School for Danger (1947) User Reviews

The Real Stuff

[boblipton · 8/10 · 22 January 2018]

Teddy Baird was a British Assistant Director and later producer who got involved with literary projects -- things like PYGMALION and THE WINSLOW BOY and THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST -- although, of course, he could turn his hand to anything, like early credits for musical comedies like BRITANNIA OF BILLINGSGATE and a late farce DON'T PANIC BOYS. The one time he wore multiple hats, as producer and director and writer and star was as "Wing Commander E. Baird" for this movie, a documentary for the RAF.

It's a very exciting subject, so it's told in a dry and matter of fact manner, with much of it explained in voice over. Nonetheless, it is fascinating and exciting and demonstrates that in order to be a good producer, you need to know how to get it on the screen. Then, once the war was over, he could go back to the matter of getting Oscar Wilde done properly on the screen. I suppose that was why he fought.

Exceptionally Interesting

[malcolmgsw · 7/10 · 25 October 2020]

A reenactment of an SOE mission to France,played by actual agents.It does not underplay the dangers faced by the agents.Obviously does not mention matters such as informers or warning messages by radio operators in the event of capture.

Docudrama About the French Resistance.

[rmax304823 · 6/10 · 21 January 2014]

It's a kind of walk-through describing the training and operations of resistance fighters in England who are parachuted into France and cause the occupying German forces all sorts of trouble in 1943.

It's not badly done, considering that the acting is practically non-existent. We follow a man and woman (the only two professional actors in the film) as they learn techniques of disguise, communication, and sabotage in Britain before being turned loose in Normandy. The resistance, or the maquis as they were called, should know about sabotage. The word may have come from the wooden shoes -- sabots -- thrown by dissatisfied French workers into the cogs of machines.

In some areas of France, there wasn't much in the way of resistance. Often, the German soldiers were under strict orders to behave themselves. (In Paris they were forbidden to smoke in the street.) Accommodations were reached. But, paradoxically, the mutual tolerance made the resistance that much more effective because if the mass of the French population were indifferent and minded their own business, it was that more difficult to root out the activists who swam so innocently among them. No mention of internal rivalries within the resistance -- the nationalists, the communists, the quiet espionage agents and the destructive saboteurs.

The characters we meet, whether French or English, are efficient but extraordinarily dull. When they are shown their L (for "lethal") pills, the guy says cheerfully something like, "Oh, so that's what they look like." If anyone is frightened or saddened, it's hard to tell. And there are no jokes or signs of intimacy.

Yet it's a tense-enough story. The narration takes us through some unnerving spots. I mean, how would you like to parachute into enemy occupied territory at night, accompanied by boxes of explosives and espionage equipment, knowing that if you were caught you'd be executed summarily? I wouldn't want to make such a jump. I wouldn't even look forward to getting into the airplane.

It's informative and well directed but if you want to see similar stories that are executed with some craftsmanship, try "The Train" or "13 Rue Madeleine."

School for Danger

[CinemaSerf · 7/10 · 8 January 2023]

This is an intriguing watch featuring some genuine French resistance workers, that gives a real authenticity to their courageous efforts in conjunction with considerable co-operation and co-ordination from the Royal Air Force, in inflicting maximum damage to the Nazi war machine during WWII. It's based around two characters - "Felix" (Harry Rée) and "Cat" (Jacqueline Nearne) who provide us with an interesting narrative around how they are selected, trained and utilised in this most secretive - and dangerous - of tasks: causing as much mayhem and mischief to the enemy by sabotaging lines of communications in remarkably simple, but extremely effective ways. It's more of a documentary, there is not really much acting, as such - and that gives it much greater credibility as the crucial nature of their work is writ large. At just over the hour, it's well worth a gander.

An awe inspiring recollection of the bravery of so many 'ordinary' people during extraordinary times.

[mch2469 · 10/10 · 25 August 2020]

I was awe struck to watch this film and to re-evaluate my own understanding of the role of the SOE during WWII.... The 2 main actors were actual SOE agents and not professional actors... indeed both were highly decorated agents.... The others involved in this film were playing their actual roles in the whole process from trainers to logistics personnel... Harry Ree... the male main role was shot 4 times not long before he started making this film... he had escaped from France to Switzerland with those wounds and still carried on organising his resistance groups until he recovered and then went back to France.... This film was started to be made in 1944 so a lot of the methods and processes we see for the film were still being used at the time of filming so all those we see are fulfilling the roles that they actually did... It's all presented with the usual English reserve and understatement.... Both of the main agents Harry Ree and Jacqueline Nearne went on to live for many years more unlike many of their brothers and sisters in arms... most of whom, who died at the hands of the German occupiers... and whose bravery was never shared ... Harry Ree was initially a conscientious objectors but was later to volunteer for service and became one of the ten most effective SOE agents of the war in France.... he was later a professor of languages and Jacqueline later worked at the United Nations in New York...

A fitting tribute to the many people who helped support the resistance in France many of whom remain nameless yet still were influential in helping liberate France....

Surprisingly interesting and well worth seeing.

[planktonrules · 9/10 · 27 April 2021]

Many of the official documentaries that were made by the Allies were sometimes pretty dull. While they were chock full of interesting film footage, the way in which they were told occasionally resulted in a dull story. However, this is definitely NOT the case with "Now It Can Be Told", a British documentary about what it was like to be an agent dropped behind enemy lines in wartime France. You follow a man and woman from their recruitment, through training and, ultimately, to being sent on their first mission. Interestingly, some of the folks in the film were actual agents and so it wasn't surprising that the film wasn't released until after the war. Overall, very exciting and a film that seems less jingoistic and optimistic than many documentaries...and it makes the story more timely and enjoyable as a result.

By the way, there are two different versions of the film. The shorter SCHOOL FOR DANGER is the one I found on YouTube and there is a longer NOW IT CAN BE TOLD....with a few added scenes.

How do you watch the film after adding to Watchlist

[rayfaetroon-47418 · 22 November 2020]

Its a bit confusing when you add to Watchlist and there are no links to actually watch it! Do you have to buy the DVD elsewhere or is there a way to actually watch it here?