It can't have been easy to have a cast of charming highly competent actors,charismatic warplanes,a bitter - sweet romance in war - ravaged picturesque London and turn the whole lot into a turkey of a movie but Mr.P.Hyams managed it in "Hanover Square". He wasn't helped by a script that may have passed muster at the Odeon, Streatham in 1942 for a less than critical audience never sure that their house would still be standing by the time the movie was finished,but more peaceful and plentiful times were rather more demanding. Mr C.Plummer plays the upper middle class Intelligence Officer whose wife (Miss L.A.Downs) has an affair with USAF officer(Mr H.Ford). Apparently Mr Ford is so irresistible to Miss Downs that they have sex in a conveniently situated country hotel on their first date,an event so unlikely as to be almost incredible.Yes I know it's wartime,and I know things were different,but believe me nicely brought up English gels with husbands and daughters most definitely did not "put out" as our American friends would say on their first illicit meeting with a virtual stranger,even if he is an intrepid birdman. Indeed Miss Downs is so irredeemably posh that I am not entirely convinced that Mr Ford does not classify as her bit of rough. She is a voluntary nurse - albeit one with an immaculate uniform and beautifully - coiffed hair.She walks the wards as a Lady Bountiful and I'm almost convinced the Sister refers to her as "Lady Margaret" at one stage. Her husband is in some "hush - hush" department running secret agents and they live in a very upmarket Townhouse somewhere around the Harley Street triangle.Their daughter (little Miss P.Kensit) is a cute poppet and everything in the marital garden appears lovely.Why she should risk all this for a quick tumble with a not particularly winning American bomber pilot is not clear.It certainly isn't for his conversation ,his monotonous tone of voice or his sense of humour. By contrast Mr C.Plummer is gentle,articulate and sensitive. In a ridiculously contrived plot twist he and Mr Ford end up in occupied France wearing German uniforms on a Deadly Mission. On their return Mr Ford nobly lets Miss Downs go back to her husband and is last seen loping across Hanover Square doubtless in pursuit of a fresh conquest. Women with husbands at the front in 1942 would not have been sympathetic towards her,the word "Jezebel" might well have been bandied freely about They knew all about temptation and resolutely resisted it if only for the sake of their men in foreign climes.The thought of a posh woman with a husband at home having it off with a Yank would have filled them with scorn.And quite rightly too. As for that young pilot.....well,he could probably hardly have believed his luck.
Review of Hanover Street
