Female Agents (2008)
"Les femmes de l'ombre" (original title)

In May 1944, a group of French servicewomen and resistance fighters are enlisted into the British Special Operations Executive commando group under the command of Louise Desfontaines and ... See full summary »

Director:

Jean-Paul Salomé

Writers:

Jean-Paul Salomé, Laurent Vachaud

Stars:

Sophie Marceau, Julie Depardieu, Marie Gillain

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sophie Marceau	...	Louise Desfontaines
Julie Depardieu	...	Jeanne Faussier
Marie Gillain	...	Suzy Desprez
Déborah François	...	Gaëlle Lemenech
Moritz Bleibtreu	...	Karl Heindrich
Maya Sansa	...	Maria Luzzato
Julien Boisselier	...	Pierre Desfontaines
Vincent Rottiers	...	Eddy
Volker Bruch	...	Lieutenant Becker
Robin Renucci	...	Melchior
Xavier Beauvois	...	Claude Granville
Colin David Reese	...	Colonel Maurice Buckmaster
Jurgen Mash	...	Gerd Von Rundstedt
Conrad Cecil	...	Le géologue anglais
Alexandre Jazede	...	René Bourienne

Storyline

In May 1944, a group of French servicewomen and resistance fighters are enlisted into the British Special Operations Executive commando group under the command of Louise Desfontaines and her brother Pierre. Their mission, to rescue a British army geologist caught reconnoitering the beaches at Normandy, and to kill a German SS colonel who is close to figuring out the imminent secret of D-Day, proves to be emotional and brutal. The story is inspired by the accomplishments of decorated SOE agent Lisé de Baissac.

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Plot Keywords:

normandy | rescue | d day | hospital | resistance | 

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Genres:

Drama | War

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site [United Kingdom] TFM Distribution [France]

Country:

France

Language:

French German English

Release Date:

5 March 2008 (France)

Also Known As:

Female Agents

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

£68,412 (UK) (27 June 2008)

Gross:

£157,077 (UK) (4 July 2008)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Les Chauves-Souris, Banque Populaire Images 7, Banque Populaire Images 8

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The action in the film is set in spring 1944, on the eve of the Normandy Landings. The decision to invade was taken at the Tehran conference (28th November - 1st December, 1943) and technical planning began in January 1944, which didn't leave the Allies much time to prepare. On the German side, there was no doubt that the Allies intended to land in north-western Europe. Hitler himself sensed that invasion was imminent in November 1943 and demanded that work on fortifying the coastline around Calais and Normandy be speeded up.

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Goofs

The scene in Holloway prison where the murderess is recruited to the mission, shows her looking out onto a courtyard were a scaffold is erected. Hangings in Britain by this time were conducted indoors in a room adjacent to the condemned cell. Prisoners were not aware of where the gallows was in order to spare them anxiety.

User Reviews

Gritty WWII mission drama, ala the Dirty Dozen

I saw this film at this years Seattle International Film Festival, and other than the bizarre choice of "Female Agents" as the English title, I loved it. I think a more direct translation of the title as "Women of the Shadows" or some such would have been much more evocative.

The film itself is a gritty WWII espionage drama in the classic mold, with the team of misfits being assembled to do the job that only they can do. Only in this case, they are women. The film does not shrink from the grittiness and danger of the mission, especially when it extends to several gutwrenching interrogation scenes. There is no chivalry in this war. Moritz Bleibtreu is especially effective as an SS Colonel who believes himself to be a decent man, doing only what he must, yet in reality committing atrocity after atrocity.

Special effects are well used to give us occupied Paris in great detail, and the whole look of the film is quite stylish. A recommended film!