Their Finest (2016, Lone Scherfig) UK

Reviewed by Susan Scaduto. Viewed at the Santa Barbara Film Festival 2017.

Viewed as the Closing Film at The Arlington Theater during SBIFF 2017. This period drama is set in England during WWII. It tells the story of English filmmakers and the war department trying to keep the morale up for the English people during the relentless bombings of the Germans.

Gemma Aterton plays Catrin Cole, who is hired to help write scripts to promote English propaganda. Her talent is soon recognized by her colleague Tom Buckley, played by Sam Caflin. These two characters begin working together on a new film about twin sisters helping the war effort.

Catrin and Cole begin a professional partnership to craft a story that will encourage the English masses and hopefully bring the U.S. into the war. As they work together, their friendship blossoms and hints of something romantic between becomes evident.

A fading English actor called Ambrose Hillard, play by Bill Nighy, is cast as Uncle Frank in the propaganda film. Ambrose and Catrin’s first meeting is a rather awkward one on set but he soon forgets that experience when Catrin dazzles him with her creative genius and stroking of his actor’s ego. Ambrose begins to depend on Catrin greatly.

We see the twists and turns of development and production as the screenwriters do their research and work out their plot points. An handsome American actor fighting with the English army is added to the cast to help convince the Americans that they should join England to fight the Nazis. When the young soldier, named Carl Lundbeck can’t act, the team must work out a way for him to be seen but polish his acting. Ambrose is recruited to coach him on the nuances of acting and camera work.

As the filming begins, the cast and crew go on location at the seaside. They bond as they work and play together. Catrin and Tom’s relationship really seems to intensify.

Catrin has a man she has been living with as if married, even changing her name to hide their situation. He is a former injured veteran and artist. He gets hired to do an exhibition of his works in London. When Catrin leaves set to go see the end of his exhibition, she comes home to see him in bed with another woman. She leaves him and goes back to location and lets Tom know she is now ready for a relationship with him. Unfortunately, an accident on set takes away their opportunity for happiness together.

The acting, writing, direction and lighting were great in this film. It had moments of drama and tension along with light-hearted humor. It is an interesting look at the propaganda side of WWII from the English perspective.

I also enjoyed the exploration of the role of women in society during the war and how that would impact the role women played in daily life since then. The needs of the war took women out of the home and put them in positions they normally would not have had if men were available to do the same jobs.

The movie was sweet and touching but not outstanding. It is good and worth a watch but it’s not a must-see type of movie. It doesn’t do much to make itself stand out from the already crowded field of films about the English and WWII. It doesn’t come close to anything as interesting as a recent film The Imitation Game.