The English summer of 1939, the eve of World War II, is said to have been unusually sunny and pleasant. As Glorious 39 begins, three posh young people romp through the fading summer light, laughing as they chase around the ruined castle on a country estate. Soon enough, clouds roll overheadnot just the weather or the rumble of war as Germany invades Poland but a tempest within the family. Anne (Romola Garai), a beautiful actress whose adopted father is a prominent Member of Parliament, is about to discover that sinister forces are afoot in her nation and her household as well.
Written and directed by Stephen Poliakoff, Glorious 39 (released Feb. 15 on Blu-ray and DVD) is an imaginative look at a conspiracy among the British upper classnot Nazi traitors necessarily, but determined to keep Britain out of a war they view as the ruin of their empire. The cinematography is superb, not surreal as much as slightly skew, tilting toward the disorientation of Ann’s gathering unease, her sense of personal and social alienation. Glorious 39 features a fine supporting cast, including Bill Nighy, Christopher Lee and David Tennant.
