La storia d'Edith Cavell

Deeply moving dramatisation of the heroism of the English nurse Edith Cavell and her Belgian supporters, who smuggled about 200 Allied soldiers and airmen out of German-occupied Belgium until she was caught, tried and on 12 October 1915 shot at dawn. Notable for the immense restraint and dignity shown by Anna Neagle in the title role, caring equally for wounded German troops and completely unafraid of blustering German officers. A devout Anglican, above her duty to her country she placed the overriding duty of saving life.

Diplomats at the Brussels embassy of the neutral USA made huge efforts to save her life once captured but the Germans were implacable. After the war, her disinterred remains were given a state funeral in Westminster Abbey and then reburied at Norwich Cathedral. This film came out as sacrifices were again being asked from English women, while the USA watched Belgium being crushed a second time by an even more vicious German regime.

Having just finished the 2 pictures in which she played Queen Victoria, Neagle continued in the same vein with her portrayal of Nurse Edith Carell. This film was made by producer Herbert Wilcox in Hollywood at the studios of RKO Radio Pictures,as would other of her wartime films.She does an excellent job in this polished production with a good American cast

If you're savvy enough during the opening credits, when the producers thank the family and assistants of the real Nurse Cavell for helping with the historical records, you can figure out how this movie ends. It really kills all suspense, and I wish the thank-you note had been included at the end.

Because I was able to guess how it all turned out, there was zero suspense during what was supposed to be a tense war drama. The story followed the title character as she worked in a hospital in Brussels during German occupation in WWI. Because of one personal connection to a young soldier, she helps the boy sneak out of the country when he escapes from a POW camp and returns home for shelter. With the help of her friends, May Robson, Edna May Oliver, and Zazu Pitts, she successfully saves the boy's life right under German soldiers' noses.

One leads to another, and soon the four women have an underground operation. Anna Neagle stars as the famed nurse, but her energy is extremely low, and her unenthusiastic whispered delivery of each line made it very hard to get involved in her character or her plight. She was so unlikable, I found myself not really caring whether she'd get caught or not. She didn't seem to care either - either that, or she had a fresh Botox injection on her forehead and was unable to make any expressions.

I was looking forward to the supporting cast, which is why I rented it. But the only one among them who was given anything to do was George Sanders, who played a German officer. His accent was very good, but hardly made the movie worth watching. Try Edge of Darkness for a truly exciting underground operation.

Before her popular "London Suite" escapism of the late 40s Anna Neagle achieved early fame for her biopics - Nell Gwyn, Queen Victoria & Amy Johnson portrayed with dignity & feeling,when necessary. This was even more evident in Edith Cavell under the sincere & sympathetic direction of husband,Herbert Wilcox. Her martyrdom & heroism to both her calling & beliefs that "patriotism is not enough" was commemorated after WW1 with the erection of a famed statue in London's Charing X Road,still there, so in the film the ending was never in doubt. Wilcox repeated his 1928 "Dawn" with Sybil Thorndyke without histrionics or dramatics and a bunch of popular stars in more untypical reserved roles except George Sanders who was getting into his stride after "Lancer Spy" as the stiff,autocratic Hun determined to uphold the intransigency of the "rules of war" & expediency irrespective of pleadings of British diplomats up to the very last and the decision of the court-martial against this dignified British nurse - all of which Kubrick later reflected so vividly in "Paths Of Glory". It is interesting to compare the Hun his descendant/counterpart, the Nazi and his downfall - each had their degrees of corporate conquest & world domination whatever the cost. The basic tale of Nurse Cavell running her small Belgian underground escape route for soldiers & fliers under the noses of the enemy is narrated in brief factual episodes. The short closing scenes of her arrest,brief imprisonment,quick execution & memorial service in Westminster Abbey are moving & dignified as directed by Wilcox, a name in high regard among British filmgoers for almost 20 years irrespective of their unfortunate later bankruptcy. By this time Anna Neagle's figure & appearance as a dancer had changed noticeably since her earlier buxom parts in such as "The 3 Maxims"(Later remade as "Trapeze")doing very realistically what Betty Hutton did very realistically later for de Mille. Regrettably, many copies of this rarely seen film have deteriorated especially the sound track which can be muffled & inaudible. Happily,my video copy was taped before it reached this state.

It has been over 100 years since the Germans murdered Edith Cavell but every time I see this film I still get angry that this really happened. Despite being British she wasn't interned during the war but continued to work as a nurse caring for all nationalities. Despite this she was tried for treason whilst being a British citizen and not German then executed. The Americans tried to stop it, just not hard enough.

A moving story highlighting one of many atrocities undertaken by the then German army who murdered thousands of Belgian and French civilians for no good reason. A warning of things to come and could again if we are not careful.

Anna Negale was well known for playing historical figures and despite being some 15 years younger than Cavell puts in a fine performance. Also a mention for George Sanders as the stiff Prussian officer tasked with bringing Cavell and her organisation down.

Previous reviewers have complained about the quality, well if you didn't know it has been beautifully remastered, Talking Pictures have shown it recently and it is also available on DVD