If spit and polish were the stuff of epic wartime romances, Writer/Director Peter Hyams (The Relic/End of Days) would have won an Oscar for the 1979 romantic drama set in World War II, Hanover Street. Unfortunately, spit and polish does not go quite as far in the film industry, as it does in the military. Although Hanover Street has some wonderful window dressing, with a youthful, ruggedly handsome, Harrison Ford as the lead actor, and a flawlessly beautiful Lesley-Anne Down caught up in a torrid romance, set against the intriguing backdrop of air raids and exploding bombs; none of that makes up for a poorly written script and obviously contrived plot.

David Halloran (Harrison Ford) is an American fighter pilot stationed in rural England. On his day off, he meets an attractive Londoner, Margaret Sellinger (Lesley-Anne Down) during an air raid on the city. As the bullets fly, the two fall into one another's arms, and their love affair literally takes off on wings.(pun intended)

The love struck couple must meet in a series of secret rendezvous, since Margaret is married to a kind, but emotionally blunted, hard- working British Intelligence Officer, Paul Sellinger. (Christopher Plummer) She also has a young daughter, Sarah, (Pasty Kensit) who adores her father.

David has his own problems, when he is singled out as a rebellious, hot shot pilot (where have we seen this before?) by his rigid Commander. Despite his reputation, David is chosen to pilot a secret mission to Nazi Germany to deliver a spy, none other than Paul Sellinger, behind enemy lines. When the plane is shot down, the two must fight for survival, and eventually David discovers that the man he is befriending is his lover's husband.

Hyams does an excellent job of creating a realistic depiction of the lurking terror and unpredictability of war, and the tendency of people to develop close relationships when exposed to the tensions of life threatening circumstances. However, the romance between the two lead characters appears to be based primarily on superficial qualities rather than a deep abiding love that can only be developed over time and through shared experience.

It is easy to understand how Margaret would fall for Halloran's dashing good looks and his image as a brave pilot, in comparison to her husband's almost regal aloofness. However, this does not quite explain the feverish pitch of their dispassionate clandestine trysts and their declarations of un-dying love.

In fact, the film doesn't really get off the ground (except in a few tame aerial combat scenes) until Halloran and Sellinger are shot down in the German countryside and escape by parachute. After hiding out in a barn, they are chased all across the German landscape, and barely make it across and exploding bridge in a final, anti-climactic, battle scene.

A young Harrison Ford delivers a competent, but unspectacular performance, while Lesley-Anne Down looks beautiful, but comes across a bit too stiff for a seductive romantic lead. Christopher Plummer's is clearly the most credible performance of the three, as he captures the essence of Sellinger's dignified, yet vulnerable character.

This film may be worth a look if you are fan of wartime romances, but in my opinion, it lacks the achingly pure nostalgia of In Love And War, and the almost surreal emotion of The English Patient. It's actually closer to an Indiana Jones adventure, at least in the second half.

Bottom line, the film suffers from a little too much melodrama, with the plot contrivances of a fly by night romance meticulously gift wrapped, and the unlikely combination of a romantic triangle with an espionage assignment. I would rate this film 2 1/2 stars at most. Two stars for the spit and polish, and 1/2 star for the less than convincing romantic dalliance, for an overall marginal recommendation.



Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Better than Watching TV
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older