What Is This Above All About?
The premise of This Above All in 279 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the shadow of a world at war, 1940 England feels both fragile and resolute. The news of France’s surrender looms over a nation bracing for the unknown, while the skies echo with the distant thrum of aircraft. Against this backdrop, Prudence “Pru” Cathaway—a spirited young woman of the upper class—chooses an unexpected path, trading society soirées for the disciplined rhythm of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force. Her decision reverberates through her family’s polished drawing‑room, challenging expectations and hinting at a restless yearning for purpose beyond titles and tradition.
Pru quickly discovers that the barracks are a microcosm of the larger conflict, populated by women like the bright‑hearted Violet Worthing, whose camaraderie offers both laughter and a shared sense of duty. Meanwhile, her aristocratic relatives—Iris and Wilbur—watch with a mixture of disapproval and bewildered pride, while the family’s long‑standing butler, Parsons, offers a quiet, supportive smile behind the scenes. It is during a fleeting night out that Pru encounters Clive Briggs, a brooding soldier whose demeanor carries the weight of unspoken burdens. Their connection sparks despite an undercurrent of class tension, hinting at a romance tempered by the harsh realities of the times.
The film swirls with a tone that balances the stark urgency of wartime England with an intimate, almost tender exploration of personal conviction. Beneath the polished facades and the disciplined cadence of military life, characters grapple with questions of loyalty, identity, and what it truly means to fight for a cause. As Pru and Clive navigate their growing affection, the audience is drawn into a world where love and duty intersect, leaving a lingering sense of both hope and uncertainty about the choices they will face.
What Happens in This Above All?
The complete story of This Above All, from the first scene to the last, in 606 words (about 3 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 6 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Set against the day France surrenders to Nazi Germany in 1940, Prudence “Pru” Cathaway Joan Fontaine, a strong-willed young woman from the upper crust, joins the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF), the women’s branch of the Royal Air Force, to the surprise of her family. Her aunt Iris Gladys Cooper and uncle Wilbur Melville Cooper disapprove since she has chosen to serve as a private rather than an officer. Yet Parsons, the family butler, privately expresses his support as the decision unfolds.
She goes off to training camp, where she makes friends with fellow WAAF Violet Worthing Queenie Leonard. As a favor to Violet, Prudence agrees to go on a double date one night; she is paired with Clive Briggs Tyrone Power, a moody, mysterious soldier with a dark secret. He seems to her rather bitter about something and is indifferent, even hostile, to her aristocratic background, but she likes him, and he asks her out again; romance blooms between them.
On a holiday together on the southern coast, Pru twice overhears Clive speaking in his sleep. The second time, she wakes him up, but he does not want to talk about it. Then his friend Monty Thomas Mitchell shows up. When the three go to dinner, Pru learns from Monty that Clive is up for a Distinguished Conduct Medal for his actions during the Dunkirk evacuation. While Pru is dancing with someone else, Monty pleads with Clive to return with him. He was given a month’s sick leave, but that was over two months ago, and he is about to be posted as a deserter.
Finally, Clive tells Pru, indirectly, about his predicament and that he no longer wants to fight for the benefit of an English elite that oppresses and humiliates people of his class. Pru makes an impassioned plea for all the good things that England represents, but when she wakes up the next morning, Clive has gone, leaving her a letter of goodbye.
When a farmer finds Clive sleeping in his barn, he tries to take him to the authorities. Clive gets away after a struggle, but suffers a wrist injury. He goes to a district nurse, Emily Harvey [Jill Esmond], who attends to his wrist and lets him go without alerting the police. Later, a one-armed rector [Alexander Knox], despite hearing that a suspected German spy with an injured wrist is loose, invites Clive in for tea. A talk with him enables Clive to come to a decision: he will give himself up. He telephones Pru and tells her so. They arrange to meet in London and get married first, though.
However, Clive is taken into custody after hanging up. Clive asks the officer in charge to allow him two hours to keep his appointment. Clive sets out for the meeting place, Charing Cross railway station, in the midst of a German air raid. On the way, a man tells him that a kid is trapped in the cellar of a burning building. He and another man rescue the child and another person, but then the building collapses onto him.
When Clive does not show up, Pru goes to her father, a doctor, for help. Dr. Roger Cathaway [Philip Merivale] learns that Clive suffered a head injury and is to be operated on within the hour. Cathaway and two other doctors operate. Afterward, Clive and Pru are married, with Monty and her father in attendance. Clive tells Pru that she was right. They must fight for what she believes in first before they can fight for what he does. The film ends with it left unclear whether Clive recovers or not.
