A Call to Spy

{{Infobox film

| name = A Call to Spy

| image = A Call to Spy film poster.png

| caption = Theatrical release poster

| director = Lydia Dean Pilcher

| writer = Sarah Megan Thomas

| producer = Sarah Megan Thomas

| starring = {{Plainlist|

}}

| cinematography = {{Plainlist|

Robby Baumgartner
Miles Goodall

}}

| editing = Paul Tothill

| music = Lillie Rebecca McDonough

| studio = SMT Pictures

| distributor = IFC Films

| released = {{Film date|2019|06|21|Edinburgh|2020|10|02|United States}}

| runtime = 124 minutes{{cite web|url=https://www.edfilmfest.org.uk/2019/liberte-call-spy/06-21_20-25|title=Liberté: A Call to Spy|publisher=Edinburgh International Film Festival|access-date=November 23, 2020}}

| country = United States

| language = English

| budget =

| gross = $786,484{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt7698468/|title=A Call to Spy (2019)|website=Box Office Mojo|access-date=April 13, 2023}}

}}

A Call to Spy (also known as Liberté: A Call to Spy) is a 2019 American spy drama film written and produced by Sarah Megan Thomas and directed by Lydia Dean Pilcher. The title is a stylistic variant of a call to arms. It stars Sarah Megan Thomas, Radhika Apte and Stana Katic.{{cite news |last1=Pulver |first1=Andrew |title=A Call to Spy review – meticulous depiction of female war-time agents |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/oct/22/a-call-to-spy-review-meticulous-depiction-of-female-war-time-agents |access-date=9 January 2024 |publisher=The Guardian |date=22 October 2020}}

A Call to Spy had its world premiere on June 21, 2019, at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, and was released in the United States on October 2, 2020, in theaters and on video on demand.{{cite web |last=Lattanzio |first=Ryan |title='A Call to Spy' Trailer: Female-Dominated Production Team Runs WWII Espionage Thriller |url=https://www.indiewire.com/2020/08/a-call-to-spy-trailer-1234577562/ |website=IndieWire |date=August 2, 2020 |access-date=August 4, 2020}}

The film received mostly positive reviews. Film critic aggregator Rotten Tomatoes said it "overcomes a surprising lack of tension with an overall engaging tribute to an oft-overlooked group of World War II heroes."{{Cite web|title=Air Mail|url=https://airmail.news/|access-date=2020-10-29|website=airmail.news}}{{Cite web|last=Cohen|first=Anne|title=A Call To Spy & More Movies By Women To Stream This Weekend|url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/movies-directed-by-women-streaming|access-date=2020-10-29|website=refinery29.com}}{{Cite web|last=Keith|date=2020-09-28|title=REVIEW: “A Call to Spy” (2020)|url=https://keithandthemovies.com/2020/09/28/review-a-call-to-spy-2020/|access-date=2020-10-29|website=Keith & the Movies}}{{Cite web|last=Bloom|first=Bob|date=2020-09-30|title=ReelBob: 'A Call to Spy' ★★★½|url=http://reelbob.com/2020/09/30/reelbob-a-call-to-spy-%e2%98%85%e2%98%85%e2%98%85%c2%bd/|access-date=2020-10-29|website=ReelBob}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/a_call_to_spy|title=A Call to Spy (2019)|via=www.rottentomatoes.com}}

Plot

In the beginning of the Second World War, 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, recruits two unusual candidates: Virginia Hall, an ambitious American with a wooden leg, and Noor Inayat Khan, an Indian Muslim pacifist. Together, these women help to undermine the Nazi regime in France.

