THE SPARROW OF NORMANDY
Written by
Giacomo Giammatteo
Based on the true story of Phyllis Latour
Giacomo Giammatteo
22018 Thorngrove LN
Spring, TX 77389 [email protected]
281-370-2233
FADE IN:
INT. OFFICE - AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - DAY (2016)
DAVID LATOUR (60s), graying but energetic, sits at a desk
staring at his computer screen. He clicks through a website —
UK Ministry of Defence declassified files.
He types "Latour" into the search bar and hits enter.
A document appears. As he scrolls down, his eyes widen. He
stops at a black and white photograph of a young woman in a
military uniform — it's his mother.
He leans closer to the screen, reading aloud to himself.
DAVID
Agent Genevieve ... Special
Operations Executive ... parachuted
into occupied France 1944 ...
He prints the documents, page after page emerging from the
printer. He gathers them, his hands shaking slightly.
INT. DAVID'S CAR - DAY
David drives through rolling countryside, the printed
documents on the passenger seat. He glances at them
repeatedly, shaking his head in disbelief.
EXT. COTTAGE - ZEALAND, NEW ZEALAND - DAY
David's car pulls up to a modest cottage. He sits for a
moment, looking at the papers, then at the house where he
grew up. He then gets out carrying the documents.
INT. COTTAGE - LIVING ROOM - DAY
David goes inside. His mother, PHYLLIS LATOUR (93), sits in
an armchair by the window. She stops her knitting, looks up,
and smiles.
PHYLLIS
David. I wasn't expecting you
today.
DAVID
I found something online. Ministry
of Defence records.
He sets the documents on the table in front of her. Phyllis
set her needles on a table beside her, her face going still.
DAVID (CONT’D)
Why didn't you ever tell me?
Phyllis looks at the papers but doesn't touch them.
PHYLLIS
Tell you what?
DAVID
Mother, please don't pretend you
don't know what I'm talking about.
He picks up the photograph and holds it out.
DAVID (CONT’D)
This is you. Special Operations
Executive — 1944. You were a spy.
PHYLLIS
That was a long time ago.
DAVID
Seventy years, and you never said a
word.
He sits down heavily in the chair across from her.
DAVID () (CONT’D)
I grew up watching you bake scones
and prune roses. I thought ...
(he gestures to the file)
I thought I knew you.
PHYLLIS
You know me, David. I am your
mother.
DAVID
And this woman? In the uniform?
PHYLLIS
That was another life.
DAVID
"Another life"? You parachuted into
a war zone. You were hunted.
PHYLLIS
I had a job to do. Now I’m here.
DAVID
Lucky? This file says you sent more
than one hundred intelligence
reports, and that you were nearly
caught dozens of times.
Phyllis looks at him directly.
PHYLLIS
What do you want me to say?
DAVID
I want you to tell me the truth.
All of it. From the beginning.
PHYLLIS
Why does it matter now? It's
ancient history.
DAVID
Because I never knew my own mother.
Phyllis looks out the window, staring at the sheep grazing in
distant fields.
PHYLLIS
I never wanted you to know. I
wanted my family to be normal and
to give you a normal childhood.
DAVID
You succeeded in that. I had no
idea my mother was a war hero.
PHYLLIS
I'm not a hero. I was just a girl
who did what she was told.
DAVID
The file says different. It says
you were one of the most effective
agents they had.
He pulls his phone from his pocket.
DAVID (CONT’D)
I want to record your story. Will
you let me?
PHYLLIS
I don't know if I can talk about
it. Or if I want to.
DAVID
Please? I need to understand.
Phyllis is quiet for a long moment. Then she nods slowly.
PHYLLIS
Help me to my room.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical","Family"]
Ratings
Scene
2 -
Echoes of Courage
INT. COTTAGE - BEDROOM - DAY
David helps his mother into bed. She settles against the
pillows, and he pulls a chair close. He sets his phone on the
nightstand and turns the recorder on.
DAVID
Start wherever you want.
PHYLLIS
The beginning works best.
She looks toward the window.
PHYLLIS (CONT’D)
I suppose it started with my
mother. She was the brave one. I
just inherited it.
DAVID
You were twenty-three when you
parachuted into France.
PHYLLIS
Twenty-three and terrified.
DAVID
But you did it.
PHYLLIS
We all did things we were terrified
of. That was the war.
She looks at David again.
PHYLLIS (CONT’D)
You want the whole story? The real
one?
DAVID
Of course.
PHYLLIS
It started with my mother.
She reaches for a photograph on the nightstand. David helps
her lift it. The photo shows a beautiful dark-haired woman in
a 1920s dress with beaded trim.
PHYLLIS (CONT’D)
My mother, Marie, fled Russia
during the revolution and lost
everything — her family, her home,
her entire world. She walked across
Europe to reach England.
David leans closer, studying the photograph.
PHYLLIS (CONT’D)
She was eighteen, alone, and spoke
no English. But she survived.
DAVID
How did she manage?
PHYLLIS
She learned to be invisible, to
blend in and become whoever she
needed to be.
Phyllis sets the photo down carefully.
PHYLLIS (CONT’D)
She taught me those skills without
ever knowing I'd need them to stay
alive.
DAVID
When did you join SOE?
PHYLLIS
In 1942, I was working in a typing
pool and bored out of my mind.
That’s when I joined.
She pauses, her gaze distant with memory.
PHYLLIS (CONT’D)
They were looking for women who
were fluent in French and willing
to do dangerous work.
DAVID
And you volunteered?
PHYLLIS
I lied about my age and said I was
twenty-one. I was barely nineteen.
DAVID
Why did you do it?
PHYLLIS
I could speak French. That made me
useful.
She looks back at the window, where the curtains shift in a
breeze.
PHYLLIS (CONT’D)
I had no idea what I was signing up
for.
