Agent secret S.Z

This wonderful film is based quite closely on the real life exploits of a young girl born in London to an English father and a French mother.

Called upon at a time of national peril, she "did her duty".

The code-poem used in the film was the real code poem used by Violette Szabo while she was sending messages back from occupied France. The poem was written by 'Leo Marks' (qv) who was a cryptographer for SOE and often used poems like this for agents to use.

The life that I have is all that I have, The life that I have is yours.

The love that I have of the life that I have Is yours and yours and yours.

A sleep I shall have, A rest I shall have Yet death will be but a pause.

For the peace of my years In the long green grass Will be yours and yours and yours

Virginia McKenna does a great job of portraying unsung British war heroine Violetta Szabo. Paul Scofield, perhaps the greatest actor of his generation, is equally magnificent as Tony. Lewis Gilbert allows the tale to unfold without much pomp and fanfare but with crisp direction and solid supporting performances, this merely adds to its power. The resilient score is also worth noting. Every time I finish watching this film, I cry, then I want to watch it again.

The recent film Charlotte Gray attempted a similar theme, at ten times the cost (even inflation-adjusted), twice the length, and one-tenth the impact. If you've seen Charlotte Gray, and made it all the way through, see Carve Your Name With Pride. You will adore it.

British Director Lewis Gilbert is unknown to most Americans. This is a pity because he has directed a number of "crossover" masterpieces and this true story of wartime heroism is but one of them. The movie reminds me somewhat of The Man Who Never Was, a spy movie which required a woman who had been through a recent tragedy, marvelously played by Gloria Grahame, to use that tragedy to make herself a believable spy.

Although she has excellent support by a young Paul Scofield and a non-too-shabby veteran cast, Virginia McKenna must pull off the central character, Violetta Szabo, in order for the film to succeed. She does so without question,and then some. If this movie does not bring tears to your eyes, no movie will.

First, truth in advertising...this is actually the hubby of the family.

Second, I knew absolutely nothing about this movie before I picked it out of the Amazon Instant Video queue...and it was free, to boot. But, it would have been well worth it had there been a charge.

Third, THIS IS AN AWESOME MOVIE! It is a smarmy, patriotic, romantic, hero-worshiping (heroine-worshiping?)and completely AWESOME movie. If they let me, I'd give this movie a 15 out of 10!

I can't imagine why the various women's groups don't have this flick on all of their "must-see movie" lists...but they really should. And this is a gent speaking. "Women's Lib" didn't start in the 1960s.

Why the heck can't Hollywood make great, inspiring movies like this one, anymore?

I think if you invest two hours of your life in this particular movie, you'll consider it time well-spent. You'll also gain insights into the risks...and prices paid...of some unique and brave men and women during World War 2.

I recommend completely and without reservation.

The story of Mrs Violette Szabo as portrayed by Virginia McKenna is poignantly brought to the screen. The exploits of an ordinary woman who proved to be - "The most fearless of all women SOE operatives" - as described by none other than another famous SOE operative Mrs Odette Churchill who survived the war undergoing almost similar experiences is a must. The film in almost three compartments re-traces the life of Violette from the time she meets her husband on Bastille Day in 1940 and their whirlwind romance, flashes to 1942 when her child is celebrating her 2nd birthday when she receives news of her husbands death at El-Alamein. It then fast forwards six months when she is recruited by the SOE as she had perfect qualifications for the post which included being a crack shot with the rifle (which however is contradicted by SOE records which state that she spoke French with an English accent...). The next part of the film features her training where she excels but sprains her ankle and has to sit out the first assignment by her team. During her convalescence she has to confront her father who feels she is not doing enough for the war effort,brush aside her guilt in abandoning her daughter etc.( Virginia McKenna handles these emotive scenes with remarkable talent) Her first assignment passes off quite well but the undertones of the danger of such attempts by agents are underplayed by the director. Her second assignment just after D-Day puts her a prisoner with the Gestapo after she has valiantly stood upto to a single-handed encounter with a German patrol - the torture she suffers and her ultimate death facing a firing squad at Ravensbruck Concentration Camp is leaves the viewer with no doubts on the methods used by her captors without depicting violence per se. The third part of the film is largely based on reports given by the French Resistance & Nazi records & reports by fellow prisoners of Ravensbruck all poignantly brought to the screen. The finale where we see her 5 year old daughter being received by King George to honour her mother posthumously with the George Cross brings a lump to the throat. Incidentally the episode of her shopping in Paris for her daughter while on assignment is corroborated by others hence not fictionalised for the film. In all a wonderful film that makes one wonder-struck with the exemplary courage of ordinary people who became legends in their time.