Cast: Kathleen Chalfant, Carolyn Michelle, Andy McQueen, H. Jon Benjamin Review by Carlie Newman
It’s summer 1943 in the Orkney Islands where six very different people have been sent to make three secret pornographic films to support the war by boosting the morale of the troops. One film for the Army, one for the Navy and one for the Royal Air Force.
Holly Spurring (played by Natalie Quarry, Rosalind it Call the Midwife), is an actress who has attended numerous unsuccessful auditions and believes the film might help her become well-known. Her co-star and lover in the film is Corporal Harry Evans (Jack Bandeira), who has been damaged psychologically by his wartime activities.
The Jewish director (Ben BelaBohm) has escaped from Germany and feels guilty over the fate of his relatives. Agnes (Comedian Ronni Ancona) is the older make-up and hair artist.who will do anything to make sure the films get made and her 18-year-old son , the sound recordist (Ollie Maddigan) is safe, while the Ministry of Health Information Officer (John McCrea) is nursing the secret of a sexual misdemeanour. Added to these is Oscar Hoppe who plays a captured enemy soldier.
The film refers to the rumour that Churchill commissioned two productions: one was the Laurence Olivier film of Shakespeare’s Henry V and the other was this one.
Richard Hawkins gives us a tight production. Though somewhat far-fetched, the acting is all round excellent and the story is gripping.
In cinemas now.
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