This Above All Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
12 key events in the order they happen, from “France surrender prompts Pru to join the WAAF” to “Ending with uncertain recovery for Clive”. 12 events name a place, across 12 locations.
- 1
France surrender prompts Pru to join the WAAF
On the day France surrenders to Nazi Germany in 1940, Prudence 'Pru' Cathaway joins the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF). Her family disapproves, especially her aunt Iris and uncle Wilbur, while the butler Parsons privately supports her decision. This marks the start of her wartime service.
When:1940 Where:UK (WAAF training camp)
- 2
Pru arrives at training camp and befriends Violet Worthing
She arrives at the WAAF training camp and begins her new role. She quickly befriends Violet Worthing and finds a supportive social circle there. This environment becomes the backdrop for the relationships to come.
When:early 1940s Where:WAAF training camp
- 3
First double date and budding romance with Clive Briggs
As a favor to Violet, Pru goes on a double date and is paired with Clive Briggs, a moody, enigmatic soldier. He seems bitter about something and is indifferent to her aristocratic background, but a spark grows as he asks her out again. Their budding romance faces suspicion from their different social worlds.
When:early acquaintance Where:WAAF training camp / dating locale
- 4
Holiday on the southern coast reveals Clive's secret and desertion doubt
During a holiday on the southern coast, Pru overhears Clive talking in his sleep on two occasions, hinting at a dark secret. Monty reveals to Pru that Clive is up for a Distinguished Conduct Medal following Dunkirk, and that he is likely considered a deserter. Pru’s idealism clashes with Clive’s disillusionment about England’s elite.
When:summer holiday Where:Southern coast of England
- 5
Clive contemplates desertion and leaves with goodbye letter
Clive’s inner conflict comes to a head as he contemplates desertion rather than continuing to fight for a system he despises. After a tense moment, he leaves in the morning, leaving Pru a goodbye letter. Pru remains torn between her devotion to England and Clive’s worldview.
When:following the holiday Where:Southern coast / unspecified
- 6
Clive is injured during a barn escape
A farmer finds Clive sleeping in a barn and tries to deliver him to the authorities. Clive resists and escapes, but sustains a wrist injury in the struggle. This incident accelerates the choices he must face.
When:post-desertion Where:Farm barn
- 7
Nurse Emily Harvey treats Clive and withholds police report
Clive seeks help from district nurse Emily Harvey, who tends to his wrist and quietly lets him go without alerting the police. Her mercy adds complexity to his decision about turning himself in. This moment deepens the tension between personal compassion and duty.
When:post-barn incident Where:Emily Harvey's residence
- 8
Rector's plea and a two-hour deadline before surrender; London-bound wedding plan
A one-armed rector invites Clive in for tea, and Clive decides to give himself up. He phones Pru to arrange a London meeting and a quick marriage first, but a sympathetic officer grants him only two hours to make the appointment. He sets out toward Charing Cross railway station amid the danger of an ongoing air raid.
When:shortly after nurse visit Where:Village setting / near London
- 9
Clive heads to London through air raids and rescues a trapped child
On the way to the meeting, a man tells him that a child is trapped in a burning cellar. Clive and another man rush into the danger to rescue the occupants, including the child. The building collapses, trapping him with injuries.
When:during air raid Where:London, near Charing Cross
- 10
Pru seeks help and Clive's head surgery
Pru’s father Dr. Cathaway is contacted after Clive fails to appear. He learns that Clive has a head injury and will undergo emergency surgery. The operation is performed to save him, and Clive is stabilized enough to allow the marriage to proceed.
When:immediately after rescue Where:London hospital
- 11
Clive and Pru marry; a vow about fighting for beliefs
The couple marry in London, with Monty and Dr. Cathaway in attendance. Clive tells Pru that she was right, and that they must fight for what they believe in before fighting for his own cause.
When:shortly after surgery Where:London
- 12
Ending with uncertain recovery for Clive
The film ends with an unresolved note about whether Clive will recover from his injuries. The final image focuses on the uncertain future they face together, acknowledging that war intrudes on personal destinies.
When:post-marriage Where:London (hospital/home)
Who Are the Main Characters in This Above All?
8 characters, among them Prudence 'Pru' Cathaway (Joan Fontaine), Clive Briggs (Tyrone Power) and Monty Montague (Thomas Mitchell): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
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Prudence 'Pru' Cathaway (Joan Fontaine)
Played by Joan Fontaine
A strong-willed, upper-class woman who defies expectations by enlisting in the WAAF. Her resolve drives much of the drama as she navigates military life, romance, and social judgments. She argues for England’s values while confronting the limits of her privilege.
