Spies of Warsaw (2013)

Easily the biggest piece of Right wing non sense propaganda I ever saw.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

Blistering performances.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Spies of Warsaw is a clumsily transparent 40's style spy thriller. This is yet another throw back mini series that tries in a very transparent and bumbling manner to recapture a 40's essence, found in films like Casa Blanca. Of course the obvious problem with copying better films, is all sense of originality and creativity is lost. The outcome is a wooden mini series that feels self consciously clichéd and clumsy. The performances of the quality cast are regrettably constrained by the caricatures they are forced to adopt like a poorly fitting set of clothes. Quality actors like David Tennant don't stand a chance to really shine, which is in no way any reflection on their talent. Sad to say, whilst I like the idea behind this series its slavish adherence to a tired formula does it a real disservice. Five out of ten from me.

I don't write many reviews but felt compelled after finishing watching this last night to warn others. How can such an interesting period of history be made into such an incredibly boring film. I felt no empathy for most of the characters which is ridiculous by the end I just didn't care. There was no chemistry between the two leads played by David Tennant and Janet Montgomery and Janet's character Anna in particular annoyed me and I didn't understand what Jean-Francois saw in her to make him so enamoured of her. At one point when Jean-Francois was in a deep depression because he was separated from his love I thought I was watching Twilight without the fun vampires! The only characters who felt conveyed the sadness of the war and the despair that was felt by so many as Nazi Germany began its move across the world was the old couple Viktor and Malka Rosen beautifully acted by Linda Bassett and Allan Corduner. I would only recommend to die-hard David Tennant fans.

Some people say that series is boring, cliché and poorly written, but I don't think so. I had a lot of fun watching "Spies of Warsaw". It has everything required to make interesting thing: good cast and quite good script, pretty locations and some action. Not too much, because it's not typical action movie and shouldn't be considered as one of them. Maybe that's why some people were disappointed with that series. Stories about spies, these more realistic ones, aren't so attractive like James Bond movies... It doesn't mean that "Spies of Warsaw" isn't interesting picture, of course. Even when it has weaker moments, good acting of both English and Polish actors (David Tennant! Marcin Dorociński! Mirosław Zbrojewicz!) lets you forget about it.I hope that it's not the last co-production of BBC and TVP. That combination seems to have a lot of potential and it definitely shouldn't be wasted.

Sorry, but it is the leading man who mainly disappoints. David Tennant is totally miscast and is not helped by a poor script, awash with clichés.I have been to Warsaw three times and there was more tension in the air during my visits than here with spies all over the place.It may have worked with a different lead, as Tennant sleepwalks his way through the scenes and physically has an uncanny resemblance to John Laurie when playing the crofter in the original version of the 39 Steps.When he twitches those eyebrows he also looks like a mad scientist rather than the smooth Frenchman tempting every woman from Paris to Warsaw to jump into bed with him. Add to that a non-existent personality and you are left with a problem.There is absolutely no chemistry between Tennant and Janet Montgomery who is very unenthusiastic throughout. Some decent efforts by a few of the supporting cast, but poor old Julian Glover was given a bad hand with some awful lines.And the continual movement from Paris to Warsaw and back again several times over was very confusingSadly quite ridiculous.