Carve Her Name with Pride **** (1958, Virginia McKenna, Paul Scofield, Jack Warner) – Classic Movie Review 5083

Stalwart British director Lewis Gilbert’s 1958 wartime drama grippingly and sincerely explores the affecting real-life story of World War Two war heroine Violette Szabo, the British widow of a French officer who joined the Special Operations Executive, was parachuted into France twice and faced a Nazi execution squad.

The drama is set alight by a most compelling performance by Virginia McKenna and distinguished ones from Paul Scofield (as an intelligence officer), Billie Whitelaw as Winnie Watson and Harold Lang as the German Commandant, Suhren.

Michael Caine is one of the extras (as thirsty prisoner on train).

Also in the cast are Jack Warner, Sydney Tafler, Denise Grey, Alain Saury, Maurice Ronet, Nicole Stéphane, Noel Willman, Bill Owen, William Mervyn, Anne Leon, Avice Landone,, Michael Goodliffe, André Maranne, Victor Maddern, Guy Deghy, Miriam Karlin, Virginia Maskell, Nigel Hawthorne, Raymond Francis, and John Moulder-Brown.

Lewis Gilbert and Vernon Harris write the screenplay, based on R J Minney’s book.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5083

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