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(More customer reviews)When Harrison Ford saw an advance cut of the original STAR WARS movie he realized the powerful impact the movie made. In subsequent interviews Ford said that it was at that point that he realized that he needed to get to work in a variety of projects so he could avoid being stereotyped by the role of Han Solo. Of the three leads of that movie that shook the world in 1977 he was the most active in the years immediately following, and the strategy appears to have worked as now, almost 30 years later, he is the only one who is considered a megastar.
One of the movies Ford chose was the World War II romantic drama HANOVER STREET in the role of American bomber pilot David Halloran who falls for married English nurse Margaret Sellinger. The Halloran role was originally to be played by Kris Kristofferson, but it is a testament to Fords personality and acting that it is hard to imagine the movie as it was originally cast.
Viewed today the movie has an impressive cast, but at that time Ford was perhaps the least known of the three leads.
Playing Sellinger is the amazing and impossibly beautiful Lesley-Anne Down who was well known to British television audiences (in UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS) and in addition to an appearance in 1976s THE PINK PANTHER STRIKES AGAIN had, a year previously, appeared opposite Sean Connery and Donald Sutherland in THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY.
Down would go on to make other movies such as ROUGH CUT (with Burt Reynolds) and my personal-favorite SPHINX (with Sir John Gielgud and John Rhys-Davies). But here she plays a nurse caught in a love triangle between the hotshot flier (Ford) and her British intelligence husband Paul (played by screen great Christopher Plummer).
The movie really picks up the pace when David and Paul have to work together behind enemy lines. There is dramatic tension there as Halloran is initially unaware of the connection he shares with Paul and yet, the success of the mission depends on them cooperating. This is not an action movie by any means, but when there is action on the screen it is handled well in a nice understated manner.
It seems that the transfer on this DVD has come in for some criticism, but I found it serviceable. I think the movie is actually quite beautiful at times.
The direction by Peter Hyams is steady and he keeps the movie focused on the human drama unfolding before you. He also supplies an audio commentary for this DVD release that is amiable and light.
On a trivia note, the young Sellinger's daughter Sarah is portrayed by the actress (and singer for the group Eighth Wonder) Patsy Kensit, who ten years later would appear opposite Mel Gibson in the action movie LETHAL WEAPON 2.
Three trailers round out the special features.
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Hanover Street (1979)HANOVER STREET - DVD Movie
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