Nurse Edith Cavell ***(1939, Anna Neagle, Edna May Oliver, George Sanders, May Robson, Zasu Pitts, H B Warner, Alan Marshal) -Classic Movie Review 8037

Producer-director Herbert Wilcox’s moving 1939 biographical drama Nurse Edith Cavell stars Anna Neagle in one of her most famous roles as Edith Cavell, the gallant, dedicated English nurse who so loyally and bravely served the allied troops in World War One.

While working as matron in a small private hospital in German-occupied Brussels, she puts her life at risk by helping to form an organisation to help Belgian, French, English and other soldiers to escape into Holland and safety as part of her paramount duty to save lives. 

This pre-World War Two morale booster is rousingly well acted by a stalwart cast, carefully written, and neatly directed by Neagle’s husband Wilcox. Neagle is highly impressive in a dignified, honourable performance. Edna May Oliver, George Sanders, May Robson and Zasu Pitts are outstanding in support as the Countess de Mavon, Captain Heinrichs, Madame Rappard and Madame Moulin.

The screenplay by Michael Hogan is based on the story Dawn by Reginald Berkeley. It was previously filmed in 1930 as Dawn with Sybil Thorndike. The film gratefully acknowledges the information, letters and hitherto unpublished British, American and German documents placed at its disposal by the relatives of Nurse Edith Cavell, her chief assistant Miss E Wilkins, London’s Imperial War Museum and the Department of State in Washington.

It was produced in Hollywood as part of a deal between Wilcox and RKO following the success of the Queen Victoria films, Victoria the Great and Sixty Glorious Years.

Also in the cast are Alan Marshal, H B Warner, Robert Coote, Rex Downing, Jimmy Butler, Henry Brandon, Egon Brecher, Adrienne D’Ambricourt, Ernst Deutsch, Gilbert Emery, Halliwell Hobbes, Louis V Arco, Mary Howard, Martin Kosleck, Bodil Rosing, Sophie Stewart, Richard Deane, Joe De Stefani, William Edmunds, Gui Ignon, Willy Kaufman, Fritz Leiber, Lucien Prival, Frank Reicher, Bert Roach, Lionel Royce, Henry Victor and Gustav von Seyffertitz.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8037

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com