A Call to Spy (2019)

Stana Katic: Vera Atkins

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Quotes 

• Col. Maurice Buckmaster : My previous job at a French motor company certainly didn't prepare me for this. There could be many explanations, Vera. Noor's been late before.

  Vera Atkins : This new curfew is mucking up everyone's scheds.

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : Your latest recruits have been doing impressive work, and Virginia's been spectacular. You were right about her. Good find.

  Vera Atkins : Let's hope they pull it off tonight. If we could derail an ammunition shipment, that would certainly be good news.

• Leo Marks : Madeline sent the coordinates for the replacements to be parachuted, but there's a problem. Her code is perfect.

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : So?

  Leo Marks : There's not a single mistake.

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : Well, she's good.

  Leo Marks : Yes, but there's always a mistake or two. This one's perfect.

  Christopher : What are you saying, Leo?

  Leo Marks : I'm saying the style on this one is different.

  Vera Atkins : Her security check is correct?

  Leo Marks : Yes.

  Vera Atkins : You're speculating.

  Leo Marks : It doesn't feel right.

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : So we're acting on feelings now, are we? What's your opinion?

  Vera Atkins : We have a wireless who won't survive alone. I don't know, Buck, it's not clear.

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : Parachute those replacements to her proposed coordinates.

• Vera Atkins : Virginia, I wish we had better news. From what we know, the convent was not raided. Everyone else have or was...

  Virginia Hall : Everyone?

  Vera Atkins : Yes.

  Virginia Hall : And Madeline, um... how is she?

  Vera Atkins : Her circuit was also compromised.

  Virginia Hall : What happened to her?

  Vera Atkins : She's missing.

  Virginia Hall : Send me back.

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : You're one of our best. I wish we could.

  Virginia Hall : You can.

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : The Gestapo are pulling in everything they can. It would be criminal to send someone as remarkable as you right now.

  Vera Atkins : They're looking for you, Virginia. They know who you are.

  Virginia Hall : My neck is my own. You know if I'm willing to get a crick in it because there's a war...

  Vera Atkins : It is the necks of everyone in your network.

  Virginia Hall : Perhaps that wouldn't be the case if F Section did a better job of protecting their agents.

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : We are doing our best, and we are all too aware that our best is costing people their lives.

  Virginia Hall : That is because there are too many field agents who need to be supported by one wireless. When one wireless goes down, everyone's compromised. You need to train more. That is the problem.

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : We will consider that.

• Col. Maurice Buckmaster : Ah, Vera Atkins, this is William Donovan, Chief of OSS, America's SOE.

  Vera Atkins : Your reputation precedes you, Wild Bill.

  William Donovan : As does yours.

  Vera Atkins : All good things, I'm sure.

• Col. Maurice Buckmaster : Leo was right. They must have Noor's code.

  Vera Atkins : What?

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : We parachuted those agents straight into the hands of the Gestapo. The pilot made it back. I didn't want to give up on her. I-I... I don't want to give up on any of them. God, Vera, what have I done?

  Vera Atkins : It's too goddamn late to ask that now, and they deserve more than the two of us sitting here second-guessing ourselves, safely tucked away behind a desk.

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : But what do we have to show for any of this?

  Vera Atkins : We will soon have hundreds of agents in the field. Yes, we've made mistakes. Yes, things should be done that have not yet been accomplished, but we are getting better at this every day. We must keep trying. We must.

• Col. Maurice Buckmaster : [reviewing Noor's personnel file]  She's a princess, for God's sake.

  Vera Atkins : And very pretty, don't you agree?

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : She's a pacifist, Vera. She writes fairy tales for children.

  Christopher : Have you read her training reviews? "Childlike, a daydreamer."

  Vera Atkins : She's good at her job. That's what matters.

  Christopher : She won't last six weeks.

  Vera Atkins : These women aren't easy to find.

  [picking up a picture of Noor] 

  Vera Atkins : Now, would you suspect this girl's a spy?

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : I'll think her over. The wireless job is the most risky. Who's next?

  Vera Atkins : [handing over a file to each of them]  Virginia's American. But has lived in France. Athletic, captain of her basketball team at Radcliffe, head of the drama league at Barnard, studied in Paris and Vienna as well, comes from a wealthy family with a passion for traveling and hunting, just like her father.

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : Interesting. What's she doing here?

  Vera Atkins : Building a résumé with consular work. She wants to be a diplomat.