FLASHBACK:
Genres:
["Drama","Historical","War"]
Ratings
Scene
3 -
A Risky Commitment
INT. WAR OFFICE - LONDON - DAY (1942)
Long corridors stretch through the stark government building,
and women in military uniforms hurry past with files and
papers.
PHYLLIS (19) sits in a hard wooden chair outside an office.
She's small and delicate-featured with dark hair pinned up in
the fashion of the time. She wears a modest dress and gloves,
and looks even younger than her nineteen years.
She clutches her handbag tightly, trying not to fidget as
footsteps echo in the hallway.
The door opens and MAJOR BUCKMASTER (45), with a military
mustache and bearing, looks out at her.
BUCKMASTER
Miss Latour?
Phyllis stands quickly and smooths her dress.
INT. BUCKMASTER'S OFFICE - DAY
The office is sparse and functional: a desk covered with
papers, filing cabinets along one wall, and a large map of
France pinned up with red markers indicating German positions
hangs prominently on the center wall. Buckmaster sits behind
the desk, and Phyllis settles into the chair across from him.
BUCKMASTER
Your application says you're fluent
in French.
PHYLLIS
Yes, sir.
BUCKMASTER
Parlez-vous français couramment?
PHYLLIS
(in perfect French)
Oui, monsieur. Ma mère est
française. J'ai grandi en parlant
les deux langues.
Buckmaster nods, clearly impressed by her accent. He switches
back to English.
BUCKMASTER
Your mother is French?
PHYLLIS
She's Russian, but she lived in
Paris before the revolution. She
taught me French from birth.
BUCKMASTER
And you understand what kind of
work this would involve?
PHYLLIS
The advertisement said service in
occupied territory.
BUCKMASTER
It's more than that. We'd be
sending you to work with the French
resistance behind enemy lines.
He pauses, watching Phyllis’s reaction carefully.
BUCKMASTER (CONT’D)
If you're caught, you'll be
tortured and then executed. We
can't protect you or save you.
You'd be completely on your own.
Phyllis sits very still, her hands folded in her lap.
PHYLLIS
I understand.
BUCKMASTER
Do you? Most people have no concept
of what capture means. The Gestapo
doesn't treat women gently.
PHYLLIS
I understand what the Germans are
capable of.
BUCKMASTER
Knowing and experiencing are
different things entirely.
PHYLLIS
Then why recruit women at all?
BUCKMASTER
Because women can move more freely.
The Germans don't suspect them as
easily, and we're desperate for
agents.
He opens her file and scans the documents inside.
BUCKMASTER (CONT’D)
You're nineteen years old.
PHYLLIS
Twenty-one.
BUCKMASTER
Your birth certificate says
nineteen.
Phyllis doesn't respond, meeting his gaze steadily.
BUCKMASTER (CONT’D)
Why did you lie?
PHYLLIS
Because I knew you wouldn't
consider me otherwise.
BUCKMASTER
You're right. We wouldn't.
He closes the file with a snap.
BUCKMASTER (CONT’D)
If you are caught, you are not a
British officer. You are a French
civilian. The Geneva Convention
does not apply. We will not
acknowledge you. You will simply
vanish.
PHYLLIS
Then they need to be replaced.
Buckmaster studies her face but she remains rigid.
BUCKMASTER
What makes you think you could
survive?
PHYLLIS
My mother survived the Russian
Revolution. She walked from Moscow
to London with nothing — no money,
no connections, just will.
BUCKMASTER
Will isn't enough.
PHYLLIS
It's a start.
After a long silence, Buckmaster makes a decision.
BUCKMASTER
If we accept you, you'll undergo
months of training — weapons,
explosives, codes, survival skills.
It will be the hardest thing you've
ever done.
PHYLLIS
When do I start?
BUCKMASTER
You haven't been accepted yet.
PHYLLIS
But you're going to accept me.
BUCKMASTER
What makes you so certain?
PHYLLIS
Because you need people like me,
and there aren't many of us.
Buckmaster smiles at her confidence.
BUCKMASTER
Report to Wanborough Manor on
Monday. Bring nothing and tell no
one where you're going.
PHYLLIS
Thank you, sir.
She stands, her posture relaxed.
BUCKMASTER
Don't thank me yet. You might not
survive the training.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical","War"]
Ratings
Scene
4 -
New Beginnings at Wanborough Manor
EXT. WANBOROUGH MANOR - SURREY - DAY
A grand Tudor manor house sits at the end of a long gravel
drive. Ancient oaks surround the property, and the grounds
stretch into rolling parkland. Several military vehicles are
parked near the entrance.
Phyllis steps out of an army truck, carrying a small
suitcase. She stares up at the imposing building, its stone
facade weathered by centuries.
A SERGEANT (50s), gruff and businesslike, approaches with a
clipboard.
SERGEANT
Name.
PHYLLIS
Phyllis Latour.
He checks his list and makes a mark.
SERGEANT
Inside. Second door on the right.
You'll be issued kit and assigned
quarters.
PHYLLIS
Thank you.
SERGEANT
Don't thank me. Half of you won't
make it past the first week.
INT. WANBOROUGH MANOR - DORMITORY - DAY
Phyllis enters a long room with eight narrow beds. Three
other women are there, unpacking basic military kits:
uniforms, boots, and toiletries.
JACQUELINE NEARNE (24), confident and athletic, looks up from
her bed.
JACQUELINE
New arrival. What's your name?
PHYLLIS
Phyllis.
JACQUELINE
I’m Jackie, and this is Yvonne and
Odette.
YVONNE CORMEAU (34), calm and composed, nods in greeting.
ODETTE SANSOM (30), striking and intense, barely glances up
from organizing her belongings.
YVONNE
First time away from home?
PHYLLIS
I've traveled with my mother.
ODETTE
This isn't a holiday.