Cast

{{Cast listing|

}}

Production

Sarah Megan Thomas wrote the original screenplay based on years of research, and to prepare for her role as Virginia Hall, she interviewed Hall's living relatives.{{cite web |last=Noel |first=Alyssa |title=LIBERTÉ: A Call to Spy brings little-known history to light |url=https://www.piquenewsmagazine.com/local-arts/liberte-a-call-to-spy-brings-little-known-history-to-light-2508841 |website=Pique Newsmagazine |date=November 30, 2019 |access-date=August 10, 2020}}

Pilcher has said that she was drawn to this story because she felt a story about the power of multiculturalism was relevant to the current-day rise of nationalism and extremism, and she wanted to feature a story about these women who hadn't received enough attention or acknowledgement in history.{{cite web |last=Berger |first=Laura |title=EIFF 2019 Women Directors: Meet Lydia Dean Pilcher – "Liberté: A Call to Spy" |url=https://womenandhollywood.com/eiff-2019-women-directors-meet-lydia-dean-pilcher-liberte-a-call-to-spy/ |website=Women and Hollywood |date=June 28, 2019 |access-date=August 4, 2020}} To prepare for the role of Noor Inayat Khan, Radhika Apte did a lot of research, which included reading about the historical people as well as watching spy movies and reading classic novels that were relevant to the character.{{cite web |last=Roy |first=Dhaval |title=You don't have to beg for money there: Radhika Apte on difference between Bollywood and Hollywood |url=https://www.dnaindia.com/bollywood/report-you-don-t-have-to-beg-for-money-there-radhika-apte-on-difference-between-bollywood-and-hollywood-2776079 |website=DNA India |date=July 27, 2019 |access-date=August 4, 2020}}

Filming was done in Philadelphia and Budapest, both of which also provided tax credits to the production.

Release and reception

The film had its world premiere as Liberté: A Call to Spy at the Edinburgh International Film Festival during the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of D-Day,{{cite web|url=https://www.reviewsphere.org/news/liberte-a-call-to-spy-world-premiere-at-edinburgh-film-festival/|title=LIBERTÉ: A CALL TO SPY - World Premiere at Edinburgh Film Festival|work=reviewsphere.org|access-date=July 3, 2020}} which Thomas believed was a notable choice because historically the agency trained their spies in Scotland.

The film went on to win the Audience Choice Award in record numbers at Whistler Film Festival,{{Cite web|url=https://whistlerfilmfestival.com/wff19-wraps/|title=WFF19 Wraps|date=December 10, 2019|website=Whistler Film Festival}} where 97% voted for it as their favorite film, "the highest numbers since La La Land took home the prize."{{Cite web|url=https://www.nywift.org/ravenal-feature-film-grant-recipient-liberte-a-call-to-spy-honored-at-the-santa-barbara-international-film-festival/|title=Ravenal Feature Film Grant Recipient, A Call to Spy, Honored at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival}} The film also won an award from the Alliance of Women Film Journalists.{{Cite web|url=https://awfj.org/blog/2019/12/08/xxxx-awfj-eda-awards-whistler-film-festival-2019-the-winners-jennifer-merin-reports/|title=AWFJ EDA Awards @ Whistler Film Festival 2019: The Winners – Jennifer Merin reports – ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS}} The film was given the Anti-Defamation League Award at the 2020 Santa Barbara International Film Festival with a unanimous vote by the jury.{{Cite web|url=https://www.edhat.com/news/wwii-female-spy-film-wins-adl-award|title=WWII Female Spy Film Wins ADL Award | Edhat|website=edhat.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.noozhawk.com/article/film_liberte_a_call_to_spy_wins_anti_defamation_league_stand_up_award|title=Film 'Liberté: A Call to Spy' Wins Anti-Defamation League Stand Up Award|website=noozhawk.com}} IFC Films then acquired North American distribution rights, with an expected theatrical release in late 2020.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2020/06/ifc-picks-up-a-call-to-spy-movie-1202960389/|title=IFC Picks Up WWII Female Secret Agents Feature 'A Call To Spy', Eyes Fall Release|date=June 16, 2020|access-date=July 3, 2020}}