- 👑 Aristocracy
- 💪 Strong-willed
- 🇬🇧 Patriotism
- CB
Clive Briggs (Tyrone Power)
Played by Tyrone Power
A moody, secretive soldier with a sharp sense of injustice toward class oppression. He is honored for his wartime actions at Dunkirk but struggles with personal demons and a desire to escape the constraints of the English elite. His romance with Pru tests his loyalties and beliefs.
- 💂 Soldier
- 🕵️♂️ Mysterious
- ❤️ Romance
-
Monty Montague (Thomas Mitchell)
Played by Thomas Mitchell
Clive’s friend who acts as a catalyst in the romance and the plot’s turning points. He keeps a light, loyal presence while navigating wartime loyalties and social boundaries. Monty’s interventions push Pru and Clive toward critical choices.
- 🤝 Friend
- 🎖️ Ally
- 🧭 Loyal
-
Iris Cathaway (Gladys Cooper)
Played by Gladys Cooper
Pru’s aunt who disapproves of her wartime enlistment, embodying the social constraints of the aristocracy. Her stance reflects the tension between tradition and the changing roles women must embrace during war.
- 👑 Aunt
- 🧭 Class-conscious
- 💖 Family ties
- DR
Dr. Roger Cathaway (Philip Merivale)
Played by Philip Merivale
Pru’s father, a doctor who embodies practical support and authority. He provides medical and moral guidance, reinforcing the family’s stake in Prudence’s decisions and the wartime stakes a family faces.
- 👨⚕️ Doctor
- 🧭 Family
- 🇬🇧 Patriotism
- NE
Nurse Emily Harvey (Jill Esmond)
Played by Jill Esmond
A district nurse who tends Clive’s wrist after injury and chooses compassion over strict authority. She becomes a quiet confidante and helps move the plot toward reconciliation and understanding.
- 🧑⚕️ Nurse
- 💗 Compassion
- 🕊️ Empathy
-
Rector (Alexander Knox)
Played by Alexander Knox
A one-armed rector who invites Clive for tea, introducing a moment where church authority and personal vulnerability collide. He represents both tradition and the moments when human connection overrides rigid rules.
- ⛪ Clergy
- 🗣️ Authority
- F(
Farmer (Billy Bevan)
Played by Billy Bevan
A rural farmer who encounters Clive after his disappearance and tries to hand him over to authorities. His intervention highlights the everyday consequences of war on ordinary people.
- 🚜 Farmer
- 🏡 Rural life
Where and When Is This Above All Set?
This Above All is set in France and United Kingdom (1940). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
1940
Set in 1940, the film captures the early months of World War II, including the Dunkirk evacuation and Luftwaffe air raids. The period highlights social shifts as aristocratic expectations clash with wartime service. The narrative unfolds across training camps, coastal towns, and urban London, illustrating how war upends ordinary life.
Where
France, United Kingdom
The story moves through wartime France and the United Kingdom in 1940. It opens with France’s surrender to Nazi Germany and follows characters across English training camps, a southern coastal holiday, and London under air raids in the Dunkirk era. The settings reflect both the frontlines and the home front during the early years of World War II.
- 🇫🇷 France
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- 🕊️ War-time setting
What Are the Themes of This Above All?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Duty, Love and Sacrifice.
-
01
Duty
Prudence joins the WAAF to serve her country, stepping into a disciplined world that challenges her aristocratic upbringing. The film treats duty as a personal conviction tested by social expectations and the realities of war. It examines how wartime service reshapes identity and responsibility for women from privileged backgrounds.
-
02
Love
A romance develops between Prudence and Clive, a man with a troubled past and a war-wearied outlook. Their relationship crosses class boundaries and forces them to weigh personal happiness against duty to country. The wartime setting intensifies the stakes of love, demanding sacrifices and choices that could alter their futures.
-
03
Sacrifice
Clive's dilemma and decision to face authorities highlight a core wartime theme: personal sacrifice for a greater cause. The film portrays courage not only in battle but in everyday acts of responsibility and restraint. The ending emphasizes the costs of belief and leaves Clive and Prudence’s fate open to interpretation.
What Kind of Film Is This Above All?
Hopeful in tone, with steady pacing and a straightforward story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Hopeful
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Straightforward
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Bittersweet
A steady-paced wartime romance that balances the tense realities of a soldier's trauma with a hopeful, patriotic story of love challenging class prejudice, culminating in a bittersweet and ambiguous conclusion.
- romantic
- tense
- patriotic
- melancholic
- hopeful
- determined
- wartime romance
- class conflict
- desertion
- patriotism
Content notes: war violence, injury.
Quiz
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