Hope and Glory

In the dim light of early morning...

...perhaps also in the dim light between peace and war...

...the king returns to London.

A few hours later, His Majesty holds a Privy Council.

While hour by hour, the tension grows all over the world.

Before lunch, Mr. Chamberlain returns from an audience with the king.

In the afternoon, Parliament assembles to write a new page in its long history.

There has been no doubt that every British citizen would play his part.

London prepares its defences against attack from the air.

It's every citizen's duty to know what to do should an air raid come.

Do you know the warning signal? To remind you, we repeat them, softly...

...to avoid alarming anyone who might hear them outside this theatre.

All clear.

Have you brought your gas masks for your family?

It was all they talk ed about, getting ready for war...

...but nothing ever happened.

It was all words and no action.

Hop along Cassidy, on the other hand...

...now that was the real thing.

Sunday, the 3rd of September, 1939.

Everyone who is old enough and was there...

...remembers exactly what they were doing at that moment.

I had just gunned down a couple of rustlers.

And then I slipped back a few centuries...

...and I was riding through an enchanted forest.

The magician Merlin suddenly appeared before me...

...and my horse reared up in terror.

Then something even more extraordinary happened.

All the Sunday-morning lawnmowers suddenly stopped.

This is London. You will now hear a statement by the prime minister.

I am speaking to you from the Cabinet room in 10 Downing Street.

This morning, the British ambassador in Berlin...

...handed the German government a final note...

...stating that unless we heard from them by 11:00...

...that they were prepared at once to withdraw their troops from Poland...

...a state of war would exist between us.

I have to tell you now...

...that no such undertaking has been received...

...and that consequently, this country...

...is at war with Germany.

His actions show convincingly...

Stop that, Sue!

She just sings it, she doesn't even know what it means.

Where are my stockings? I can't find my stockings.

Dawn, pet, they've started war.

Have they? That's not my fault.

I still need my stockings, don't I?

I don't want to hear about your stockings!

It's an air raid!

Good God. They've started already.

Air raid!

Get down! Stay down!

It's the all clear.

Testing.

They were just testing.

We all expected to be bombed right away, but nothing happened for ages.

It was a perfect summer's morning...

...and everyone said, "Fancy starting a war on such a beautiful day."

Such a beautiful day to...

A few lawnmowers started up again, but they didn't ring true somehow.

Nothing would ever be the same again.

Are you gonna give me a hand, Mac, or not?

Dad, it's full of water again.

Oh, blast!

Comes up through the clay.

You should've sealed it with hot pitch. Caulked it, like the hull of a ship.

It's not fair on them. It's selfish to keep them with you.

You remember that aunt I told you about in Australia?

- Well, she has offered to have them. - Snap it up.

Great chance for them. I mean, a lot more future out there.

It's so far away.

I couldn't bear it.

Building an air-raid shelter is hungry work, Grace.

Well, a few bombs might wake up this country.

Take more than a few bombs to wake up Dawn on a Sunday morning.

- This phoney war gets on my nerves. - Morning.

If we're going to have a war, I wish they'd start.

- Now, now, Dawn. - Just ignore her, Mac.

Well, this waiting about's getting us all down.

We'll have to wait about 10 minutes for lunch.

- Still remember your drill, Mac? - There you are.

Hup, two, three, dash.

You see that? The moths haven't got this, then.

You kept the old Sam Browne all these years?

- Certainly. - And kept it polished.

Might come in useful.

Oh, steady. Steady.

Having received His Majesty's permission...

...I have formed an administration of men and women of every party...

...and of almost every point of view.

- Now one bond unites us all: - Dad.

To wage war until victory is won...

...and never to surrender ourselves to servitude and shame...

...whatever the cost... - Come on.

...and the agony may be.

Bloody gin.

Always makes me cry.

Couple of crossed wires. She only weeps when she's happy.

Oh, stop it, Molly. You'll start me off now.

Now, Grace, Grace...

It's duty, Mac. It's our duty.

For a mug, Clive. We did our bit in the last lot.

King and country call, Mac. You'll go as soon as I will.

What did we know? Couple of kids, 17.

I heard the drum and fife yesterday, Mac...

...marching past.

Made my hair stand on end.

There we go.

There we go, Mol.

- We've been asleep for 20 years. - Go to hell!

Come on.

- Good night, Molly. - Good night.

Do you know what time it is? Go to bed this minute.

Don't worry, Sue. We're not gonna be like them when we grow up.

We're not even like them now.

We're standing in the pouring rain off the side of...

- a road squelching with mud and lined right away...

...over the plain to the far skyline with the inevitable double row of poplars.

A few lorries only are splashing by to and from the forward areas.

Coming down the road towards us...

...is a battalion that I know to be the famous Irish Regiment.

They're marching in threes. And in their full battle dress and kit...

...they blend with the dripping green grass of the roadside...

...and the brown haystacks.

Forward!

I rode into battle with a drawn sword against the Turks.

Don't be a mug. We did our bit in the last lot.

- Don't be a mug. - I heard the drum and fife yesterday.

- This country... - Marching past.

- Made my hair stand on end. ... is at war with Germany.

- A couple of kids, 17. - I fought against the Turks.

- Your place is with Grace and the kids! ... wage war until victory is won.

Dad!

Dad!

Uncle Mac.

Dad.

- Dad. - Get up, boys.

- Well, it's lovely to see you. - Absolutely smashing to see you.

- Take care of yourself. - And you.

- See you in uniform, eh? - Yeah.

- Take care. - Take care.

Hello, kids.

Oh, sorry, kids.

I joined up.

I needed some Dutch courage to tell your mother.

- Never say "die." - Steady the Buffs.

Up the arsenal!

He's one of the best.

Get away.

Daddy, you shut his hand in the door.

Silly beggar.

We're trying to win a war...

...and you start off by shutting your fingers in a car door.

My hand. Sorry.

That's it for the duration.

Pop in and give her a polish, Billy boy...

...just now and then.

A car needs to be cherished.

Has Sue got it right?

What's that?

- You joined up. - Oh, that.

I wish you could have told me yourself.

Oh, Grace, it's not for long.

They say it'll be over by Christmas.

Hey.

No, leave me...

I don't want...

Stop it.

Don't be daft. Act your age.

I can't cope on my own.

I better let the children go.

Nice catch, Billy.

Billy...

...before I go, there's something I want to tell you.

You're not quite old enough, but...

Well...

It's the googly.

Your hand is too small to master it.

But you can make a start.

Anyway, I'm gonna pass on the secret now, father to son, in case...

In case anything happens to me.

All right.

Now...

You know the leg break, right?

And the off break.

Now, the googly looks like a leg break...

...but it's really an off break. Got it?

Like this.

- That's like telling fibs. - That's it.

When you tell a lie, you want to get away with it.

But when someone else does, you want to find them out.

A good batsman will spot a googly. A good bowler will hide it.

Always remember that, son.

Bye, Grace.

Oh, Grace.

Tap's running.

Must go.

Be good.

- Bye-bye, Daddy. - Bye, Dawn. Take care of Susie.

Bye, Billy.