Imagine the whole world being at war and you, an ordinary citizen, being called on to spy. What would you do? Now imagine it’s 1944 and you’re female. A Call To Spy explores this very premise. However what makes it even more interesting is that it’s based on the real life of legendary spy Virginia Hall.
Virginia Hall is played by award-winning actress, producer, and writer, Sarah Megan Thomas. Thomas clearly saw something in the story as she committed to not only taking on the lead role, but writing the screenplay and producing the movie.
Set in 1944 during World War II, the story is told in flash back. The beginning scenes give the audience a heads up about what is to come. Consequently we are left holding our breath all the way through.
Virginia Hall (Sarah Megan Thomas) was a bright women attempting to get into diplomatic corps. Unfortunately she had two things going against her. One she was female and two she had a wooden leg.
However as Hitler drew closer new methods had to be considered. A gamble was taken. Winston Churchill decided to send amateurs into the field to gain intelligence. Female amateurs at that. No one would suspect a female spy. Hall provided that added bonus of a female amateur with a disability.
Both Hall and another female spy Noor Inayal Khan (Radhika Aple) entered France in the hope of blending in an sending back information, In Khan’s case it was with the help of a smuggled communication kit.
A Call To Spy is a story about learning who to trust in the quest for liberty. It provides an interesting insight into how England managed to change their fate. Aple does an excellent job of conveying the heroic lengths she had to go to to get the message through. So too Stana Katic who plays Vera Atkins, the women who championed the female spies and gave Hall a chance. Thomas less so, as no matter what happened her character seemed to employ the same doe eyed expression.
As the credits rolled I pondered:
- A Call To Spy strongly conveys the feelings of apprehension and hopelessness. The flashback device helped with this. I can only imagine a smidgen of what it was really like to live holding your breath from morning to night.
- The credits were absolutely fascinating as they detailed just how great a spy Hall was. I wish I’d known some of this prior to watching the movie.
- A big thank you goes out to Thomas for getting this movie made,
- Never underestimate a woman with a disability.
For more information and viewing times go to Palace Cinema and Luna Cinemas
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