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : I didn't realize the Foreign Service hired female officers.

  Vera Atkins : There are a few, but she just received a rejection letter. Her training reports are improving. Although Virginia lacks appreciation for her own limitations, she is resourceful, a leader. America isn't in this war. We could set her up as a journalist. There's a contact at the New York Post. Her press reports can tell us what's going on without setting off alarms.

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : Genius. Always knew your talents were wasted as my secretary. Good Lord, Vera, she has a wooden leg.

  Christopher : Jesus Christ.

  Vera Atkins : It's only from below the knee, and besides, it's the perfect cover. No one will suspect a pretty American reporter with a limp of being guilty of anything.

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : Progress Virginia to the next level of training. God help us.

• Vera Atkins : We don't expect you to partake in all of the usual fieldwork.

  Virginia Hall : Well, I can...

  Vera Atkins : Your mission is to create a hub in central France to support agents with money, safe houses, whatever they need. F Section needs organization. One moment.

  [checking the tag on Virginia's skirt] 

  Vera Atkins : American. Good.

  [giving her a package of pills] 

  Vera Atkins : These will help you stay alert. They'll also help with the pain. Use in moderation; if you take too many, you'll pass out. And Virginia, we're desperate for information about life in France. Our spies are dying without it. When you get to Lyon, don't be fooled. Even in the unoccupied zone, people are desperate. Common folks are becoming collaborators. Militia police are dominated by the Nazis. A Frenchman named Dr. Chevain will be expecting you. 13 Place du Point du Jour.

  Virginia Hall : 13 Place du Point du Jour.

  Vera Atkins : Good. Passcode:

  [in French] 

  Vera Atkins : I'm a new patient. Passcode response:

  [in French again] 

  Vera Atkins : For Dr. Chevain? Your response:

  [in French a third time] 

  Vera Atkins : No. Dr. Benoit.

  Virginia Hall : [repeating it in French]  No. Dr. Benoit.

  Vera Atkins : Exactly. He's part of the local resistance. He speaks English well.

  Virginia Hall : Good.

  Vera Atkins : Stay detached from all agents. Feelings confuse decisions. Agent Alfonse is already on the ground as his wireless mark. More will follow as you build your network.

  [giving her another box] 

  Vera Atkins : And keep this with you at all times.

  Virginia Hall : What is this?

  Vera Atkins : Cyanide. A more dignified end than the Gestapo will give you.

• Col. Maurice Buckmaster : [receiving a communique about an injured agent]  Bloody hell. He's one of our most valuable assets. Tell Virginia to provide landing coordinates.

  Vera Atkins : Right. Buck, go home. I'll stay. Go and see Anna and the children.

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : No. No holidays, no weekends, no time off. Can't afford to let anything slip.

• Vera Atkins : Message us as soon as you arrive, and make sure you change locations often so that they don't locate your signals.

  Noor Inayat Khan : Yes, ma'am.

  Vera Atkins : This is your wireless. If you have any doubts, tell me now. There are ways to help the war effort here.

  Noor Inayat Khan : No, ma'am. I'm resolved. I can fight. My resistance is not motivated by hate.

  Vera Atkins : Good.

  Noor Inayat Khan : That's a beautiful pin. It's a lap wing, isn't it?

  Vera Atkins : Yes.

  [taking it off] 

  Vera Atkins : Here.

  Noor Inayat Khan : No, I couldn't.

  Vera Atkins : [putting on her lapel]  No, you must. Our first female wireless. Congratulations, Madeline.

  Noor Inayat Khan : Liberte.

  Vera Atkins : Good luck to you.

• Col. Maurice Buckmaster : We need to talk replacements. I want you in charge of recruiting some ladies.

  Vera Atkins : What happened? I thought everyone was opposed.

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : Well, we went to Churchill, he growled a bit, but he agreed women will be more inconspicuous. And then he said, "Good luck to you."

  Vera Atkins : We should train the women like the men?

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : We can't afford to scare them off.

  Vera Atkins : They're civilians, not soldiers. They'll have no idea of what they're getting into. Let's prepare them, don't you think?

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : Mm.

  Christopher : Ms. Atkins, make sure they're pretty.

  Vera Atkins : For you or for the Germans?

• Vera Atkins : Why aren't you married?

  Virginia Hall : Why aren't you?

  Vera Atkins : I have a missing friend.

  Virginia Hall : I'm so sorry. I...