PHYLLIS
I know that.
Odette finally looks at her properly, assessing.
ODETTE
You look about sixteen.
PHYLLIS
I'm twenty-one.
JACQUELINE
Don't mind Odette. She's suspicious
of everyone.
ODETTE
With good reason.
Phyllis sets her suitcase on an empty bed and begins
unpacking. The other women watch her with varying degrees of
curiosity.
YVONNE
Why did you volunteer?
PHYLLIS
Same reason you did, I imagine.
YVONNE
Everyone has different reasons.
JACQUELINE
I wanted to do something that
mattered. Typing reports wasn't
enough.
YVONNE
My husband was killed at Dunkirk. I
wanted to fight back.
They look at Odette, who continues organizing without looking
up.
ODETTE
Three daughters.
Phyllis sets her suitcase on a bed.
PHYLLIS
My mother walked across Europe
alone. I inherited her
stubbornness.
The women stay silent and return to their unpacking.
JACQUELINE
Well, we're all in it together now.
Genres:
["Historical Drama","War"]
Ratings
Scene
5 -
Endurance Test at Dawn
EXT. WANBOROUGH MANOR - TRAINING GROUNDS - DAY
Dawn breaks over the estate as Phyllis and fifteen other
trainees — men and women — stand in formation wearing
physical training gear. Their breath forms clouds of mist in
the cold morning air.
CAPTAIN HARRIS (35), lean and hard, paces in front of them.
HARRIS
You're here because someone thinks
you might be useful.
He stops and looks them over with contempt.
HARRIS (CONT’D)
Most of you will fail.
He points to a steep hill in the distance.
HARRIS (CONT’D)
Five miles. Full pack. Anyone who
takes more than forty minutes
doesn't eat breakfast.
The trainees exchange nervous glances.
HARRIS (CONT’D)
Move!
EXT. COUNTRYSIDE - CONTINUOUS
The group sets off at a run. Phyllis struggles with the heavy
pack, her small frame working against her. Several of the men
pull ahead quickly.
Jackie runs beside her, breathing hard but steady.
JACKIE
Don't try to keep up with the men.
Find your own pace.
PHYLLIS
I can keep up.
JACKIE
No, you can't. And you'll hurt
yourself trying.
Phyllis pushes harder, but Jackie grabs her arm.
JACKIE (CONT’D)
Just finish.
Phyllis reluctantly slows her pace. They settle into a
sustainable rhythm as the terrain grows steeper.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical","War"]
Ratings
Scene
6 -
The Harsh Realities of Espionage
INT. WANBOROUGH MANOR - CLASSROOM - DAY
Phyllis sits at a desk covered with maps, charts, and
reconnaissance photographs. Her feet are blistered from the
morning run, and she flexes them carefully.
INSTRUCTOR PEMBERTON (40s), precise and professorial, stands
at a blackboard covered with diagrams.
PEMBERTON
You'll be operating behind enemy
lines with no support. Every
decision you make could mean life
or death.
He taps a map of France divided into colored zones.
PEMBERTON (CONT’D)
The occupied zone is crawling with
Germans. Checkpoints are
everywhere, and there are constant
patrols, and random identity
checks.
He points to various cities marked with red pins.
PEMBERTON (CONT’D)
Your cover story must be perfect.
One inconsistency and you're
finished.
Phyllis raises her hand.
PEMBERTON (CONT’D)
Yes?
PHYLLIS
What happens if our cover is
compromised?
PEMBERTON
You run. You hide. You use your
suicide pill if necessary.
The room goes silent. Several trainees shift uncomfortably.
PEMBERTON (CONT’D)
Each of you will be issued a
cyanide capsule. It's hidden in
your clothing and is easily
accessible. Death is instantaneous.
TRAINEE #1
Do people actually use them?
PEMBERTON
Some do. Others are captured before
they have the chance.
He pulls down a screen and shows photographs of captured
agents: bruised faces and hollow eyes.
PEMBERTON (CONT’D)
The Gestapo will torture you, and
everyone breaks eventually.
Phyllis studies the photographs, forcing herself not to look
away.
PEMBERTON (CONT’D)
Your job is to hold out long enough
for your network to scatter and
your contacts to disappear. Twenty-
four hours is the goal. Forty-eight
is exceptional.
TRAINEE #2
And if we can't hold out?
PEMBERTON
Then good people die because of
you.
Genres:
["Drama","War","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
7 -
Nerves and Accuracy at the Range
EXT. WANBOROUGH MANOR - WEAPONS RANGE - DAY
The crack of gunfire echoes across the grounds. Trainees line
up at firing positions, each with a pistol.
SGT. MACKENZIE (50s), a Scotsman with a weathered face, walks
behind them.
MACKENZIE
You're not target shooting. You're
learning to kill at close range.
He stops behind Phyllis, who holds a Welrod pistol awkwardly.
MACKENZIE (CONT’D)
That's a silenced weapon. Nearly
silent when fired properly. You'll
use it for assassinations.
Phyllis tries to steady her shaking hands.
MACKENZIE (CONT’D)
Nervous?
PHYLLIS
Yes.
MACKENZIE
Good. Anyone who isn't nervous is a
fool.
He adjusts her grip on the weapon.
MACKENZIE (CONT’D)
You'll be shooting at people, not
paper. Can you do that?
PHYLLIS
I don't know.
MACKENZIE
That's the right answer.
He steps back.
MACKENZIE (CONT’D)
Fire.
Phyllis squeezes the trigger. The pistol makes a muffled
cough, and the target remains unmarked. She missed
completely.
MACKENZIE (CONT’D)
Again.
She fires again. And again. The fifth shot hits the edge of
the target.
MACKENZIE (CONT’D)
Better. Keep practicing.
He moves down the line. Phyllis reloads with fumbling
fingers.
