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Hope and Glory

Play trailer Poster for Hope and Glory PG-13 Released Oct 9, 1987 1h 51m Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
96% Tomatometer 28 Reviews 82% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
Director John Boorman drew from his own childhood experiences for this touching coming-of-age tale about a boy growing up in and around London during World War II. For young Billy Rowan (Sebastian Rice Edwards), the nightly bombings provide a frightening show, but they include opportunities to rummage through the rubble with friends in the mornings. As Billy plays, his family struggles to remain intact as they suffer through the anguish and losses of wartime.

Critics Reviews

View All (28) Critics Reviews
Pauline Kael The New Yorker Boorman keeps his energy up in all the scenes. He doesn’t get so personal he loses control... the picture moves along lightly, one incident after another, a collage of memories, dreams, newsreels, old movies, fake old movies. Sep 13, 2023 Full Review Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader At the same time that Boorman seduces us with such enchantments, he also deceives us with a crafty little googly of his own–persuading us that he is embarking on a fresh adventure while aiming straight for the heart of old-fashioned English cinema... Rated: 3/4 May 10, 2022 Full Review Joe Pollack St. Louis Post-Dispatch Boorman has created a film that will strike a responsive chord through all ages. It's warm, and fresh, with a different -- and totally effective -- point of view. Apr 20, 2022 Full Review Peter Freedman Radio Times Sebastian Rice-Edwards gives an extraordinarily confident performance in the lead role, and he's matched by Geraldine Muir, playing his five-year-old sister. Rated: 5/5 Jul 31, 2024 Full Review Quentin Crisp Christopher Street The acting, both by the children and the adults, is very good, and the art direction or, perhaps, the photography, is faultless. May 1, 2024 Full Review Rene Jordan El Nuevo Herald (Miami) Hope and Glory is a nostalgic film, but very honest. [Full review in Spanish] Jun 28, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (243) audience reviews
Martina R Underrated movie with so many great perceptions woven beautifully together with fantastic storytelling and a clever soundtrack. There aren't many films like this, a true gem, the sharing of an underlooked experience. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/29/24 Full Review Jeff M What an extraordinary achievement! I would have thought it nearly impossible, or at least in questionable taste, to make a comedy about the horrors and travesties of World War II, but John Boorman drew upon his own childhood experiences to come up with this glorious, often touching, and - yes - funny reminiscence of his childhood during this time. And although it was nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, I would feel confident to say it's probably one of the least known nominees in the last 50 years. That's a shame! I would love to see more people become acquainted with this gem of a movie. And it contains one of the great endings of a movie ever - simultaneously moving and joyous - that leaves you on a cinematic high. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/04/24 Full Review Susan H I hoped that being a 1987 film it wouldn't be all crude and modern. It is. In the initial bombings, the little boy sees a couple having sex in the rubble and yelling the F word. I guarantee it never happened. FIrst of all morality was MUCH different then, especially amongst the British, and the people were so were shocked and horrified at being bombed...nope not buying it. The little boy having his hand horribly marred and scarred by some terror of clergy man who was marching the children around like soldiers. Nope. Not, not in the middle of the Blitz. Teacher calling a classroom of lovely children caught in the blitz "ungrateful little twerps" for no reason. Nope. Plus it wasn't even a word that was used back then. Boorman's memories were likely skewed and screwed by his filthy life that followed. This is NOT a true story. It's a sick man's fiction. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 01/30/24 Full Review Sharon S This is a great movie. Whenever it's on the telly I'll watch it every time. Top notch acting by top drawer cast. It's funny, warm, moving and realistic showing life during WW2 for a family near London. The little boy in the film is the writer, producer and director of this film. It's well worth a watch and shows how the family and friends help each other through the terrible days of the last war. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/29/24 Full Review Alec B One of the better "coming of age" movies set against the backdrop of real history, probably because Boorman actually experienced this. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/10/24 Full Review a.l.jude p Highly comical, more than a comedy genre piece of work. Superb cast and the entire crew and the aspect make the movie so memorable. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Hope and Glory

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Movie Info

Synopsis Director John Boorman drew from his own childhood experiences for this touching coming-of-age tale about a boy growing up in and around London during World War II. For young Billy Rowan (Sebastian Rice Edwards), the nightly bombings provide a frightening show, but they include opportunities to rummage through the rubble with friends in the mornings. As Billy plays, his family struggles to remain intact as they suffer through the anguish and losses of wartime.
Director
John Boorman
Producer
John Boorman
Screenwriter
John Boorman
Distributor
Columbia Pictures
Production Co
Columbia Pictures Corporation
Rating
PG-13
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 9, 1987, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 2, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA)
$9.4M
Runtime
1h 51m
Sound Mix
Surround