There are many pleasurable things in this long John Schlesinger film, not least the way in which it flawlessly recreates the life of an English town in 1943. Schlesinger directs with great affection for the time and place (the north of England) and a keen eye and ear for the right sights and sounds. And he gets well-sustained performances from his principal players, Richard Gere, Lisa Eichhorn, William Devane and Tony Melody. Vanessa Redgrave and Rachel Roberts are less consistent, though they have their affecting moments, Rachel Roberts really looking painfully close to death when she is supposed to be. Scenes of a ballroom dance, a children's party and a mass farewell on a station (could one small town boast quite so many girls? ) are reminiscent of such American films of that time as 'Since You Went Away': in this respect at least, and greatly helped by the thoughtful colour photography of Dick Bush, the director has preserved the moment in time to perfection.


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