Jackie, two positions over, hits the center of her target
three times in a row. She looks at Phyllis and offers an
encouraging nod.
Genres:
["Drama","War","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
8 -
Quiet Resilience
INT. WANBOROUGH MANOR - DORMITORY - NIGHT
The women lie in their beds, exhausted. Moonlight streams
through the windows. Yvonne is already asleep, snoring
softly.
Phyllis examines her blistered hands in the dim light.
Odette, in the next bed, watches her.
ODETTE
You did well today.
PHYLLIS
I came in last on the run.
ODETTE
But you finished. Three people
didn't.
Phyllis looks over at three empty beds at the far end of the
room.
PHYLLIS
Where did they go?
ODETTE
Back to whatever they did before.
This life isn't for everyone.
PHYLLIS
Is it for you?
ODETTE
I don't have a choice. My daughters
deserve a future.
She rolls over, facing the wall.
ODETTE (CONT’D)
Get some sleep. Tomorrow will be
worse.
Phyllis lies back, staring at the ceiling. The sound of
distant footsteps echoes through the manor.
JACKIE
(from across the room)
Phyllis?
PHYLLIS
Yes?
JACKIE
You'll get stronger. Your body will
adapt.
PHYLLIS
What if it doesn't?
JACKIE
Then you find another way to
contribute. But I don't think
that'll happen.
PHYLLIS
Why not?
JACKIE
Because you have something most
people don't.
PHYLLIS
What's that?
JACKIE
Stubbornness.
Phyllis almost smiles. Outside, an owl hoots in the darkness.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical","War"]
Ratings
Scene
9 -
Through the Mud and Wire
EXT. WANBOROUGH MANOR - TRAINING GROUNDS - DAY
Rain pours down. Phyllis and five other trainees crawl
through mud under barbed wire. Live ammunition cracks
overhead — not close, but close enough to be terrifying.
Phyllis's face is covered in mud, her uniform soaked through.
She inches forward, elbows and knees working against the
sucking earth.
Captain Harris stands to the side, dry under an umbrella,
shouting at them.
HARRIS
Faster. The Germans won't wait for
you to catch your breath.
A trainee ahead of Phyllis — MICHAEL, early twenties — gets
stuck on the wire. He panics, thrashing.
MICHAEL
I'm caught.
HARRIS
Then get uncaught.
MICHAEL
I can't.
Phyllis crawls up beside him and carefully unhooks his jacket
from the barbed wire. Her fingers are numb with cold.
PHYLLIS
Don't move. You're making it worse.
She frees him, and they continue crawling together through
the mud.
MICHAEL
Thank you.
PHYLLIS
Save it for when we finish.
They emerge from under the wire, covered head to toe in
filth. Harris checks his stopwatch.
HARRIS
Acceptable, but only barely.
Genres:
["War","Drama","Action"]
Ratings
Scene
10 -
Reflections of Resolve
INT. WANBOROUGH MANOR - BATHROOM - NIGHT
Phyllis stands in front of a mirror, slowly washing mud from
her face and arms. Her hands shake from exhaustion.
The door opens and Jackie enters, equally filthy.
JACKIE
I heard what you did for Michael.
PHYLLIS
Anyone would have done it.
JACKIE
No. Most people would have left him
to sort it out himself.
She turns on another sink and begins washing.
JACKIE (CONT’D)
That's what they're testing, you
know. Not just physical ability.
They want to see how we react under
pressure.
PHYLLIS
Did I pass?
JACKIE
You're still here, aren't you?
They wash in silence for a moment. Water swirls brown and
gray down the drains.
PHYLLIS
Do you ever think about what it'll
actually be like in France?
JACKIE
All the time.
PHYLLIS
And?
JACKIE
And I'm terrified. But I'd be more
terrified doing nothing.
She looks at Phyllis in the mirror.
JACKIE (CONT’D)
We're going to save lives. That's
what matters.
Genres:
["Drama","War"]
Ratings
Scene
11 -
Facing the Challenge
INT. WANBOROUGH MANOR - PEMBERTON'S OFFICE - DAY
Phyllis sits across from Pemberton, who reviews a file. Her
uniform is clean now, pressed. Three weeks have passed, and
she looks harder, more confident.
PEMBERTON
Your instructors have mixed
opinions about you.
PHYLLIS
I see.
PEMBERTON
Captain Harris says you're weak
physically. Too small for field
work.
Phyllis's jaw tightens but she says nothing.
PEMBERTON (CONT’D)
Sergeant Mackenzie says your
weapons skills are improving but
still below standard.
He turns a page.
PEMBERTON (CONT’D)
However, you score highest in the
class on tradecraft, languages, and
problem-solving. You're also the
only trainee who hasn't cracked
under interrogation practice.
PHYLLIS
Does that mean I continue?
PEMBERTON
You'll be transferred to Scotland
for advanced training. Parachute
school, advanced weapons, coding.
Relief washes over her face.
PEMBERTON (CONT’D)
Don't celebrate yet. Scotland is
where most people fail.
PHYLLIS
I won't fail.
PEMBERTON
We'll see.
He closes the file and looks at her.
PEMBERTON (CONT’D)
Why are you really doing this,
Phyllis? The truth.
PHYLLIS
I told you. My mother —
PEMBERTON
I don't want the story you tell
yourself. I want the real reason.
She's silent for a long moment.
PHYLLIS
Because I'm tired of being
invisible. Of being overlooked
because I'm small and young and a
woman.
PEMBERTON
And in France?
PHYLLIS
In France, being invisible might
keep me alive.
Pemberton almost smiles.
PEMBERTON
You leave tomorrow. Pack tonight.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical","War"]
Ratings
Scene
12 -
The Gravity of Fear
EXT. RINGWAY AIRFIELD - MANCHESTER - DAY
Gray skies hang over a military airfield. Phyllis steps off a
transport truck with Jackie, Yvonne, and six male trainees.
