There was a recent news item on UK TV here, commemorating the life of war heroine Violette Szabo (which included a lengthy interview with her now elderly daughter, only two at the time of the events depicted) and this so interested me that I naturally had to watch this potted biography of her very short life (she was only 23 when she died) which the BBC aired soon afterwards. Directed and part-written by a pre-Bond Lewis Gilbert, the film itself is a typical example of British film-making of the 50's. Very much studio-bound, everyone talking in very clipped British accents using very polite and refined language ("doing one's bit"), nevertheless the film breaks these limitations by the power of Mrs Szabo's story, faithfully told, I trust, a brisk narrative style injecting action and tension at the right moments and best of all two fine performances in the leads, Paul Scofield as Tony, Violette's commander in the field, a brave spy himself and of course Virginia McKenna as Violette herself. Fresh-faced and innocent at the start, she throws herself into the physical demands of the part and is completely convincing as we follow her journey ultimately and sadly to its conclusion at the hands of a German firing squad. There's good acting back-up besides from UK stalwarts both established, (Jack "Dixon" Warner), and emergent (Bill Owen and Billie Whitelaw). While humour and romance play a part in early proceedings, particularly her short-lived husband's courtship of Violette with Whitelaw's Winnie as perennial gooseberry and Violette and her female colleagues' (it's important to be aware that Violette was only one of many brave UK women pressed into this dangerous work) training-ground encounters with bluff sergeant Owen (of course they win him over), the film progresses through reasonably suspenseful and exciting sequences, particularly in the chase sequence as Violette and her French resistance colleague try to escape from their German pursuers. He makes it, she doesn't and after Violette and her female colleagues selflessly spurn an escape opportunity on board the train taking them to the German prison camp by getting water for the gasping male prisoners, they meet their end with bravery and dignity (no screaming or begging for life by any of them). A remarkable story, which I'm the better for knowing and a jolly good UK war film to boot.
Review of Carve Her Name with Pride
