Based On True Story????????



Although I understand that the main character was inspired by the real life heroine Lise Villameur, I have seen several references to the actual storyline being based on true events. I beg to differ.

There is certainly nothing in Lise Villameur's remarkable and varied SOE exploits that resemble any part of this film. Nor am I aware of any other SOE agents being involved in the assasination of senior Nazi personnel prior to D-Day.

Happy to be proved wrong by any SOE experts, as it would only enhance what is a cracking film and well worth a view.


Regards - Bernie

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Bascially this is feminist propaganda. The female characters have to be macho and tough like men, it doesn't have to correspond with what happened in reality. This is typical of the film industry, trying to re-write history, did you see the latest film about Elizabeth the first starring Cate Blancett? Same story there.

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Feminist propaganda? That was a rather stupid thing to say. I am in no way a feminist, but surely there were alot of tough girls doing their duty during ww2.

They had female agents and im sure they were up to the task. And besides, the other girl-characters were I'd say very realistic...

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You're an idiot, doubly so if you think making *ficional* movies rewrites history.

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Anyone who uses the term "feminist propaganda" is very suspicious in my book!

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I am in no way a "SOE expert", but I do share your skepticism. As far as I know, SOE would not be involved in this kind of action, but mainly in gathering informations and sabotage.

Should you be interested in the women agents of SOE, I strongly recommend a fascinating book by Sarah Helm, <i>A Life in Secrets. The Story of Vera Atkins and the Lost Agents of SOE</i>. Though Lise de Baissac is mentioned only once, you'll learn a good deal about other female agents operating in France before and after D-Day. The book is centered on those who did not return, and the quest of their officer, Vera Atkins, following their trail up to Ravensbruck and Dachau.

A former French woman resister, who had been imprisonned with a bunch of SOE agents, told be that she quite enjoyed the film, in spite of its many inaccuracies. She said the story was wrong, but that "the spirit" was well rendered.

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You wrote, "As far as I know, SOE would not be involved in this kind of action, but mainly in gathering informations and sabotage," and I must respectfully disagree. In late 1941 the British SOE began training and organizing a team of Czech paratroopers for what eventually became the successful assassination of Nazi Reich Security Chief (Reichsprotektor) Reinhard Heydrich, also known as the Butcher of Prague for his cruelty. You can read more about it here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Anthropoid#Planning

Perhaps the characters portrayed in the film Les femmes de l'ombre (The Shadow Women) would not have participated in assassinations. It is a fact that after Heydrich's death in June 1942, SOE halted active assassination plans against prominent Nazis because of the terrible retribution taken against the civilian population. For example, an entire Czech village, Lidice, was wiped out by the SS in retribution for Heydrich's killing. All this is by way of pointing out the British SOE was _very_ much involved in the assassination of the brutal Reinhard Heydrich, and it is entirely plausible there were other assassination plans for other Nazi leaders that were never carried out. As for the film, I have read good things about Les femmes de l'ombre and look forward to seeing the DVD release.

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The Allies went to a lot of trouble to deceive the Germans about which beaches they intended to land on, this included bombing ALL German fortifications on EVERY beach with Flying Fortresses before D-Day. It is there unlikely that they would have been concerned about a geologist caught picking up sand samples on one of the beaches, even if it was an actual beach they intended to land on. The deception worked well and the Germans kept many soldiers stationed along various parts of the French coast even after the landings on Normandie.

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Such a shame ... if you read about the life and times of the real Lise Villameur ... you certainly have enough to make a very compelling film ... especially when you factor in the SOE.

But don't get me wrong ... I liked this film ... it was very well produced and had an excellent and was very entertaining ... we just need to remember that the film is about 95% fictional.

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