BBC war film ‘nobody knows about’ is director’s ‘last truly great work’ | TV & Radio | Showbiz & TV

A BBC period drama that has managed to stay under the radar for years has been hailed as an “absolute fever dream” by fans of the genre. Despite its star-studded cast, the release simply isn’t mentioned as frequently as programmes like Downton Abbey or Call the Midwife – but it’s proved to be popular with Reddit users who are “not sure how to categorise it”.

Starring Hugh Bonneville, Eddie Redmayne, David Tennant and Bill Nighy, the 2009 war epic – released by BBC Films – follows the Keyes family just as World War 2 breaks out, as they try to keep their traditional way of life together. However, daughter Anne turns everything on its head when she accidentally discovers secret recordings of the appeasement movement – a strategy to concede to fascism to avoid global conflict after World War 1.

On Reddit, one fan said: “Glorious 30 is kind of a deep cut, and what a strange little movie. I’m honestly not sure if I liked it or not, but it did keep me interested enough to watch until the end. Some of it felt like an absolute fever dream but I’m not sure if that was the intention.

“The cast is excellent, with the always lovely Romola Garai, Christopher Lee, Bill Nighy, a young looking Hugh Bonneville, Eddie Redmayne, David Tennant, and Jeremy Northam (who played Ivor Novello in Gosford Park).

“It almost plays as a period horror thriller but I’m honestly not sure how to categorise it.”

Someone else agreed: “It’s a classic Poliakoff piece. Stephen Poliakoff is known for making unusual / quirky mostly period TV films/mini-series. They usually have a political and ideological angle to them.

“He’s pretty divisive as an auteur, most viewers either embrace the Poliakoff universe or find it pretentious/hard to get into. I’ve always enjoyed his work, precisely because it is different to everything else.

“Although if I had a criticism, I would say his work is not always as deep as he perhaps thinks it is.”

A third posted: “I loved it. Im a fan of most Poliakoff’s work, and this for me is his last truly great work.”