  Vera Atkins : A terrible verdict for anyone, don't you think, missing? Do you have a fellow?

  Virginia Hall : Uh...

  [pulling down her sock to reveal her wooden leg] 

  Virginia Hall : I had an accident, gangrene set in. He didn't think it was terribly romantic.

  Vera Atkins : Depends on who you ask, I suppose. Let's be straight with each other, shall we?

  Virginia Hall : Sure.

  Vera Atkins : You and I both know that America will never hire you to be a diplomat, so I'd like to invite you to try out for a club you can join. A club for women like you who have lived in France, know the language, and are passionate about stopping Hitler.

  Virginia Hall : Who are you?

• Vera Atkins : Rumor has it you are the best wireless operator in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force.

  Noor Inayat Khan : Thank you. I believe it's because I play the harp and the piano, and signaling is like music. There is a rhythm to it.

  Vera Atkins : Indeed. Noor, why did you join?

  Noor Inayat Khan : We all have to play our part.

  Vera Atkins : And what is your part, Noor?

  Noor Inayat Khan : Sorry?

  Vera Atkins : You were born in Russia to an American mother and an Indian father who was Muslim. A descendant of the last Mughal Emperor, I understand.

  Noor Inayat Khan : Yes. My father was a founder of the Sufi order in the West.

  Vera Atkins : And that is?

  Noor Inayat Khan : Sufism is an Islamic spiritual path towards God by the means of peace and truth.

  Vera Atkins : As are you, correct? A lover of peace and truth.

  Noor Inayat Khan : Of course.

  Vera Atkins : So why is this war your fight?

  Noor Inayat Khan : Because I am a British citizen and I grew up in France as my home. I cannot just stand by and let the Nazis do what they're doing.

  Vera Atkins : Is that all, Noor?

  Noor Inayat Khan : Well, actually, I also wish that an Indian would win high military distinction in this war, because, you know, if a few of us could do something brave in the allied service, it might bridge the gap between the Indians and the British.

  Vera Atkins : Now I understand. Noor, I called you here today because I would like to invite you to try out for a club unlike any other.

• Col. Maurice Buckmaster : Vera, we suspect Alesch is the one who betrayed Virginia's team, and upstairs has concerns that it was you who checked him out.

  Vera Atkins : You know he checked out on paper.

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : H-H-He did, y-y-yes. But...

  Vera Atkins : No one suspected he was a double agent. Not me or not you.

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : I-I-I know, but nonetheless, they have...

  Vera Atkins : Let's not pretend this has anything to do with my looking into Alesch, who checked out. D-Day planning is around the corner and I am done being the unofficial, untrusted part of our team just because I was born a Jew. You want me? I want my papers and proper rank. Next move is yours.

• [last lines] 

  Virginia Hall : [returning to France for another mission]  Good luck to you.

  Vera Atkins : And to you, my friend.

• William Donovan : Look at them, our glorious amateurs. Virginia's experience has been of great value to America. I'm told you're the one I should thank for finding her.

  Vera Atkins : Oh, I'm sure if I hadn't found her, she would have found us, Mr. Donovan. Just like she found you.

  William Donovan : True. We're sending her back, ahead of the Jedburgh teams to organize. Now, with her wireless capability, her skills are even more valuable. You did great work with her.

• Leo Marks : Which wireless are we going to transfer to Paris? We have lost communication.

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : Still nothing from Stevenson?

  [Leo shakes his head] 

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : Send Noor.

  Vera Atkins : Mark's been in the field longer and Paris is tougher than Vichy.

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : Women can move about more freely in occupied territory. We have to get this right. Noor goes north.

• Vera Atkins : My citizenship papers, they said no.

  Hilda Atkins : Oh, Vera.

  Vera Atkins : Mama, every time there's a knock on our door, I fear that they are coming to deport me, every time.

  Hilda Atkins : I thought we could remake our lives here. I thought it would be safe.

• Vera Atkins : [informing Noor's mother of her death]  This war has left no one unscathed.

• Col. Maurice Buckmaster : We've spent years working on sabotage and subversion techniques. We know the best way to cut off Nazi access. We want to place small sabotage teams of three agents all over, one wireless each.

  Vera Atkins : Surprise, sabotage, vanish. Germans won't know what hit them.

  Christopher : We have experienced agents in the training facilities to implement the plan, but we need money.

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : We've had no choice but to learn the hard way how to do this, trial and a lot of error. But I think it's fair to say we're experts now.

