Queen & Country (2014)

In this sequel to Hope and Glory (1987), Bill Rohan has grown up and is drafted into the army, where he and his eccentric best mate, Percy, battle their snooty superiors on the base and look for love in town.

Director:

John Boorman

Writer:

John Boorman

Stars:

Callum Turner, Caleb Landry Jones, Pat Shortt

3 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Callum Turner	...	Bill Rohan
Caleb Landry Jones	...	Percy Hapgood
Pat Shortt	...	Redmond
David Thewlis	...	Sargeant Major Bradley
Richard E. Grant	...	Major Cross
Tamsin Egerton	...	Ophelia
Vanessa Kirby	...	Dawn Rohan
Aimee-Ffion Edwards	...	Sophie Adams
Brían F. O'Byrne	...	RSM Digby
Sinéad Cusack	...	Grace Rohan
David Hayman	...	Clive Rohan
John Standing	...	Grandfather George
David Michael Claydon	...	Jones
Julian Wadham	...	Colonel Fielding
Tom Stuart	...	Lieutenant Fortesque-Brown

Storyline

The hilarious highlight of John Boorman's HOPE AND GLORY (1987), nominated for 5 Oscars: 9-year-old Bill Rohan rejoices in the destruction of his school by an errant Luftwaffe bomb. QUEEN AND COUNTRY picks up the story nearly a decade later as Bill (Boorman's alter-ego) begins basic training in the early Fifties, during the Korean War. Bill is joined by a trouble-making army mate, Percy. They never get near Korea, but engage in a constant battle of wits with the Catch-22-worthy, Sgt. Major Bradley. Richard E. Grant is their superior, the very, very, infinitely put-upon, aptly-named Major Cross.

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Plot Keywords:

skinny dipping | sex scene | female rear nudity | female nudity | military conscription | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

TV-14

Details

Official Sites:

Official US Site

Country:

Ireland France UK Romania

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 January 2015 (France)

Also Known As:

A királynőért és a hazáért

Filming Locations:

Bucharest, Romania

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$5,954, 22 February 2015

Gross USA:

$41,297

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$155,881

Company Credits

Production Co:

Merlin Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

A framed family photo of the original cast from the opening credits of Hope and Glory (1987) appears in the background of scenes in the living room of the Sphinx.

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Goofs

The date on Bill Rohan's call-up notice is July 1952. There is a scene later where the death of King George VI is announced but, in fact, he had died before Bill was called up (in February 1952).

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Connections

Features Hope and Glory (1987)

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Soundtracks

Soldiers of the Queen
(uncredited)
Written by Leslie Stuart
[Whistled and sung by soldiers]

User Reviews

Lacking the glory

This is a semi autobiographical sequel to Hope & Glory from writer/director John Boorman, dealing with his National Service years of the early 1950s.

Boorman like many others of his generation does not have any warm nostalgic memories of National Service. I always noticed it is only some right wing politicians and police chiefs that want to see National Service return. A supposed lazy fix to soaring crime rates, ignoring the fact the violent crime increased after World War 2 because of all those ex soldiers who had military training and use of firearms.

Bill Rohan the small 9 year old boy from Hope & Glory is now 18 years old and is doing his National Service. He is hoping to avoid seeing combat in Korea. Bill strikes up a friendship with the amoral Percy. Together they look to go out with girls and trying to survive two years of National Service.

Bill and Percy land on their feet teaching new recruits how to type. The fly in the ointment is by the book Sergeant Major Bradley, who is making everyone's life a misery looking for petty breach of the rulebook

Bill also strikes a relationship with a trouble attractive lady, Ophelia, however trouble arises over a missing clock that tests the friendship between Bill and Percy.

I have seen this film before. It was called Biloxi Blues, Neil Simon's semi autobiographical account of his time in basic training during the second world war. The movie has very little that was new here. Caleb Landry Jones has a mixed up English accent. David Heyman who reprises his role from Hope & Glory has been given a dreadful wig.

The problem is it lacks playfulness and fun coming across as anecdotal.