The Years Between

Diana Wentworth receives a telegram in June 1940 informing her husband, Michael, a British MI6 colonel who had worked with the French Resistance, has been killed by the Nazis in France. She struggles to accept the loss as her world collapses around her. The family nanny supports her and urges her to carry on by filling Michael's roles, including a push to stand for Parliament, with Sir Ernest Foster backing her.

With Michael gone, Diana resolves to fill several of his responsibilities and manage the estate and local interests. She pursues a public life, but she encounters resistance from those who question a woman holding such authority. The nanny continues to offer support, and Sir Ernest Foster lends his political backing.

During a V-1 attack on the countryside, Richard Llewelyn kisses Diana and openly proposes marriage. The moment stirs conflict between duty and desire, and Diana must confront the implications for her future. Her decision is complicated by her late husband’s political and social expectations.

As the war ends, Diana learns that Michael survived his captivity and is found in a prisoner-of-war camp liberated by Russian forces. The news reshapes her plans and calls into question the future she had imagined with Richard. The gallant rescue adds a new complication to her obligations.

On the day Diana is due to wed Richard, Sir Ernest phones to tell her that Michael is alive. The revelation forces her to reassess and adjust the path she had set for herself. The timing destabilizes the plan to marry and reshapes the family’s expectations.

Back home, Michael is reacquainted with his son Rodney. He discovers his wardrobe has been emptied and donated to charity, symbolizing the changes at home. The reconnection is tender but fraught as both men try to adjust to new circumstances. Michael begins to assess his place in a country that has moved on.

Diana and Richard meet after Michael's return, and he tells her there is only one option: stay with her husband. She acknowledges her love for Richard but admits uncertainty about her feelings for Michael. Their encounter underscores the new competing loyalties that define their lives.

Michael is surprised to find that Diana is already an MP, effectively doing his job in his absence. He asks her to stop and let him reclaim his role in Parliament. He yearns to turn back time and restore the old order, but his request highlights the new reality Diana has embraced.

Michael confronts Sir Ernest about party politics and his role in Parliament. Sir Ernest counsels patience, suggesting he wait until the general election in a few months to contest the seat. The suggestion reinforces the sense that political life has moved on without him.

The couple struggle to adapt to their new dynamic, and the nanny tries to arbitrate. Ultimately, Diana and Michael decide to split, acknowledging that their paths have diverged in a world that has significantly altered their prior expectations.

The nanny continues to guide them, seeking a way to blend duty with personal happiness. She mediates conversations and helps negotiate a fragile compromise that respects both individuals’ needs. The tension eases as they navigate their obligations and feelings.

In the final turn, Diana returns to Michael in heart and mind. The film ends with both of them sitting together in the House of Commons, symbolizing a reconciliation between personal duty and romance. Their union is built on a new understanding of partnership rather than the old conventional roles.