Review of Hope and Glory (1987) by Sanity Assassin ! — 13 Sep 2009

Set in London at the beginning of WW2, this film starts off well with some good aeroplane sequences, the barrage balloon and period details showing life for an 'average' family. However, from about halfway onwards, it starts to fizzle out in a big way.

The realism evaporates and then when the family move to Richmond(?) somewhere, it all becomes very casual and jolly. You'd hardly know there was a war going on at all! They seem to really enjoy themselves.

I imagine for real people, life was a bit tougher than this - food shortages, casualties, and certainly no living altogether in a big house on an island in the sunshine without contributing anything to the war effort.

The Grandpa character is very pantomimey and rather akin to Toad of Toad Hall. The 1st Canadian in it is quite irritating, the 2nd even more so. All the 'charming' parts such as singing along to the piano and Xmas parties, seem very stage school-like and AmDram.

It's not a terrible film - you might even enjoy the first hour - but it does become rather twee and drag a bit towards the end.