What a fantastic film is Charlotte Grey, she is a young lady who joins the British Government and trains as an agent and sent to France during the 2nd world war to liaise with the underground to fight the German Army. Unofficially she is searching for her airman lover Peter who has been shot down, that's all l'm saying, the acting is first class, and there are quite a few good actors, James Fleet (Vicar of Dibley) Rupert Penry-Jones (Spooks) Michael Gambon, Billy Crudup is so good as the hot head who is calmed down by Charlotte played by Kate Blachett who takes the character to the next level, the music is excellent, and the photography is beautiful, all in all this is a great film, and l gave it 10 out of 10 and would recommend it to anyone, you may need a hankie for the final scene.

A dull and shapeless film by director Gillian Armstrong, "Charlotte Gray" stars Cate Blanchett as Charlotte Gray, a young woman who journeys to occupied France during World War 2. Here she works with the French resistance, is sent to a rural home, works undercover as a caretaker, protects Jewish children and eventually falls in love.Those familiar with early 20th century spy movies ("13 Rue Madeleine", "I was Monty's Double", 1954's "Betrayed", "Carve Her Name With Pride", "First Comes Courage", "The Lady Vanishes" etc) will find little remarkable about "Charlotte Gray". This is generic material, ineptly shot and only occasionally elevated by actors Cate Blanchett and Billy Crudup. Blanchett would star in "The Good German" some years later, a marginally better film with similar aims.4/10 – See "Shining Through".

Okay, you know going in that it's yet another film about a female agent liaising with the Resistance in Occupied France during World War Two, some viewers may even have read the (undeservedly) best-selling novel on which it was based, but you go anyway, maybe you admire Cate Blanchett and I've no quarrel with that, she's a fine actress, maybe you like 'period' movies, again you won't hear a squawk out of me, in fact those two reasons were what prompted me. It's a good movie - well, it's not a BAD movie, but perhaps in this case the opposite of bad is NOT good. An indifferent movie is nearer the truth. Within the last couple of years an English newspaper gave away a series of dvds set in WWII one of which was Carve Her Name With Pride which covers much of the same ground except that it was about a REAL Resistance worker, Violette Szabo, who failed to survive the war unlike the fictional Gray; Carve Her Name, made in black and white is light years better than the Technicolored Charlotte Gray, Blanchett's fine performance notwithstanding. As long as we're making comparisons I also disagree with the person who unaccountably rated this movie higher than Claude Berri's Lucie Aubrac but then difference of opinion is what makes horse races.

I know this is a serious board devoted to the merits of the movie... but I would like to just mention the fact that rarely does an actor have the effect on me that Billy Crudup did in this film. Oh my god what a beauty! Perfect in every way... And obviously extremely talented, made more perfect by his professional choices!So, the film. Well, as a (some time ago) graduate of military history, with a particular interest in the sociological effects of war I have a special fondness for stories like this. I sought out the book and devoured it. I loved it, absolutely, as I do pretty much everything else by Sebastian Faulks. I also enjoyed this film immensely, but as a separate entity. A film is generally incapable of reaching the depths your imagination can take you to through reading a truly great book, maybe people should spend more time reading! I don't agree with the mauling this film was given by the critics, it kept me engaged from beginning to end and the happy ending, although a little trite, is a smile worthy event!Sod the dodgy Scottish, Kate Blanchet was believable as far as I'm concerned. Billy was perfect, as I think I might have mentioned! Michael Gambon - always worth watching and the chap that played the teacher was sufficiently creepy from first sight. The boys were sympathetic without being irritating child actors and the atmosphere was intimidating.It was emotional without being over the top, the relationship between the leads was wonderfully portrayed and I feel it was a valuable description of the horrific situation of collaboration.Not the best film I've ever seen but I definitely enjoyed it. And I'm not sure if you've noticed, and I don't like to bring it up, but Billy Crudup is a god among men.Watch it with an open mind.