keith David, veteran of Ken Burns' PBS series, narrates the American version. Joseph Stalin is portrayed by Alexei Petrenko, Winston Churchill is portrayed by Paul Humpoletz and Franklin D. Roosevelt is portrayed by Bob Gunton.



The series delves into such matters as the British, American and Soviet cover-up of the Katyn Forest Massacre; Churchill's agreement at Yalta that Stalin should keep his gains of the Nazi-Soviet Pact, including Kresy; the Polish population transfers (1944–1946); and the betrayal or persecution of figures such as Marshal Georgy Zhukov, Vyacheslav Molotov and John H. Noble. British historian Laurence Rees did the research compilation and lead writing for the series and the drama was directed by Andrew Williams.