" Two things caught my eye.. One was a poster advertising a new film with a picture of an actress with whom I and the whole nation had fallen in love and the other much more practical: a sign announcing the existence of a police station."
Can you please tell me what fall in means hhere?
"Fall in love" -- become infatuated with (in this case, since they don't know each other) or experience the beginnings of real love (for a couple that actually does know each other).
I'm not a teacher, but I write for a living. Please don't ask me about 2nd conditionals, but I'm a safe bet for what reads well in (American) English.