Wind whips across the tarmac, and in the distance, a training
aircraft circles for landing.
A PARACHUTE INSTRUCTOR (30s), wiry and energetic, waits for
them near a hangar.
INSTRUCTOR
Welcome to the hard part. I'm
Lieutenant Davies, and I'll be
teaching you how to fall out of
airplanes without dying.
He gestures toward the hangar.
DAVIES
Most people are terrified of
jumping. That's natural. But fear
will get you killed faster than
anything else.
INT. HANGAR - DAY
The group stands in a large space dominated by practice
equipment: a mock aircraft fuselage, suspended harnesses, and
padding covering the floor. A parachute hangs from the
ceiling, fully deployed.
DAVIES
You'll make five jumps total. First
two from a balloon at eight hundred
feet. Next two from an aircraft at
a thousand feet. Final jump will be
at night.
He walks to the mock fuselage and pats it.
DAVIES (CONT’D)
This is where you'll learn to exit
properly. Get it wrong and you'll
tangle in your own lines or collide
with the aircraft.
One of the male trainees — RICHARD, confident and athletic —
steps forward.
RICHARD
How many people die during
training?
DAVIES
Enough that we take it seriously.
He pulls on a parachute harness and demonstrates the straps.
DAVIES (CONT’D)
This is your life. Check it three
times before you jump, then check
it again.
Phyllis watches intently, memorizing every movement.
DAVIES (CONT’D)
You'll jump in pairs. When the
light turns green, you go. No
hesitation. The dispatcher will
push you if necessary.
JACKIE
Has anyone ever refused?
DAVIES
Several. They're no longer in the
program.
He looks at each of them in turn.
DAVIES (CONT’D)
Any questions before we start?
Silence.
DAVIES (CONT’D)
Good. Get suited up.
Genres:
["War","Drama","Action"]
Ratings
Scene
13 -
Facing Fear: The Jump
EXT. RINGWAY AIRFIELD - TRAINING TOWER - DAY
A forty-foot tower looms against the sky. Phyllis stands at
the top, wearing a harness attached to a cable system. The
ground looks impossibly far below.
Davies stands beside her, calm and businesslike.
DAVIES
This simulates the feeling of a
jump. You'll drop twenty feet, then
the brake catches you. It's the
closest thing to the real
experience without actually leaving
an aircraft.
Phyllis looks down, her knuckles white as she grips the
railing.
DAVIES (CONT’D)
Feet together, knees bent, eyes on
the horizon. When I say go, you
jump.
PHYLLIS
Right.
DAVIES
Are you ready?
PHYLLIS
No.
DAVIES
Good answer. Go.
Phyllis hesitates for only a second, then steps off the
platform. She drops like a stone, her stomach lurching, then
the brake catches and she swings in the harness. The ground
crew lowers her down slowly.
Jackie waits at the bottom, grinning.
JACKIE
How was it?
PHYLLIS
Terrifying.
JACKIE
You'll do it again tomorrow. And
the day after. Until it stops being
terrifying.
PHYLLIS
What if it never stops?
JACKIE
Then you jump anyway.
Genres:
["Drama","War","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
14 -
Parachute Emergency Procedures
INT. HANGAR - CLASSROOM - DAY
The trainees sit in rows of chairs facing a wall covered with
diagrams of parachutes, wind patterns, and landing positions.
Davies points to a cross-section of a parachute canopy.
DAVIES
If your main chute fails, you have
about three seconds to deploy your
reserve. That's not a lot of time
to think.
He demonstrates pulling the reserve ripcord.
DAVIES (CONT’D)
If both chutes fail, you have about
thirty seconds before impact. Use
them to aim for something soft —
trees, water, haystacks.
RICHARD
What if there's nothing soft?
DAVIES
Then you die. Next question.
Phyllis raises her hand.
PHYLLIS
What's the most common mistake
people make?
DAVIES
Panic. They forget everything
they've learned and just react.
That's when accidents happen.
He walks to the window and looks out at the airfield.
DAVIES (CONT’D)
The key to survival is training
your body to respond automatically.
When your mind freezes, your
training takes over.
Genres:
["War","Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
15 -
Facing Fears: The Leap from the Balloon
EXT. RINGWAY AIRFIELD - BALLOON PLATFORM - DAY
A massive observation balloon floats eight hundred feet above
the ground, tethered by cables. A wicker basket hangs beneath
it, large enough for six people.
Phyllis stands in the basket with Davies and Richard, both
wearing full parachute rigs. The wind rocks the basket
gently, and the ground looks tiny below.
DAVIES
Remember your training. Exit clean,
count to three, check your canopy.
Richard moves to the opening, looks down, and goes pale.
RICHARD
Christ.
DAVIES
Too late for prayers. Jump.
Richard hesitates. Davies moves closer.
DAVIES (CONT’D)
If you don't jump in five seconds,
I'm sending you down on the
balloon. And you'll be dropped from
the program.
Richard takes a breath, steps to the edge, and jumps. He
falls away cleanly, and his parachute deploys with a snap. He
floats down toward the landing zone.
Davies turns to Phyllis.
DAVIES (CONT’D)
Your turn.
Phyllis moves to the opening. The wind tears at her clothes,
and the ground seems impossibly distant. She can see Richard
landing in the field below, tiny as an insect.
PHYLLIS
How do you know when you're ready?
DAVIES
You don't. You just jump.
She closes her eyes briefly, thinking of her mother walking
across Europe. Then she steps out into empty air.
The fall is eternal and instantaneous. Wind roars past her
ears. She counts — one, two, three — and yanks the ripcord.
The parachute deploys with a violent jerk that snaps her head
back, and suddenly she's floating, drifting gently downward.
