Hope and Glory is a 1987 comedy-drama war film, written, produced and directed by John Boorman and based on his own experiences of growing up in London during the Second World War. The title is derived from the traditional British patriotic song "Land of Hope and Glory". The film was distributed by Columbia Pictures. The film tells the story of the Rowan family and their experiences as seen through the eyes of the son, Billy (Sebastian Rice-Edwards).

Plot

The film begins on 3 September 1939, the day Britain declared war on Germany. It tells the story of the Rowan family, Billy, his sisters Sue and Dawn and his parents Grace and Clive, who live in a suburb of London. Clive joins the army, leaving Grace alone to watch over the children. She almost sends Billy and Susie away from London but pulls them back at the last second on the train platform, when she realizes she cannot bear to be apart from them. Thus Billy stays in London for the first years of the war. Seen through the eyes of 10-year-old Billy, the "fireworks" provided by the Blitz (September 1940 – May 1941) every night are as exciting as they are terrifying and the ruins they leave behind are a fascinating playground for Billy and other boys his age, who are largely unsupervised.

Awards