
1939 is set between present-day London and the idyllic British countryside in the time before the beginning of the Second World War. At a time of uncertainty and high tension, the story revolves around the formidable Keyes family, who are keen to uphold and preserve their very traditional way of life. The eldest sibling Anne is a budding young actress who is in love with Foreign Office official Lawrence, but her seemingly perfect life begins to dramatically unravel when she s... (Full plot summary below)
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1939 is set between present-day London and the idyllic British countryside in the time before the beginning of the Second World War. At a time of uncertainty and high tension, the story revolves around the formidable Keyes family, who are keen to uphold and preserve their very traditional way of life. The eldest sibling Anne is a budding young actress who is in love with Foreign Office official Lawrence, but her seemingly perfect life begins to dramatically unravel when she stumbles across secret recordings of the pro-appeasement movement. While trying to discover the origin of these recordings, dark secrets are revealed which lead to the death of a great friend. As war breaks out Anne discovers the truth and flees to London to try to confirm her suspicions, but she is caught and imprisoned and only then does she finally begin to discover how badly she has been betrayed.
Leave your thoughts about Glorious 39.
| BrianOrndorf.comBrian OrndorfDespite a few convincing turns, the feature is disappointingly winded, eventually going off on a few needless tangents that derail the whole production. |
| London Evening StandardDerek MalcolmThere's much to admire in the film, such as sequences of the often forgotten panic when family pets were systematically put down as war became inevitable, but there's quite a lot to argue about too. |
| Shadows on the WallRich ClineThis pre-war drama is a bundle of suspense, mystery and personal emotion that's beautifully filmed and sharply played by a first-rate cast. |
| ViewLondonMatthew TurnerPoliakoff gives the finale a feverish intensity that's genuinely shocking and works surprisingly well. |
| Independent on SundayNicholas BarberPrestigious and serious-minded, but it's still nonsense. |
| News of the WorldRobbie CollinNot quite glorious... but fans of good old-fashioned wartime mysteries will find it really rather spiffing. Pip pip! |
| Time OutDave CalhounA political yarn - sometimes creepy, sometimes daft - in the Hitchcockian vein. |
| GuardianXan BrooksA ripping, old-school conspiracy thriller. |
| Total FilmMatt MuellerPoliakoff's conspiracy thriller about Hitler-pleasers and appalling aristos comes with all the bucolic loveliness you'd expect. But its biggest boost comes from Garai, whose fragile, hypnotic turn should make the actress a gong contender. |
| Times (UK)Wendy IdeFor all its sumptuous production design, Steven Poliakoff's tale of glamorous toffs and treason is so laboured and slow that it's practically pensionable. |