Below her, Jackie and the others watch from the ground. The
landing zone approaches slowly, and Phyllis tries to remember
everything she's been taught.
She hits hard, rolling to absorb the impact, and lies on her
back staring at the sky as her parachute settles around her.
Her heart pounds so hard she can hear it.
Jackie runs over and helps gather the chute.
JACKIE
You did it.
PHYLLIS
And I feel like I might throw up.
JACKIE
That's normal. It gets easier.
Genres:
["Drama","War","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
16 -
Endurance in the Highlands
INT. BARRACKS - NIGHT
Phyllis lies in her bunk, staring at the ceiling. Her body
aches from the landing, and she can still feel the sensation
of falling.
Yvonne, in the next bunk, speaks quietly into the darkness.
YVONNE
I did six jumps during training.
Every single time, I was convinced
I was going to die.
PHYLLIS
What made you keep going?
YVONNE
Stubbornness. And knowing that if I
quit, I'd regret it for the rest of
my life.
Footsteps echo in the hallway outside. An officer makes his
rounds, checking that everyone is accounted for.
YVONNE (CONT’D)
The night jumps are worse. You
can't see the ground coming. You
just hit.
PHYLLIS
That's supposed to make me feel
better?
YVONNE
No. It's supposed to prepare you.
Silence settles over the room. Outside, the wind picks up,
rattling the windows.
EXT. HIGHLANDS - TRAINING CAMP - DAY
Mountains rise in the distance, their peaks shrouded in mist.
Phyllis and the remaining trainees — now down to eight —
march along a muddy track carrying full packs and weapons.
They've been walking for hours, and everyone is exhausted.
Phyllis's boots are caked with mud, and her shoulders burn
from the weight of her pack.
SGT. FRASER (40s), a hard Scotsman, leads the group without
apparent effort.
FRASER
Another four miles to the
checkpoint. Anyone who falls behind
doesn't eat tonight.
Richard stumbles and catches himself. Jackie moves up beside
him and takes some of the ammunition from his pack without
asking. He nods gratefully.
Phyllis keeps her head down and focuses on putting one foot
in front of the other. Her mother's voice echoes in her mind:
keep moving, always keep moving.
Genres:
["War","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
17 -
Morse Code Under Pressure
INT. TRAINING CAMP - RADIO ROOM - NIGHT
Phyllis sits in front of a radio transmitter, wearing
headphones. Her fingers tap out Morse code on the key, fast
and precise. An INSTRUCTOR watches over her shoulder with a
stopwatch.
INSTRUCTOR
Faster. If the Germans triangulate
your position, you have maybe ten
minutes before they arrive.
Phyllis increases her speed, the dots and dashes flowing
together. The message is coded, meaningless without the
cipher key, but her transmission is clean and professional.
INSTRUCTOR (CONT’D)
Good. Now receive.
He taps out a message, and Phyllis copies it down,
translating the Morse as she goes. When he finishes, she has
the complete message written out.
INSTRUCTOR (CONT’D)
Excellent. Your touch is
distinctive but not too
distinctive. That's important.
PHYLLIS
Why?
INSTRUCTOR
Every operator has a unique rhythm,
like a fingerprint. London will
recognize your transmissions. But
so might the Germans if they
intercept enough of them.
He hands her a stack of cipher keys.
INSTRUCTOR (CONT’D)
Memorize these. You'll need to
encode and decode messages in your
head, often while moving or under
stress.
PHYLLIS
How long do I have?
INSTRUCTOR
Two days. Then we test you.
Genres:
["War","Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
18 -
The Pressure of Perfection
INT. TRAINING CAMP - CLASSROOM - DAY
Phyllis sits alone at a desk, surrounded by blank paper and
pencils. MAJOR PALMER (50s), severe and unsmiling, places a
sealed envelope in front of her.
PALMER
Inside is a coded message. You have
thirty minutes to decode it using
only what you've memorized.
He checks his watch.
PALMER (CONT’D)
Begin.
Phyllis opens the envelope with shaking hands and spreads out
the message. Columns of seemingly random letters fill the
page. She closes her eyes, visualizing the cipher key, then
begins working through the message letter by letter.
Time passes. Sweat beads on her forehead despite the cold
room. She writes, crosses out, rewrites. Palmer watches
impassively.
Finally, she sets down her pencil.
PHYLLIS
Finished.
Palmer takes her translation and compares it to a reference
sheet. His expression doesn't change.
PALMER
You made two errors. Both in the
final paragraph.
PHYLLIS
I'm sorry.
PALMER
Sorry doesn't help anyone. Two
errors could mean two agents die
because they go to the wrong safe
house or miss an extraction.
He sets the papers aside.
PALMER (CONT’D)
You'll do the exercise again
tomorrow. And the day after. Until
you get it perfect.
Genres:
["War","Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
19 -
Navigating Challenges
EXT. HIGHLANDS - FOREST - NIGHT
Rain falls through darkness. Phyllis moves through thick
undergrowth, trying to stay quiet. She's alone, separated
from her group during a navigation exercise, and completely
lost.
She checks her compass by shielded torchlight, trying to
match the terrain to her map. Everything looks different in
the dark, and she's been walking in circles for what feels
like hours.
A branch snaps nearby. She freezes, hand moving to the knife
at her belt. A figure emerges from the trees — Richard,
equally muddy and disoriented.
RICHARD
Thank God. I thought I was the only
one lost.
PHYLLIS
Where are the others?
RICHARD
No idea. We got separated when that
patrol came through.
They're supposed to be evading instructors playing the role
of German soldiers. Getting caught means failing the
exercise.
PHYLLIS
We need to reach the checkpoint
before dawn.
RICHARD
Which direction?
Phyllis studies her compass and map again, shielding the
light carefully.
PHYLLIS
Northeast. About two miles.
