A Call to Spy(2020)

Plot Summary

• In the beginning of WWII, with Britain becoming desperate, Churchill orders his new spy agency-the Special Operations Executive (SOE)-to recruit and train women as spies. Their daunting mission: conduct sabotage and build a resistance in France.SOE's "spy mistress," Vera Atkins (Stana Katic), recruits two unusual candidates: Virginia Hall (Sarah Megan Thomas), an ambitious American with a wooden leg (She is dying to get back to France. She lost her leg in a hunting accident, when she shot herself by accident), and Noor Inayat Khan (Radhika Apte), an Indian Muslim pacifist and the best wireless operator in the women's auxiliary air force. Up to this point men were recruited as spies. But now Nazis were locating British signal faster than ever and men were making too many mistakes (one agent was carrying British cigarettes). Vera arranges for her recruits to be trained like the men.Vera's boss is not impressed with her choices but gives her permission to proceed both to the next level of training (which include simulated torture). The plan for Virginia is to station her as a New York Post journo in Paris, so she can provide reports via her articles without setting off alarms. general Maurice Buckmaster (Linus Roache) is the head of the F (France) section and Vera's boss. Virginia is deployed to France. In Sep 1941, Virginia lands in France with a mission to create a central hub to support resistance with money, safe houses etc.Dr. Chevain (Rossif Sutherland) is Virginia's local contact in Lyon. Alfonse (Andrew Richardson) is a British agent on the ground. Virginia gets to work and recruits a network of French women willing to offer their homes as safe houses. She has her first crisis when a British soldier shatters his leg on his parachute drop. He makes it to a safe house but has to be transported back somehow. Virginia also reports on the punishing regimes set by the Nazis in France. 10 ounces of bread per day, 2 ounces of cheese a week. Maurice doesn't trust Vera fully when Vera resists putting Noor on wireless duty on the plane going to pick up the injured agent. She thinks the signal was delayed and that could be a signal of Nazis controlling the shots. Noor is to become the wireless operator in France, supporting Virginia. The switch goes smoothly.Together, these women help to undermine the Nazi regime in France, leaving an unmistakable legacy in their wake. Virginia recruits the local church in exchange for more food coupons. Noor escapes detection by hiding but needs new safe houses very frequently. eventually Dr Chevain takes her in into his basement and he romantically inclined towards Virginia. Fathe Robert Alesch meets Dr Chevain and claims he is a resistance supporter and wants to meet Virginia (his cover is blown since his network in Nice was arrested). Virginia doesn't trust him, but Chevain says he is legit. Virginia refuses to meet Robert, despite Chevain saying that he might be arrested and killed.Vera's citizenship application is rejected as she is Romanian and Britain is at war with it, plus she is Hebrew. In Dec 1941, US goes to war and Virginia needs a new cover and US reporters are no longer allowed in France. Virginia has to disguise as a French bimbo. Alesch is confirmed legit by London. She gives him the 300K Francs requested, but still doesn't trust him. Noor is transferred to Paris. She is almost caught by Nazis on the train (with her wireless set), but the Nazis find another resistance fighter with a bomb and arrest her instead.Virginia organizes her agents to destroy German torpedo boats or the ammunition freight trains. Noor is again almost caught when the Paris safe home is raided by the Gestapo. She escapes as she was out. Vera decides to bring Noor home. Virginia is able to rescue a captured agent, by delivering him a wrench in prison, disguised inside a game of monopoly. Meanwhile Noor is without a safe-house in Paris. She runs into her old friend Giselle (Mathilde Ollivier), who gladly takes her home. Noor gets courage from Giselle who is Hebrew and tells Vera that she will stay and fight in Paris.As Germany decides to fortify the unoccupied territories, Klaus Barbie (Marc Rissmann) takes over as the commandant for Lyon, where Vera is based. Barbie's mission is to capture Vera. Virginia is shown to be correct as Robert Alesch is shown to be meeting Barbie. Vera retreats further south as Chevain is arrested. He is tortured with acid. Alfonse is killed. Giselle's boyfriend sells Noor to the Nazis for a lot of money. They also find her notebook and have all her codes and start transmitting as Noor to Britain. Meanwhile Virginia's only way out is over the alps into Spain and from there to Portugal and then London. In the extreme cold, Virginia's wooden leg snaps. yet she continues forward with repairs. Noor is sent to a concentration camp. eventually London figures that Nazis have her code as one the planes flying the replacement agents is shot at by Gestapo. Vera and Maurice are determined to continue supporting the resistance in France.Virginia eventually makes it and gets back to London. Virginia learns about her team and Noor. She wants more wireless operators to be deployed to the field. Maurice tells Vera that Robert Alesch betrayed the team in France and Vera was the one who checked him out. Vera quits. Maurice feels bad and gets her citizenship papers and a proper rank on his team. Noor is eventually shot at the camp. Virginia aligns with William Donovan, Head of the OSS, when US aligns with Britain and joins the SOE. Donovan sends her back to France, as per her request.Barbie never caught Virginia. Robert Alesch was killed by the French. Virginia was first female agent of the CIA. In France 13 of Vera's 39 agents died. Noor was honored by the French and the British.

Storyline

• In the beginning of WWII, with Britain becoming desperate, Churchill orders his new spy agency -- the Special Operations Executive (SOE) -- to recruit and train women as spies. Their daunting mission: conduct sabotage and build a resistance. SOE's "spymistress," Vera Atkins (Stana Katic), recruits two unusual candidates: Virginia Hall (Sarah Megan Thomas), an ambitious American with a wooden leg, and Noor Inayat Khan (Radhika Atpe), a Muslim pacifist. Together, these women help to undermine the Nazi regime in France, leaving an unmistakable legacy in their wake. Inspired by true stories. — Sarah Megan Thomas, author