War-time cinema

Their Finest is a movie set in the dark days of the Second World War when Britain stood alone after the defeat of France and the Nazis were trying to bomb London into submission.

Life during the Blitz is precarious as Londoners cope with meagre rations, shattered buildings, dingy bomb shelters and losing loved ones. Many escape this harrowing routine by going to the cinema.

What’s needed is a rousing movie to lift the nation’s flagging spirits. Backed by the Ministry of Information, three writers hammer out a script on clunking typewriters about the miracle of Dunkirk, focusing on twin sisters who absconded with their father’s boat to help evacuate British soldiers from the beach.

Welsh valley girl Catrin (Gemma Arterton) is hired to write dialogue for the female characters (aka “slop”) and it is her highly-charged relationship with fellow scriptwriter Tom Buckley (Sam Claflin) that gives the movie its emotional heft. However, Bill Nighy steals the show with his entertaining portrayal of Ambrose Hilliard, a fading matinee idol desperate to make the most of the limelight.

Adapted from Lissa Evans’s 2009 novel Their Finest Hour And A Half, the movie portrays the war-ravaged London with a deft touch where the making of a propaganda film offers ample opportunity for both comedy and tragedy. I enjoyed watching Their Finest at Vue Cinema, York, last night.

Hacksaw Ridge

Hacksaw Ridge tells the remarkable story of medic Desmond T. Doss. The conscientious objector refused to bear arms, yet vowed to do his duty in the combat zone by saving the wounded. He had to counter US Army red tape before getting his opportunity. His unit took part in ferocious fighting against the Japanese on Hacksaw Ridge during the Battle of Okinawa (1945) and Doss proved his courage by rescuing more than 75 soldiers. He was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Harry S Truman. Hacksaw Ridge, directed by Mel Gibson, is a brutal film with its graphic portrayal of combat; but there are moments of Christian-inspired tenderness. Doss was a man of faith who refused to compromise his beliefs, yet he did not flinch when confronted by extreme danger. I left Vue Cinema, York, feeling both emotionally drained and uplifted.