Hanover Street

Rating:
Summary: Hanover Street
Review: Hanover Street is one of those movies that slipped by me when it was first released in 1979. I caught part of it years ago on television. This new DVD version is excellent. Peter Hyams managed to present this World War II movie differently than one would normally expect from a movie about this subject. With romance, humour, action and suspense the movie literally captures you with it's magnetism. There are several scenes behind enemy lines where Hyams almost performs magic in creating intensity of the moment. Harrison Ford is wonderful in this film. I give this one two thumbs up for sure.

Rating:
Summary: A must-see for Harrison Ford fans!
Review: Hanover Street portrays young Harrison Ford at his romantic best. As a fearless fighter pilot in WWII stationed in England he meets and falls in love with a gorgeous Leslie-Ann Down who tries to hide the fact that she is married to Spy Master Christopher Plummer. Harrison loses his edge in flying fearlessly as he gains his affection for Down. He is assigned to take an England officer into Germany to uncover the identity of a double-spy. The plane crashes and the two end up escaping the French countryside together. That union is fateful, funny and touching. This movie is for the romantic at heart. I've seen it several times!

Rating:
Summary: ROMANCE ISN'T DEAD!
Review: I first saw this movie about ten years ago, late at night, on my own and was pleasantly surprised. I had never even heard of it before. It is set during the 1940s during wartime - Harrison Ford and Lesley Anne Down meet accidently on - yes you've guessed it Hanover Street! - and of course they fall in love. There is only one problem Lesley Anne is married, but they both can't resist each other and even though you know it's naughty you just want them to go for it! I'll not say any more about the plot because I don't want to give too much away - but the ending is sad - so get those tissues handy! The chemistry between the two lead actors is superb and the photography and action scenes are good too. A brilliant little "Sunday afternoon" film.

Rating:
Summary: **** Great Romance Film in '40s Style!
Review: I loved this movie because it reminded me of the tear-jerking films of the 1940s. Grab a tissue, get a warm blanket and enjoy getting your heart tugged in this WWII drama with the handsome Harrison Ford, Christopher Plummer and beautiful Ms. Downing

Rating:
Summary: Consider the times
Review: I've always loved this movie. Yes, the plot is a little over-used, but you can't beat it for early Harrison Ford. The bedroom scenes are done with the taste lacking in many of today's movies. Richard Masur is very funny as the nervous bomb spotter. Two thumbs and two big toes up!

Rating:
Summary: A Danielle Steel version of WW II
Review: If Danielle Steel wrote a love story about WW II, the film would be called Hanover Street. The plot is preposterous, the aircraft on the wrong mission, the Air Force crew looks dressed more by a 1970's hippy than a uniform tailor, hair styles are circa 1970's not 1943, the military vehicles need keys to be started -- good grief. Actor pilots too fat to ever fit into a B-25 seat. Oh yea, this is 5 stars OK.

Rating:
Summary: Reminiscent of 1940s filmmaking; touching love story
Review: My first viewing of this film was 20 years after it was released, so any first-time viewer probably needs to keep that in perspective when watching this film. After watching Harrison Ford's body of film work grow and develop over the years, it was refreshing to take a look back at one of his earlier roles. Ford's talent for acting with facial expression and mannerisms was apparent even this early in his film career. He is convincing as the American bomber pilot, although the meeting with the woman who is to become his lover (Down) is quite contrived. The film falls short in showing just how the two lovers clicked with one another in their first meeting. Had that been developed more, the passion that Down's character feels for Ford's would be more believable. Christopher Plummer is "pleasant" in his role as Down's husband (viewers will understand the choice of the word "pleasant" once they've seen the film!). Richard Masur is notable in his supporting role. While this is an intense love story of adulterous passion, there is enough flying, bombing and espionage to keep the male viewers interested. The strength of the film is that it actually has the "feel" of 1940s WWII movies. Perhaps predictable, perhaps cliched, but it makes for an entertaining evening of film viewing. Fans of Harrison Ford will enjoy this one.

Rating:
Summary: A must see for Harrison Ford fans!!
Review: One of Harrison Ford's underrated best. Set during WWII, when Ford meet Leslie Ann Down the two can't help but fall in love because the sparks fly. The problem? She is married and truly loves her husband (Christopher Plummer) but can't help but be attacted to the dashing Ford who is a dare-devil ace bomber pilot. The stronger the attraction grows, the more cautious Ford gets in flying his missions. When fate send him on a mission with her husband, you can't help but not know who to root for. A really beautiful, bitter-sweet love story with enough action to keep the guys interested. Ladies - get out the tissue for this one. It is great!!!

Rating:
Summary: Too much love, not enough war
Review: That sounds like a crass statement to make, to be sure, but in the case of HANOVER STREET, it is, unfortunately, true. The first 75 minutes is taken up with Harrison Ford as an American flyboy who falls in love with upper-crust British nurse Lesley-Anne Down, who happens to be married to poor Christopher Plummer. He seems to be a pretty good guy, but apparently isn't "exciting" enough for her, so she hops in the sack with Ford. The last 45 minutes is much better, as Ford and Plummer find themselves stuck behind enemy lines in Occupied France together, and must work together to get out. It's only here in which the film really picks up -- too bad the movie didn't focus on this aspect rather than the mush.

The DVD itself has a transfer that's been criticized a bit, but I didn't think it was too bad. David Watkin's cinematography comes out nicely, although there is a fair bit of haloing surrounding the light sources in indoor scenes. The audio nicely features John Barry's lush romantic score (really, the only good thing about the romantic part of the film).

The extras are few: an audio commentary by director Peter Hyams, which is listenable, but not essential, and three trailers. All in all, an average DVD presentation of an average film.

The film: 3 stars.
The extras: 3 stars.

Rating:
Summary: Harrison is great but the story is preatty slick....
Review: This film is not a bad film. Harrison Ford and his co star does a great job acting but the story is not so good as you would hope. The films beginns out well when harrison meets this girl who is married and he wants to be with her. The girl and harrison falls in love but later in the movie harrison meets the husband of the girl he just falled in love with. I don't want to tell you all but the ending is very good and very sad. The ending pushed this film up many levels