'Their Finest Hour and a Half' casts Gemma Arterton, Bill Nighy

BBC Films’ Their Finest Hour and a Half has cast its stars in Gemma Arterton (Clash of the Titans, Quantum Of Solace), Sam Claflin (The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1) and Bill Nighy (About Time, The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel). Deadline first reported the news along with the director named to step behind the camera for the project, Lone Scherfig (One Day, An Education).

The film is adapted by Gaby Chiappe from Lissa Evans’ 2009 novel of the same name, and set in WWII-era London, according to Deadline. A romantic comedy, Their Finest Hour and a Half is described as a “battle of the sexes that follows the misadventures of a British movie crew trying to make a patriotic film to boost morale during the Blitz.”

BBC Films is developing the project as well as co-financing, with Number 9 Films and Wildgaze Films, led by Stephen Woolley and Amanda Posey, set to produce. Christine Langan and Ed Wethered of BBC Films will act as executive producers.