RICHARD
Are you sure?
PHYLLIS
No. But it's better than staying
here.
They move off together, walking carefully to avoid making
noise. The rain intensifies, turning the ground to mud.
RICHARD
Can I ask you something?
PHYLLIS
What?
RICHARD
Why did you really volunteer?
Everyone has a story they tell, but
I don't think anyone's being
completely honest.
Phyllis is quiet for a moment, considering whether to trust
him.
PHYLLIS
I wanted to prove I could do
something that mattered. That being
small and young and a woman didn't
make me useless.
RICHARD
You've proven that already.
PHYLLIS
Not to everyone.
They reach a stream, swollen with rainwater. The only way
across is a fallen log, slick and treacherous.
RICHARD
We could find another crossing.
PHYLLIS
We don't have time.
She steps onto the log, arms out for balance. Halfway across,
her foot slips and she nearly falls, but catches herself at
the last second. Richard follows more slowly, and they reach
the other side soaked and shivering.
In the distance, a whistle blows — the signal that someone
has been caught.
RICHARD
We need to move faster.
They break into a jog, staying low and moving from tree to
tree. The checkpoint appears ahead — a small shelter with a
light burning inside.
Fraser waits there with Jackie and Yvonne, who arrived
earlier. He checks his watch as Phyllis and Richard stumble
in.
FRASER
Twenty minutes before deadline.
Acceptable.
He marks something on his clipboard.
FRASER (CONT’D)
Four of you made it. The others
were captured. Get warm and get
some sleep.
INT. TRAINING CAMP - DORMITORY - NIGHT
Phyllis lies in dry clothes, finally warm. Her body aches
everywhere, but there's a deep satisfaction in having
completed the exercise.
Jackie, already half asleep, speaks without opening her eyes.
JACKIE
Two more weeks.
PHYLLIS
Until what?
JACKIE
Until we're operational. Until they
send us to France.
The weight of it settles over the room. They've been training
for months, pushing themselves to the breaking point, but the
reality of what comes next suddenly feels very close.
PHYLLIS
Are you ready?
JACKIE
I don't know if anyone's ever
ready. But we're as prepared as we
can be.
YVONNE
The training never stops, even in
the field. Every day you learn
something new about how to survive.
PHYLLIS
What if I make a mistake?
YVONNE
Then you adapt. That's all any of
us can do.
Outside, the rain continues its steady drumming on the roof.
Genres:
["War","Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
20 -
Mission Ready: Phyllis's Deployment Briefing
EXT. TRAINING CAMP - FIRING RANGE - DAY
Phyllis lies prone on the ground, a rifle tucked against her
shoulder. Targets are set up at various distances, some
partially obscured by terrain.
Sgt. Mackenzie crouches beside her, watching through
binoculars.
MACKENZIE
Target at two hundred yards. Left
of the large oak.
Phyllis scans until she finds it, breathes out slowly, and
squeezes the trigger. The rifle cracks and the target spins.
MACKENZIE (CONT’D)
Good. Next target, three hundred
yards, behind the stone wall.
She adjusts, fires. Another hit.
MACKENZIE (CONT’D)
You've improved considerably since
Wanborough.
PHYLLIS
I had good teachers.
MACKENZIE
Flattery won't improve your scores.
He stands and offers her a hand up.
MACKENZIE (CONT’D)
You're cleared for field work.
Major Buckmaster wants to see you
tomorrow.
PHYLLIS
Is that good or bad?
MACKENZIE
Depends on what he has to say.
INT. MANOR HOUSE - BUCKMASTER'S OFFICE - DAY
Buckmaster's temporary office in Scotland is smaller than his
London headquarters but just as functional. Maps of France
cover every available surface.
Phyllis stands at attention in front of his desk. She wears a
clean uniform, and three months of intensive training have
transformed her — she looks harder, more capable.
BUCKMASTER
At ease.
She relaxes slightly but remains wary.
BUCKMASTER (CONT’D)
Your instructors tell me you've
exceeded expectations. Captain
Harris admits he was wrong about
you.
PHYLLIS
I'm glad to hear it, sir.
BUCKMASTER
You're cleared for deployment. We
have an assignment for you in
Normandy.
The words hang in the air. This is it — the moment everything
has been building toward.
BUCKMASTER (CONT’D)
You'll be dropped near Cherbourg to
work with a Resistance network.
Your job is intelligence gathering
and radio operation.
He pulls out a file and opens it.
BUCKMASTER (CONT’D)
The network is established but they
need someone who can transmit
reliably to London. You'll send
reports on German troop movements,
fortifications, anything that might
be useful for invasion planning.
PHYLLIS
When do I leave?
BUCKMASTER
Two weeks. You'll spend that time
memorizing your cover story and
studying the area where you'll be
operating.
He slides several photographs across the desk — aerial
reconnaissance of French countryside, villages, German
installations.
BUCKMASTER (CONT’D)
You'll be Genevieve Touzalin, a
cosmetics saleswoman from Paris.
You're traveling through Normandy
visiting shops and clients.
PHYLLIS
That gives me freedom of movement.
BUCKMASTER
Exactly. And it explains why you're
carrying a suitcase. Your radio
will be hidden inside it.
He hands her a thick dossier.
BUCKMASTER (CONT’D)
This is everything about Genevieve
Touzalin — where she was born,
where she went to school, her
family, her work history. You need
to become her completely.
PHYLLIS
I understand.
BUCKMASTER
You'll also need a code name for
radio transmissions. Have you
thought about it?
Phyllis looks out the window. A small brown bird lands on the
ledge, twitches its head, and flies away. Unnoticed.
Unremarkable.
PHYLLIS
Sparrow.
BUCKMASTER
Sparrow?
PHYLLIS
They are everywhere. They are
small, grey, and nobody ever looks
at them twice.
