If there’s one thing Hollywood enjoys, it’s making movies about other people making movies. That in itself made it perhaps inevitable that Lissa Evans’ novel, THEIR FINEST (originally published in the UK in 2009 as THEIR FINEST HOUR AND A HALF), would eventually be made into a movie, and so it has, releasing in US theaters this spring. The book itself was overdue for US publication, ever since Evans’ CROOKED HEART was published to great acclaim in 2015.

THEIR FINEST, like CROOKED HEART, is set in London during the Blitz. However, it has a somewhat broader scope, delving into the lives of some half-dozen characters and exploring, in particular, the ways in which women’s personal and professional lives did and didn’t change during the war.

"[THEIR FINEST HOUR] offers a fascinating glimpse into one of the lesser-known facets of life and work in World War II. Readers will be eager to see how it all plays out on the silver screen."

It’s hard to identify a central character, but the person we are first introduced to is Ambrose Hilliard, an aging film star seemingly unable to grasp, despite the dwindling availability of roles, that his most famous days are behind him, that he’s not really competing with leading men like Leslie Howard for roles anymore. When his overworked, underappreciated agent finally lands him a part in a Ministry of Information-sponsored propaganda film about the Battle of Dunkirk, he is at first resistant, but ultimately realizes (thanks to the agent’s frank-talking sister) that this may be his best chance at anything resembling stardom during wartime.

Also brought on board to work on the movie is young copywriter Catrin Cole, who has gained a reputation for appealing to female consumers in her advertisements. Since the film focuses (at least nominally) on the adventures of two sisters who get embroiled in the events at Dunkirk, Catrin is brought on board to help flesh out their characters, not an easy task when the other screenwriters seem incapable of rendering female characters as three-dimensional human beings. Meanwhile, the young wife is struggling with her relationships at home and with her professional ambition, which increasingly seems at odds with her domestic responsibilities.

Added to these primary characters are a costume maker at Madame Tussauds who finds herself unexpectedly drawn into the film’s orbit; a real-life Dunkirk veteran who is brought on board to authenticate what really happened during the battle; and a host of minor characters who help bring the project to life. All of this plays out against the backdrop of nightly air raids, some of which have dire consequences for the characters who live through this continual assault.

THEIR FINEST HOUR may not possess the intimate character exploration, dark humor or plot twists of CROOKED HEART, but it nevertheless offers a fascinating glimpse into one of the lesser-known facets of life and work in World War II. Readers will be eager to see how it all plays out on the silver screen.