cosmo-bongo Review of Carve Her Name with Pride

Carve Her Name with Pride (1958)

Boring, dull, unbelievable plot/scenes

[4/10 · 13 May 2008]

SPOILER AT THE END OF THIS! Sorry to go against the tide, but this flick almost put me to sleep. It is extremely slow-moving and dull, with many scenes that stretch believability and common-sense. The lead, Virginia McKenna, always looks as though she's just stood up from the make-up and hairstylist's chair, everything just-so, pert & pretty. Her acting is wooden. I just cannot get over thinking of her as a dress model. The direction helped to sink this film, boring, unimaginative. On the plus side, I do have a liking for 1940s/50s B&W British movies, war stories especially. That's probably why I sat through this -- at home. In a movie theatre, I'd have walked out for sure. I could recommend this film only to die-hard Virginia McKenna fans, or those who simply must see every British WW2 movie ever made. The 4 stars I have this movie are generous, mainly for atmosphere and for the fact that the terrible actor playing her husband died very early on.