WWII Britan is shown through the eyes of 8 year old Billy (Sebastian Rice Edwards). His father leaves to fight and he's left with his two sisters and mother. Based on director John Boorman's life. Sounds depressing but it's not. The kids back then treated the war as if it were a big game. They would go through bombed out houses looking for stuff to take---or break and made games with all the stuff they found.

There's really no story--it just follows Billy and his family through the course of the war and all the incidents that happened. The 1930-40s setting is captured perfectly and (I've heard) accurately portrays life in Britain at that time--through a child's eyes with a comic twist. The acting is all very good--especially Edwards, Sarah Miles (as the mother) and Sammi Davis (as a rebellious daughter).

This film is leisurely paced and some viewers might find it dull but others will find it absolutely fascinating--showing how an average British family made it through WWII. I give it a 9.

John Boorman seems to be telling us this story about his own experience about the first days of the Blitz, something that might well be the case because he must have been Bill's age when WWII broke. Mr. Boorman, working with his own material creates an accurate account of what Londoners lived through that time, in vivid detail.

We are introduced to the Rohan family, at the beginning of the story. They seem to be a typical English family of the time. When the conflict starts, Clive enlists and goes away, leaving Grace, his wife and the children, Dawn, Bill and Sue to fend for themselves. The Rohan's neighborhood suffers a lot of damage during the days of the Blitz, as homes are destroyed, even the Rohan's is badly damaged. With dignity and valor the Rohans survive the worst, although the experience seems to have been forever etched in their minds, especially young Bill, who is at the center of all that goes on.

Mr. Boorman gets excellent performances all around. Notable is young Sebastian Rice-Edwards as Bill. This young actor seems to be a natural, as well as the other young children in the picture. Sarah Miles and David Hayman, as the parents, are also quite good. Sammi Davis, the teen aged Dawn discovers love and makes us care about her character. Ian Bannen, Derrick O'Connor and Susan Woolridge are seen in minor roles.

Mr. Boorman creates a nostalgic look about the horrible experience families went through during those days.

Autobiographical film by John Boorman who describes enjoyable vignettes about recollections from his boyhood . Seen through the young boy's eyes , WWII originates a playground of memory to collect and wild imaginings brought to life in which a family battling through Nazi planes , Blitz , fire and blow up . It is starred by a nine year old boy called Bill (Sebastian Rice) as he grows up in London during the blitz of World War 2 . For a kid , this time in history was more of an adventure , a total upheaval of order , limitation and rules . As his mother (Sarah Miles) must deal with the awakening of her adolescent daughter (Sammi Davis) keep her children in line , balance food rations and attempt to shelter against bombings on the suburban street . Meanwhile ,Bill and his friends prowl the ruins and debris of bombed houses and when occurs bombings they run to bomb shelter .

A flavoursome semi-autobiographical project by the same filmmaker whose recollections come true as seen through the eyes of director John Boorman, who also wrote and produced . There are rollickling portraits of the family members , the bands of young boys are well-drawn and exploring the liberating effect of the war on the women left behind . Interesting and agreeable screenplay , including Boorman's own dialog . It contains a portrait of the lower middle classes battling through suburban semis , good jokes , chuckles and some scene rings horrendously actual , but in other hand other images seem unreal . The highlights of the movie are the joy when a rocket blows up the school and scenes dealing with the gang of boys . It's a fine companion to ¨Forbidden games¨ by Rene Clement , ¨Empire of sun¨ by Steven Spielberg , and ¨Au Revoir Les Enfants¨ by Louis Malle ; all of them dealing with WWII from memories of kiddies . Good British cast who plays with relish as Sarah Miles as the mummy , David Hayman as daddy , Sammi Davis as the feisty daughter , Derrick O'Connor as Mac , Susan Wooldridge as Molly and the French Jean-Marc Barr as the boyfriend . Special mention to Ian Bannen as the grandfather who steals the show as a rogue veteran . Furthermore , Boorman's two children as Katrine and Charly Boorman . Colorful and evocative cinematography by excellent French cameraman Philippe Rousselot . Evocative and stirring musical score by Peter Martin .

The motion picture was well directed by John Boorman . He's a real professional filmmaking from the 6os , though sparsely scattered and giving various classics . John started as an assistant direction and his friendship with Lee Marvin allowed him to work in Hollywood as ¨Point Blank¨ (1967) and ¨Hell in the Pacific¨ (1968) from where he returned to the UK and directed ¨Leo¨ (1970) , a rare Sci-Fi titled ¨Zardoz¨ (1974) or the ¨failure Exorcist II¨ (1977). His films are without exception among the most exciting visually in the modern cinema . He became famous for Excalibur (1981), the best of them , ¨Emerald forest¨ (1985) with a ecologist denounce included and his autobiographic story ¨Hope and Glory¨ (1987) and which brought him another Academy Award Nomination after ¨Deliverance¨ . Rating : Better than average . Wholesome watching .