Queen and Country

Boorman's last film continues his autobiographical key work Hope and Glory: Bill Rowan still lives with his family on Pharaoh's Island in the Thames - their house can only be reached by boat. At the age of 18, Bill is called up for military service: Most recruits are sent off to theKorean War, but Bill and his best friend concoct pranks in their desk jobs while experiencing first love. A light-footed farewell work in which Boorman once again effortlessly interweaves private memory and mythical fantasy, while using enchanting, often comical details - such as the purchase of a television to broadcast the coronation of Elizabeth II - to tell of the social upheaval that shaped him: The older generation clings in vain to the traditions of the Empire; transience brings a genuinely tragic undertone to the cheerful events. In the touching final image, two Boorman life themes come together: water and the camera. (C.H.)

Photo: Cinémathèque suisse