Carve Her Name With Pride

1958

1h 56m

History

Drama

Biography

List

Reviews

77%

250+ Ratings

Audience Score

During World War II, Violette Szabo (Virginia McKenna) embarks on espionage missions in occupied France.

Read More

Read Less

Watch on Prime Video

Stream Now

Prime Video

Watch Carve Her Name With Pride with a subscription on Prime Video.

Clyde Gilmour

Maclean's Magazine

Although overlong at two hours, this is a solid and stirring British true-life drama.

Oct 14, 2019

Full Review

John J. Puccio

Movie Metropolis

Chronicling the real-life exploits of WWII British spy Violette Szabo, the film serves its purpose and presents its subject matter in a moving and dignified manner.

Rated: 7/10

Feb 13, 2012

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Well-made biopic on patriotic war heroine and martyr Violette Szabo.

Rated: B

Aug 7, 2011

Full Review

Read all reviews

Ken R

Carve Her Name With Pride – Almost Cuts It I'd waited many years to catch up with this movie but, didn't make any special effort after finding that Lewis Gilbert was director. Gilbert, I always thought of as a maker of by-the-numbers, crowd-pleasers, and this entry did nothing to alter that perception. With so many opportunities to make an exciting based on fact story, Gilbert turns in another general run-of-the-mill fact/fiction crowd pleaser. Firstly, the casting of sweet, prim-and-proper girl next door, McKenna (as good as she is) to play Violette Szabo (the last woman executed by the Nazis) a woman who would risk her life as a death-dealing, behind-enemy-lines secret agent, is a long bow to draw. Then changing the origins of the code poem allotted to her by the SOE, turning it into a ‘love' poem - supposedly written by her French soldier husband, was just too ‘romantically' manipulative for serious belief. There were enough ‘facts' to this story to make two exciting films, let alone this rather lame commercial effort. This project needed a director in the class of John Guillermin or Carroll Reed, to capture and create, the tense and gruelling situations these people faced. The great Paul Schofield is somewhat wasted in a limited mock role. For those simply wanting a ‘based' on fact story of inspirational war service, this will do a neat job but anyone looking for a re-creation of reality and suspense, may find themselves a little disappointed. The ITV DVD re-release offers nice images and sound and this picture certainly made a lot of money.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

04/19/21

Full Review

Audience Member

My biggest issue - i'm simply not a fan of Virginia McKenna. Its great that this is based on a true story but i don't think the film has aged that well.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

Full Review

s r

A pretty good WW2 spy film for its day. Well made and acted. It showed how they prepared the spies for their work abroad.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Sound rendering of the war time exploits of the heroic Violette Szabo (nee Bushell) who volunteered for service as a secret agent with the UK's Special Operations Executive (SOE), after her French Foreign Legion officer husband Etienne was killed, leaving her baby daughter behind in family care. Szabo was captured, tortured and executed in Revensbr?k Concentration Camp after being betrayed on her second mission into occupied France. She was posthumously awarded the George Cross (rated equal to the UK's highest decoration for valour, the Victoria Cross). The haunting poem used in the film was written by Leo marks, then aged 22, the chief code maker for SOE.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/15/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Came across this by accident one dull Sunday afternoon and this was the perfect way to pass a couple of hours. A solid story with a wonderful lead performance from McKenna...kept me gripped until the very end.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/21/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Carve Her Name With Pride may be a classic British war film, but it's so lagging that it's a real chore to keep yourself engrossed throughout.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/22/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Post a rating

Lewis Gilbert

Director

Virginia McKenna

Violette Szabo

Paul Scofield

Capt. Tony Fraser

Jack Warner

Mr. Charles Bushell

Denise Grey

Mrs. Bushell

Alain Saury

Etienne Szabo

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

View more photos

Synopsis

During World War II, Violette Szabo (Virginia McKenna) embarks on espionage missions in occupied France.

Director: Lewis Gilbert
Producer: Earl St. John
Screenwriter: Vernon Harris, Lewis Gilbert
Production Co: Angel Productions
Genre: History, Drama, Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (DVD): May 13, 2008
Runtime: 1h 56m

Most Popular at Home Now