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Hope and Glory
Book by Boorman, John
- GenresFilm
149 pages, Paperback
First published October 31, 1987
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About the author
John Boorman
54 books13 followersJohn Boorman is an English filmmaker who is a long time resident of Ireland and is best known for his feature films such as Point Blank, Deliverance, Excalibur, The Emerald Forest, Hope and Glory, The General and The Tailor of Panama.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
December 10, 2025
Hope and Glory, written and directed by John Boorman
9 out of 10
A different version of this note and thoughts on other books are available at:
- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... and http://realini.blogspot.ro/
Hope and Glory is a masterpiece.
It is included on The New Times’ Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made list:
- http://www.listchallenges.com/new-yor...
And it was nominated for five Academy Awards, including the ones for Best Picture, Best Director, and best Screenplay.
It won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture in the Comedy category and John Boorman was again nominated for best screenplay and director.
Out of the no less than thirteen BAFTA nominations- for Best Film, Screenplay, Actress and more- it won only one.
- It was the year of Jean de Florette- another outstanding masterpiece
What makes Hope and Glory even more interesting is the fact that the director-writer has produced a semi-autobiographical work.
The hero is Bill and he is nine.
The story takes place during World War II.
And we have the usual horrors that this entails.
But the perspective is different here.
Bill and his mates enjoy the freedom to roam among the bombed and destroyed houses, where they find bullets and dangerous toys.
One qualm that I have about this otherwise perfect movie is the tender age of the protagonists and their “occupations”.
Yes, it is during the war and so much can be justified by the fact that the world is upside down in such a conflict.
- “All is fair in love and war”
- That is what a stupid- like almost all such wise mots- saying claims
But children get to see, spy on, speculate about too much sex- at least it seems to me and I admit it is funny at times.
Bill sees his sister Dawn- who is again too young at about fifteen- having sex in a ruined house and he starts throwing stones- after saying fuck.
At another time, the same Bill spies on Dawn and talks to another, smaller sibling, who knows what mother and father are doing in intimacy, apparently having had the chance to see them, which is disturbing.
It ends with another joke, as Bill pretends to have done it with a girl and when asked the name and says one, the younger sister concludes:
- Liar!
In another good moment, a friend tries to say goodbye to Bill’s father, as the latter drives the car along the road.
And they keep gesticulating and father is impressed and says so, with the insistence with which the man runs along the car.
The poor fellow has a twisted face and keeps on making frantic gestures which are interpreted as a frenzy good bye.
- Only his hand was stuck in the door of the car!
Grandfather George has some good, funny moments, even if a few of them are somewhat in between.
There is both embarrassment and humor.
I recalled The King’s Speech, a film that was acclaimed and awarded many prizes, in the scene where the father comments on the…King’s Speech.
- It is much better this year
- You said so last year!
- The king and country are one
This is a fabulous film and one of
- My Best 100 Movies
9 out of 10
A different version of this note and thoughts on other books are available at:
- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... and http://realini.blogspot.ro/
Hope and Glory is a masterpiece.
It is included on The New Times’ Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made list:
- http://www.listchallenges.com/new-yor...
And it was nominated for five Academy Awards, including the ones for Best Picture, Best Director, and best Screenplay.
It won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture in the Comedy category and John Boorman was again nominated for best screenplay and director.
Out of the no less than thirteen BAFTA nominations- for Best Film, Screenplay, Actress and more- it won only one.
- It was the year of Jean de Florette- another outstanding masterpiece
What makes Hope and Glory even more interesting is the fact that the director-writer has produced a semi-autobiographical work.
The hero is Bill and he is nine.
The story takes place during World War II.
And we have the usual horrors that this entails.
But the perspective is different here.
Bill and his mates enjoy the freedom to roam among the bombed and destroyed houses, where they find bullets and dangerous toys.
One qualm that I have about this otherwise perfect movie is the tender age of the protagonists and their “occupations”.
Yes, it is during the war and so much can be justified by the fact that the world is upside down in such a conflict.
- “All is fair in love and war”
- That is what a stupid- like almost all such wise mots- saying claims
But children get to see, spy on, speculate about too much sex- at least it seems to me and I admit it is funny at times.
Bill sees his sister Dawn- who is again too young at about fifteen- having sex in a ruined house and he starts throwing stones- after saying fuck.
At another time, the same Bill spies on Dawn and talks to another, smaller sibling, who knows what mother and father are doing in intimacy, apparently having had the chance to see them, which is disturbing.
It ends with another joke, as Bill pretends to have done it with a girl and when asked the name and says one, the younger sister concludes:
- Liar!
In another good moment, a friend tries to say goodbye to Bill’s father, as the latter drives the car along the road.
And they keep gesticulating and father is impressed and says so, with the insistence with which the man runs along the car.
The poor fellow has a twisted face and keeps on making frantic gestures which are interpreted as a frenzy good bye.
- Only his hand was stuck in the door of the car!
Grandfather George has some good, funny moments, even if a few of them are somewhat in between.
There is both embarrassment and humor.
I recalled The King’s Speech, a film that was acclaimed and awarded many prizes, in the scene where the father comments on the…King’s Speech.
- It is much better this year
- You said so last year!
- The king and country are one
This is a fabulous film and one of
- My Best 100 Movies
Displaying 1 of 1 review