  Colonel Gubbins : We propose a joint operation, OSS and F Section agents working together, the Americans and the British side-by-side.

• Vera Atkins : Virginia's cover is blown. American reporters won't be allowed in France now.

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : We'll get her a French disguise.

  Vera Atkins : She needs to come back and cool off.

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : She doesn't want to cool off. And her leadership skills have exceeded expectations. We need her in the field.

  Vera Atkins : But her accent is...

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : Will be passable. She was head of the drama league.

  Vera Atkins : There needs to be a change in hair.

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : And a new code name, of course.

  Vera Atkins : Philomene. It means strength.

• Col. Maurice Buckmaster : Someone at the top said no.

  Vera Atkins : Why?

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : All I've been told is you're not getting your citizenship papers.

  Vera Atkins : Because I'm Jewish? My intelligence work will be suspect as a citizen of the enemy. And if anyone else here found out, I...

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : If they do, I will remind them that your intelligence efforts have always been unofficial and not to worry that technically, your rank is only that of a secretary.

  Vera Atkins : Who is dispensable without British papers.

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : Indispensable to me. Upstairs can be difficult. They're comfortable with things as they are, and your secret is safe with me.

• Pirani : When they told me she was missing, I knew what it meant. I hadn't heard from her for so long.

  Vera Atkins : Your daughter is a hero. I, uh, brought Virginia with me because she was in the field with Noor.

  Virginia Hall : I am so inspired by her strength. She once said to me, "Don't you know yet, it's your light that lights the world?"

  Pirani : All I know is that no one protected my daughter from harm.

• Vera Atkins : [Virginia's torture by the Nazis is revealed to be an SOE training exercise]  That was impressive. Come on.

  [helping her to her feet and cutting off her restraints] 

  Vera Atkins : General Maurice Buckmaster, head of F Section.

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : Apologies for the surprise. This is the only way to assess our agents' ability to withstand torture. The Gestapo won't go easy on you just because you're a woman.

  Virginia Hall : And I don't plan to go easy on them because they're men.

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : Miss Atkins has suggested putting you into unoccupied territory as our first female field agent. Now, I know your training isn't quite complete, but we need people on the ground, so I'm inclined to give it a try. If you do decide to join us, we assess the odds of you coming home at no more than 50%. Take a moment, consider our offer.

  Virginia Hall : [immediately]  Yes.

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : Welcome to the Baker Street Irregulars, Virginia.

  Vera Atkins : Operational name, Brigitte.

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : Now, a warm bath and a hot toddy.

• Vera Atkins : Landing coordinates. Virginia found us a field.

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : Thank God.

  Vera Atkins : Mark was late and he left out the first part of his call sign.

  Christopher : Oh, code mutilations happen every day, Miss Atkins. I-I don't see why you feel the need to babysit the signal room. That's Leo's job.

  Vera Atkins : It could be a warning. What if Mark is being controlled by the Germans?

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : Yes, and it could be another signal interference. Look, a valuable asset is dying. We need to get him back and fixed. We have the moon tonight, we can't wait another month to send in a bloody plane.

  Christopher : If we're already sending a plane, we need more wireless operators in action.

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : Well, we don't have many to choose from. Send Noor. She transposes messages in record time.

  Vera Atkins : We haven't given her the final level of field training yet.

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : She'll be fine.

  Vera Atkins : No, she needs more tactical training...

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : Are you kidding? I've finally put aside my reservations on that.

  Vera Atkins : Still, Buck, I-I think that we still...

  Col. Maurice Buckmaster : God damn it! I didn't ask what you thought. The plane leaves tonight and Noor is on it. Prepare her, Miss Atkins.

• Vera Atkins : Tea or scotch?

  Virginia Hall : Uh, scotch would be lovely.

  Vera Atkins : [pouring drinks]  Please sit.

  Virginia Hall : Uh, I'll get the chair wet, so, um...

  Vera Atkins : Oh, don't worry. I've been thinking about you.

  Virginia Hall : I got a little carried away at the party. The gin.

  Vera Atkins : Here you are an intelligent woman who, I imagine, could live quite comfortably in America. What brings you here, Ms. Hall?

  Virginia Hall : Ever since I can remember, I've wanted to be a diplomat. I've been working here for years. Italy, Turkey, France. I fell in love with the people, the languages, and I'm certainly not gonna turn my back on Europe now.

  Vera Atkins : Mm. If only more Americans felt that way.