MM Film Blog

Cate Blanchett gives a strong performance in the title role of Gillian Armstrong's romantic World War II drama Charlotte Gray, as a Scottish woman who joins the French Resistance.

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Based on Sebastian Faulks' novel, Jeremy Brock's screenplay is quite honestly often very confusing. However, the film accurately captures the sense of danger and intrique that surround Charlotte (aka Dominique) as she executes her mission behind enemy lines, while at the same time searching for her pilot boyfriend who was shot down in France.

Ms. Blanchett is captivating in the role, as she must convey most of what she is thinking and feeling through subtle facial expressions. Given the nature of the interactions between the characters, the dialogue is concise bordering on terse.

The film also contains strong supporting performances by Billy Crudup as Julien, the Frenchman who helps her, and Michael Gambon as his somewhat estranged father.

The film makes no effort to have any dialogue in French, or any French accents, except for one French sentence that Charlotte teaches her boyfriend before he leaves on his mission -- presumably so that we believe that she can pass as someone who speaks perfect French. It is quite an odd omission for a film that takes place mostly on French soil.

In some ways this film is reminiscent of American 1940s WWII dramas. It's not an outstanding film, but it is very entertaining.

MM Rating - * * * *