jeremy3 Review of Glorious 39

Glorious 39 (2009)

An original movie, with good acting, marred by a confusing plot

[6/10 · 25 July 2018]

This movie had all the ingredients for an unusual movie about World War Two, but failed to do so. Firstly, the star of the film plays a woman adopted by a wealthy landed aristocracy family, but we never know who she really is other than that she is strikingly pretty. She has a baby, but who was the father and why when the baby is briefly kidnapped does the baby disappear completely from the plot? Secondly, the main plot is about British aristocrats who decide to support Hitler in their delusions that it will protect their positions and places. The movie never really solidifies what their move to fascism is all about. One character accused the adopted woman of being "part gypsy", but this only confuses things leading one to believe that the fascists have a lot more motives than protecting their self interest. Thirdly, it is never explained to what extent these fascists have power to control a whole rural area of England. The heroine cannot escape the fascists, which include her brother, but it is never explained why. How deep is the fascist conspiracy? At one point the heroine flees but British soldiers capture her and one soldier says that habeas corpus has been suspended and the soldiers can imprison her indefinitely. Missed opportunity to suggest that overreaction may have helped the fascists take advantage of the situation and be more powerful. Lastly, it is never explained at what time this teenager is looking into what happened back in 1939. It is because his mother was now taking care of the heroine, but we do not not even see the face of the teenager's mother's. What was her motivation in finding out what happened in 1939. Bill Nighy was great. He plays a seemingly very nice and harmless man who is really leading the fascists. I also liked the beginning where an inspiring politician stresses the point of confronting Hitler and supporting Churchill. Even if he was not unknowingly speaking to a group of fascists, it compellingly showed how the perceptions of World War Two changed over time. In 1939, it was still sort of a partisan issue between the Labour and Conservative Party. Many people remembered the horrors of World War One and were anxious about getting into another war. Overall, a good movie, but a lot unexplained. Why were all the animals being killed? I think I remember reading something about this, but the movie does not explain it to the audience at all. Was the local vet in collusion with the fascists or just obeying government orders? The fascists we're a really menacing and creepy bunch, but the movie does not provide much historical basis and evidence so the audience can be more engaged.