Hope and Glory (film)

Hope and Glory
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	John Boorman
Produced by	John Boorman Michael Dryhurst
Written by	John Boorman
Starring	Sebastian Rice-Edwards Sarah Miles David Hayman
Music by	Peter Martin
Cinematography	Philippe Rousselot
Editing by	Ian Crafford
Studio	Goldcrest Films Nelson Entertainment
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date(s)	November 13, 1987
Running time	113 minutes
Country	United Kingdom United States
Language	English
Budget	$3 million
Box office	$10,021,120

Hope and Glory is a 1987 British-American comedy-drama-war film, written and directed by John Boorman. Boorman based the film on his own early life experiences of growing up in the Blitz in London during World War II. The title of the movie derives from the traditional British patriotic song "Land of Hope and Glory".

Plot

Beginning just before the start of World War II, the movie tells the story of the Rowan family: Bill, his sisters Sue and Dawn, and his parents Grace and Clive, living in a suburb of London. After the war starts, Clive joins the army, leaving Grace alone to watch over the children.

Seen through the eyes of 10-year-old Bill, the "fireworks" provided by the Blitz every night are as exciting as they are terrifying. His family do not see things in quite the same way as the bombs continue to drop, but their will to survive brings them closer together. The nightly raids do not provide the only drama, however, as his older sister, Dawn, falls for a Canadian soldier, becomes pregnant, and finding her life turned upside down, soon discovers the value of her family. The family eventually moves to the Thames-side home of Grace's parents when their house burns down (not in an air raid, but in an ordinary fire). This provides an opportunity for Bill to spend more time with his curmudgeonly grandfather.

Cast

• Sebastian Rice-Edwards as Billy Rowan
• Sarah Miles as Grace Rowan
• David Hayman as Clive Rowan
• Geraldine Muir as Sue Rowan
• Sammi Davis as Dawn Rowan
• Derrick O'Connor as Mac
• Ian Bannen as Grandfather George
• Anne Leon as Grandma
• Jean-Marc Barr as Corporal Bruce Carrey

Awards

The film received Academy Awards nominations for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration (Anthony D. G. Pratt, Joanne Woollard), Best Cinematography, Best Director, Best Picture and Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen.

Archival film

The "newsreel" footage shown in the local cinema contains scenes from the 1969 film Battle of Britain.

Critical response

The film was favorably reviewed by critic Pauline Kael in her movie reviews collection Hooked.

It's hard to believe that a great comedy could be made of the blitz but John Boorman has done it. In his new, autobiographical film, he has had the inspiration to desentimentalize wartime England and show us the Second World War the way he saw it as an eight year old. The war frees the Rowans from the dismal monotony of their pinched white-collar lives. He doesn't deny the war its terrors. Yet he gives everything a comic fillip. That's the joy of the movie: the war has its horrors, but it also destroys much of what the genteel poor like Grace Rowan (Sarah Miles), have barely been able to acknowledge they wanted destroyed. It's like a plainspoken, English variant of the Taviani brothers' The Night of the Shooting Stars.

Release

The film was released from Columbia Pictures, but the film rights were previously owned by Nelson Entertainment and currently by MGM.

External links

• Hope and Glory at the Internet Movie Database
• Hope and Glory at AllRovi
• Hope and Glory at Box Office Mojo
• Hope and Glory (film) at Rotten Tomatoes

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Hannah and Her Sisters	Golden Globe: Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy 1987	Succeeded by Working Girl