Hope and Glory (1987) - John Boorman

An affectionate and autobiographical look back at youth, with the unlikely backdrop of WWII. As the film progresses it generally keeps a light hearted tone, and certainly is such at its conclusion. Thus avoiding the usual pratfalls of tragedy in a war film. Told with much of Boorman's usual visual theatrics, this one however supresses them later in the film for a more conventional narrative. Perhaps this makes the film's later section suffer, but it also doesn't make it more of a visual gimmick as some of his earlier pictures may have been. The film is endearing, and I have preferred it to Spielberg's similar Empire of the Sun, but I still think I'm burnt out on WWII films. Hope and Glory's greatest competition didn't come from Spielberg however, but from The Last Emperor, which won all 9 of its Oscar nominations.

*Hope and Glory was nominated for best picture, best director, best art direction, best cinematography, and best original screenplay.