The film has been well reviewed by critics and well received by audiences on the festival circuit.{{Cite web|url=https://filmthreat.com/reviews/liberte-a-call-to-spy/|title=Liberté: A Call to Spy | Film Threat|date=January 20, 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.liveforfilm.com/2019/06/23/eiff-2019-review-liberte-a-call-to-spy-a-remarkable-film/|title=EIFF 2019 Review – Liberté: A Call to Spy – "A remarkable film" | Live for Films|website=liveforfilm.com}} Screen Daily noted that it was "one title to stand out."{{Cite web|url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/international-attendees-give-their-verdict-on-london-screenings-2019/5140877.article|title=International attendees give their verdict on London Screenings 2019|first=Geoffrey|last=Macnab|date=July 2, 2019|website=Screen}}

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, A Call to Spy holds an approval score of 73% based on 48 reviews, and an average rating of 6.2. The site's critics consensus reads, "A Call to Spy overcomes a surprising lack of tension with an overall engaging tribute to an oft-overlooked group of World War II heroes"{{Cite web | publisher = Rotten Tomatoes | title = A Call to Spy | url = https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/a_call_to_spy | access-date = 18 July 2022}}

In the United Kingdom, A Call to Spy was released by Signature Entertainment on October 23, 2020, to positive reviews by top outlets. A review by The Times said: "Inspired by true stories, A Call to Spy is a compelling tale of extraordinary courage and sacrifice.... Each woman left an unmistakable legacy and the film is a tribute to their bravery and ingenuity."{{Cite news|work=The Times|date=October 29, 2020|title=A Call to Spy Review|url=https://www.thetimes.com/culture/books/article/a-call-to-spy-review-churchills-secret-army-of-female-operatives-h3hzzmjxm}} The Guardian called the film a "[m]eticulous depiction of female war-time agents"{{Cite news|date=October 22, 2020|title=A Call to Spy review – meticulous depiction of female war-time agents|url=http://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/oct/22/a-call-to-spy-review-meticulous-depiction-of-female-war-time-agents|access-date=2020-10-29|work=The Guardian}} and The Sunday Mirror said it was "[a] powerful and inspiring film about women who left a vital legacy."{{Cite news|title=A Call to Spy|work=Sunday Mirror|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/sunday-mirror|access-date=October 18, 2020}}

Sheila O'Malley of RogerEbert.com gave A Call to Spy 3.5 out of 4 stars: "An excellent historical drama. I was engrossed for every moment of the film's 123-minute running time."{{Cite web|last=O'Malley|first=Sheila|title=A Call to Spy movie review & film summary (2020) {{!}} Roger Ebert|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/a-call-to-spy-movie-review-2020|access-date=2020-10-29|website=rogerebert.com/}} Indiewire called the film "A Sturdy Drama about WWII's overlooked female spies. Sarah Megan Thomas is the standout here ... not only taking on the film's meatiest role as real-life spy figure Virginia Hall, but also writing and producing the feature." Cosmopolitan called it one of 31 "spy thrillers that’ll have you on the edge of your damn seat."{{Cite web|last=Sullivan|first=Corinne|date=2022-02-02|title=All the Best Spy Movies to Watch When You’re in the Mood for Mischief|url=https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/movies/g38901986/best-spy-movies/|access-date=2022-02-06|website=Cosmopolitan|language=en-US}}

In India, Amazon acquired the film as an "Amazon Original", where it received strong reviews.{{Citation|title=A Call To Spy Review: This Radhika Apte starrer is an engaging spy-thriller|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/reviews/english/a-call-to-spy/ottmoviereview/79692116.cms|access-date=2021-02-05}} The Times of India said, "Backed by spectacular performances and strong writing, ‘A Call to Spy’ is a realistic and engaging spy-thriller that packs a solid emotional punch."{{Cite news|title=Radhika Apte-starrer 'A Call To Spy' to get an Amazon Prime release on December 11|work=The Economic Times|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/radhika-apte-starrer-a-call-to-spy-to-get-an-amazon-prime-release-on-december-11/articleshow/79544348.cms|access-date=2021-02-05}}