Carve Her Name With Pride (1958) UK Dvd in Stock

Virginia McKenna

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Carve Her Name With Pride (1958)
L E W I S G I L B E R T

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Actors: Virginia McKenna, Paul Scofield, Jack Warner, Denise Grey, Alain Saury

Director: Lewis Gilbert

Writers: Lewis Gilbert, Leo Marks, R.J. Minney, Vernon Harris

Producers: Daniel M. Angel, Earl St. John, Hugh Perceval

Format: PAL

Region: Region 2 (UK & Europe)

Number of Discs: 1

Classification: PG

Studio: Network

DVD Release Date: 22 Jan 2007

Run Time: 119 minutes

The inspired true-life story of Violette Szabo

Virginia McKenna and Paul Schofield star in this moving and dramatic story of Violette Szabo - who volunteered to be parachuted into France as a secret agent to re-organise a shattered Resistance group.

Her mission successful, she joins the Resistance, harrying German reinforcements for the Normandy front where she stays until captured by the Germans and handed overto the Gestapo. A cruel and prolonged interrogation fails to make her betray her comrades, and is consequently deported to Germany.

In the horror and squalor of Ravensbruck concentration camp, Violette's spirit remains unbroken, even though she learns that she is to be executed by an SS firing squad for espionage.

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From Stockwell With Love

Burnley Road, Stockwell is, of course, famous for being the street on which the 2nd World War spy heroine, Violette Szabo GC (1921-45) grew up. I just can't comprehend the selfless bravery of Violette, for me one of the bravest of the brave in the 2nd World War. Caught by the Nazis in 1944 on a mission in Occupied France she was executed by firing squad in a concentration camp in 1945. Thinking of her makes me paraphrase Leonard Cohen's Tower of Song: if bravery was a tower then Violette's a 100 floors above me.

And I own a basement flat!

The road was also used for locations for the celebrated 1958 movie of her life, Carve Her Name with Pride, starring Virginia McKenna though for some reason the film chose to portray Violette's home (No. 18) on the opposite side of the road from where it actually is. The opening sequence is of Burnley Road taken from Stockwell Road and the probable reason for placing the home on the other side of the road is that they couldn't film it from the opposite road, St Martin's Road, as that would have showed Stockwell Road which was and is the main road from Brixton to Stockwell and would have shown cars of the 50s and maybe new buildings which weren't there in the late 30s/early 40s. Authenticity and all that. The traffic in quiet St Martin's Road could easily be controlled. Moreover moving the home onto the opposite side fits in with the opening sequence in which we see Szabo (McKenna) going in the opposite direction from where she would have gone to catch the No. 2 bus, from Burnley Road to Stockwell Park Crescent, when in fact the No. 2 has never stopped there. In fact it stops where it did then, on Stockwell Road, the opposite way.

And as I Write these words I'm realising I'm turning into an anorak!

Stockwell war memorial is nearby and the 2nd World War shelter on which Szabo's image is prominent. In fact this powerful mural was done with the help of local children and unveiled in 2001. Pictures can be found here.

© Paul Page, 2011.

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Trivia

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' 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's good friend, the actress Joanna Lumley lives in Stockwell.

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Official UK release.

The black-and-white picture is presented in 4:3 format, with English subtitles if required.

Special Features:

Condition: New.

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CARVE HER NAME WITH PRIDE (1958)

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Price: Ł12.99 (UK Sterling) (UK / Europe / Australia Postage Inclusive)

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