Can somebody tell me what is the point of making any film based on historical subjects that does not simply tell the truth of what happened? Fictionalized history of real people or events is totally silly and pointless. This film says it was loosely based on Melita Norwood - there is nothing in this film that reflects that woman's life beyond the fact that she gave documents relating to the atomic bomb to the Russians. Yet another woman making a unilateral decision that could have resulted in the death of millions of Britons and others should Russia have decided to use it. Melita Norwood was not unmasked until the sixties and never prosecuted. She should have been put up against a wall and shot - like any other traitor. Judy Dench should have left this alone.
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Reply by Strange Bedfellows
on May 27, 2020 at 5:22 AM
I take your point - but in my view it would be better to retain the major facts of history without alteration whilst allowing minor characters to have some exciting sub plots. History is lied about enough without adding to the confusion.
Reply by CheekyMonkey
on May 27, 2020 at 5:32 AM
It was a somewhat entertaining premise for a movie... That capture how ideology and romance can both drive people to do foolish things in their youth... Add to that the layer of geo-political and life or death consequence and the whole spy thing and it's not hard to see why this movie was made...
I watched it on a flight... It was pretty good, as a story. I tend to discount movies bearing any reality to the historical account, because I know how far artistic license is pushed...
If you want a factual retelling of the story, maybe a documentary is more appropriate (even that had bias)... Movies will always glamorise and polish the past... Pretty actresses/actors, larger than life visuals, fluff edited out, etc... It's the nature of the medium, nevermind the idea of turning it into a commercial product to get people to watch, or for industry PR purposes
This is aside from the idea of whitewashing or romanticising the past...
It's pretty crazy that Norwood got away with this...
Reply by Strange Bedfellows
on May 27, 2020 at 6:47 AM
You ain't kidding!! It was probably her age and the embarrassment of the authorities that saved her - security must have been pretty lax to allow her to get away with it for so long. She was deemed more valuable than the Cambridge 5 and that is saying something. Plus of course the expense of a trial and the cost of her subsequent imprisonment - being 83 she probably had a lot of health needs. There is no understanding how people get away with this kind of major criminality - look at Jane Barton (Gosport) never charged and allowed to retire? Oh that's alright then. She's another one who should die in prison. If you are not familiar with the case here is part of a larger article
Sometimes the decisions of those in power are inexplicable - I can only surmise that a full investigation would have revealed many more doctors like her operating under the radar with the governments knowledge and approval. What else could explain it? Well Covid 19 has been doing their work for them of late - but they will be back once it's over no doubt.
Reply by CheekyMonkey
on May 27, 2020 at 11:29 AM
It's an interesting perspective... that the government institutions would seek to preserve themselves by not prosecuting "their own" to the fullest extent of the law... I think it's a very real thing...
It's the issue that's only implicit in this movie, but not really addressed...
I think when it comes to people's lives, to espionage, war and such the stakes are even higher... Worth exploring in movies, imo...