This title is available April 24th on Blu-ray from Olive Films (www.olivefilms.com – www.facebook.com/olivefilms).
Over the years, we’ve all seen plenty of World War II films. Some are incredible documents of the hardships faced by soldiers in the field of battle. However, the experiences of some during wartime was a little… different. Like the stories I’ve been told by my father, who was a young child during the conflict. He came from a very modest home without many frills. Somehow, my grandparents managed to acquire a small stash of candy that they would meter out sparingly to my dad and uncle when the family had to retreat to their underground bomb shelters. So when the air raid sirens went off, my father wasn’t terrified of the possibility of complete and utter destruction. The only thing he was thinking was that he was about to get some sweets.
The film Hope and Glory is a semi-autobiographical account of the war written, directed and produced by John Boorman (Point Blank, Deliverance, Excalibur). Watching it, I couldn’t help but be reminded of my dad’s old stories, because this feature has a similar tone and point-of-view. In fact, Boorman used his own personal experiences to depict the hostilities through the eyes of a 10-year-old boy. This unique approach certainly helped the movie stand out, adding plenty of personal insight about life during this period. It earned five Academy Award nominations (including Best Picture) and is now debuting on Blu-ray courtesy of Olive Films.
As mentioned, the lead character in the film is Billy Rohan (Sebastian Rice-Edwards), a child living in a London neighborhood during the Blitz. Instead of focusing on the battles, it recounts the boy’s experiences, watching explosions in the sky like a fireworks show and playing in the ruins of nearby buildings. Of course, things are far more upsetting for older family members. His father Clive (David Hayman) volunteers for the war effort, leaving a nervous mother Grace (Sarah Miles) fearful and struggling to take care of the family. Further tensions arise when the protagonist’s teenage sister Dawn (Sammi Davis) falls for a Canadian soldier stationed in the city.
Much of the film relies on Billy and the child actor is completely convincing. This is a boy focused on everyday life and not quite grasping the severity of the situation around him. Instead, strange events occasionally take on a sense of wonder and humor through the youngster’s eyes. The raising and eventual loss of a large air balloon (designed to catch enemy aircraft in its cables) over their street is witnessed with joy and amazement… even though it could end up causing an explosion and possible death.
Children also collect shrapnel and raid ruins of homes for items of value. Interestingly, adults are witnessed behaving in a similar fashion during a later sequence involving a parachute. There are also some incredibly dangerous scenarios in which the youths threaten one another with live ammunition rounds. Amusingly, they don’t appear to care or worry about what might happen if one of the bullets accidentally goes off. And there are even verbal jabs about certain places where the kids might appreciate a bomb going off.
Viewers still get glimpses of conversations between adults, with Dawn’s relationship getting some attention and Grace confessing to a family friend feelings about her marriage and the way her life turned out. Of course, the deeper implications of many comments about family, social status and the country itself are present but completely lost on or simply ignored by the young boy.
The movie is episodic in nature and as such it meanders with some segments being more effective than others. There are a few melodramatic bits involving personal drama with the adults that are played and scored in a somewhat grandiose manner. And there is little in the way heavy drama or grand climax during the final act after the family moves to the estate of Bill’s extremely quirky grandfather, George (Ian Bannen). Using humor, the end of the feature simply deals with members of the family reuniting and celebrating. It’s an unusual approach. However, for a movie taking on a previously unseen perspective of the war through the eyes of a suburban household, it is unique enough to maintain interest.
As mentioned, there isn’t much in the way of traditional action, but a scene involving a bomb strike and a devastating shockwave during one of the air raids is remarkably captured. This bit is also helped and amplified by the improved, high definition picture and sound. The movie has been properly formatted at its unusual 1.66:1 aspect ratio, meaning that the image is complete and hasn’t been cut off in any way. It’s much sharper than brief snippets of the movie I’ve seen on disc in the past. And some scenes, including the aforementioned explosion as well as the scenic beauty around George’s home, look gorgeous.
Overall, Hope and Glory is an original and impressive coming-of-age tale with several memorable moments. Frankly, I’m surprised that an Oscar nominee like this one hasn’t been made available in high definition, so hats off to Olive Films for giving it a Blu-ray upgrade and making it readily available. For anyone who lived through the era or knows someone who did, it should spark some memories and provide plenty of conversation and talking points.