Review of Odette

Odette (1950)
9/10
Ode to "Odette" ***1/2
9 June 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Harrowing World War 11 story of a widowed French woman living in England who is recruited by the British to return to Nazi occupied France and spy for the allies.

Anna Neagle is in top form as Odette. She is equally matched with still another fine Trevor Howard performance, as her partner in spying in France as well as her eventual lover. Peter Ustinov has a pivotal role as a message transmitter who was ultimately executed by the Nazis for his deeds. Marius Goring plays an interesting character. He is a German who professes his hatred of the Nazis to Odette and tries to shield her from the gestapo.

Odette's experiences at the Ravensbruck Concentration Camp are harrowing indeed. She is tough to the core and will not betray her comrades despite repeated Nazi torture. We see women playing in an orchestra at the camp; playing in order to save their lives. We hear the usual line of "I just followed orders."

A very good, a very inspirational film.
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