Gia Scala's History
Question: Why has The Two Headed Spy been almost completely forgotten ?
Answer: Because, though it's a wonderful spy movie, it has no basis in reality.
That's my own guess: having finally reviewed this film (after all those years), as carefully and thoughtfully as I could, I just didn't find it realistic, either historically or in terms of how Germans would behave. Many things jump to mind, but I particularly want to talk about Gia Scala - she's fascinating !
"Lili Geyr's" history:
I think Lili Geyr (Gia Scala's role in the film) must have been based on the real life German singer Lala Anderson, who recorded the most famous version of Lili Marlene. This song was so popular, even the British soldiers loved it, and because of that and her "questionable behavior" - Anderson maintained "forbidden" friendships with Jews, and was very independent minded to boot - she was on poor terms with Joseph Goebbels and the other Nazi big shots. However, Lala Anderson as an Allied agent ? That's simply not realistic - one of the film's British makers must have been in love with her to believe that !
Gia Scala herself:
Many of you know (or could easily learn) Gia Scala was a very unhappy and troubled person in real life, even when she was young. She made her first suicide attempt in 1958, right when this film was being made, went steadily downhill thereafter and died of a drug overdose in 1972. And in my opinion, her presence in The Two Headed Spy seriously damages its credibility.
In some ways, she's wonderfully cast. Gia Scala was a ravishing, intensely feminine creature - she and Jack Hawkins are striking together on screen - and her doomed romance with the film's hero is so painfully poignant, it must have touched the hearts of lots of her fans. Unfortunately, as a loyal, stable, reliable Allied agent upon whom you'd trust your very life, her casting was a genuine disaster. Gia Scala in this film looks EXACTLY like what she truly was, a troubled, ultimately undependable person. Even when I was 8 years old I could see that, and reviewing the film did nothing to change my mind.
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Long post, I know, but it was great to see the movie again. If anyone knows more about Gia Scala, or has different opinions, jump right in here ! (Many other threads could be started on the World War II background, too.)
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