Reader Reviews
Despite being remarkably unfaithful to the real-life autobiography upon which this film is based, this dramatisation about Belgian Jew Helene Moskiewicz who led an extraordinary war-time life as a Resistance spy in the Gestapo headquarters is still a terrific thriller; although I did feel some of the liberties need not have been taken to maintain interest.Martha Plimpton is utterly convincing as the couragous teenager determined to fight the oppressive Nazi regime fuelled by the arrests of her parents and husband.
Less convincing however is the rather wooden performance of Eric Stoltz who plays her avaricious and corrupt Belgian lover (a fact which irritated me immensly as there was no love affair between Helene and Franz in real life). Echos of Hollywood melodrama and gloss were apparent in the love theme here which somewhat spoil it.
However, with chilling music, gloomy sets and generally good performances from most of the cast one can easily get a sense of that terrible era and the immense pressure Helene must have been under throughout the war (watch out for a particularly gripping scene with a Nazi who specialises in catching undercover Jews).
Well worth a look.