Buckmaster nods, writing it down in the file.
BUCKMASTER
Sparrow it is.
He closes the file and looks at her directly.
BUCKMASTER (CONT’D)
This is your last chance to back
out. No one will think less of you
if you do.
PHYLLIS
I'm not backing out.
BUCKMASTER
You'll be completely alone in
France. If something goes wrong, we
can't help you.
PHYLLIS
I know.
BUCKMASTER
And you still want to go?
PHYLLIS
Yes.
He nods slowly, as if confirming something he already knew.
BUCKMASTER
Then God help you. Dismissed.
Genres:
["War","Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
21 -
Facing the Unknown
EXT. TRAINING CAMP - GROUNDS - DAY
Phyllis walks alone through the grounds, the dossier clutched
in her hands. Her breath catches as she glances down, seeing
the thick stack of pages that bind her fate.
Jackie finds her sitting on a bench overlooking the valley.
JACKIE
I heard you got your assignment.
PHYLLIS
Normandy.
JACKIE
I'm going to Paris. I think we
leave around the same time.
They sit in silence for a moment, watching clouds drift
across the mountains.
JACKIE (CONT’D)
Are you scared?
PHYLLIS
I’m terrified.
JACKIE
Me too.
PHYLLIS
I worry I won’t be good enough. And
about getting people killed.
JACKIE
All we can do is our best.
She puts a hand on Phyllis's shoulder.
JACKIE (CONT’D)
But I wouldn’t worry. I think
you're going to be extraordinary.
PHYLLIS
What makes you think so?
JACKIE
Because you've made it this far,
and you're stubborn and smart and
you don't give up.
Phyllis manages a small smile.
PHYLLIS
Thanks.
JACKIE
When we’ve won this war, we'll find
each other and have a proper drink
somewhere nice.
PHYLLIS
I'd like that.
They sit together as the sun sets behind the mountains.
Genres:
["War","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
22 -
The Art of Deception
INT. MANOR HOUSE - BRIEFING ROOM - DAY
Phyllis sits at a long table covered with maps, photographs,
and documents. A middle-aged woman, MME. ROUSSEAU (50s), sits
across from her speaking rapid French.
MME. ROUSSEAU
(speaks in French)
Où êtes-vous née?
PHYLLIS
Paris. 14 rue de la Paix. J'ai
grandi au-dessus de la boutique de
mon père.
MME. ROUSSEAU
Quelle boutique?
PHYLLIS
Une parfumerie. Il est mort en
Mme. Rousseau fires questions faster, testing her cover
story. Phyllis answers without hesitation, her hands folded
calmly on the table.
MME. ROUSSEAU
(continues in French)
Vous avez des frères et soeurs?
PHYLLIS
Une soeur. Marguerite. Elle habite
à Lyon maintenant.
MME. ROUSSEAU
Son mari?
PHYLLIS
Il travaille dans une banque.
Mme. Rousseau leans back and switches to English.
MME. ROUSSEAU
Better. But you still think before
answering some questions. That
hesitation will get you killed.
PHYLLIS
I'll practice more.
MME. ROUSSEAU
You'll practice constantly. Every
waking moment until you leave.
Genevieve Touzalin must be as real
to you as your own life.
She slides a worn French identity card across the table.
MME. ROUSSEAU (CONT’D)
Your papers. Study the stamps, the
signatures, the way the ink has
faded. If a German examines them,
everything must be perfect.
Phyllis picks up the card and examines it closely. The
photograph shows her with darker hair, wearing different
clothes. The document looks genuinely worn and used.
PHYLLIS
This is excellent work.
MME. ROUSSEAU
It should be. A man risked his life
to get us the authentic stamps and
paper.
(a beat)
(MORE)
MME. ROUSSEAU (CONT’D)
But papers are only part of it.
Suitcases are searched. Pockets are
emptied.
She picks up a ball of grey wool and a pair of knitting
needles from the table.
MME. ROUSSEAU (CONT’D)
Do you knit?
PHYLLIS
My mother taught me.
Mme. Rousseau hands her the needles.
MME. ROUSSEAU
Good. Because German soldiers do
not look at knitting. They look at
papers and faces.
She taps the needle.
MME. ROUSSEAU (CONT’D)
Your codes will be on silk, wrapped
around this needle and covered by
the yarn. If you are stopped, you
do not freeze. You knit. You become
the boring girl in the corner.
PHYLLIS
And if they take the needles?
MME. ROUSSEAU
Then you pull the yarn. The silk
slides off, crumples into nothing,
and you drop it.
She stands and walks to the window.
MME. ROUSSEAU (CONT’D)
In France, you trust no one
completely. Not the Resistance, not
civilians, not even other agents
unless you're absolutely certain of
their identity.
PHYLLIS
How do I know who to trust?
MME. ROUSSEAU
You don't. You make your best
judgment and hope you're right.
Genres:
["War Drama","Espionage Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
23 -
Preparation for Espionage
INT. MANOR HOUSE - EQUIPMENT ROOM - DAY
A QUARTERMASTER (60s) spreads items across a table: a worn
suitcase, French cosmetics, clothing with French labels, a
small pistol, and other items.
Phyllis examines each piece carefully. The Quartermaster
opens the suitcase and shows her a hidden compartment in the
lining.
QUARTERMASTER
Your radio fits here. The cavity is
lined with lead to prevent
detection if they use electronic
sweeps.
He demonstrates how to access the compartment, pressing
specific points on the case's frame. A panel pops open,
revealing the space inside.
QUARTERMASTER (CONT’D)
Practice opening and closing it
until you can do it in complete
darkness. You may need to hide the
radio quickly.
PHYLLIS
How long does assembly take?
QUARTERMASTER
Forty seconds if you're good.
Twenty if you're excellent.
He hands her a small pill wrapped in cloth.
QUARTERMASTER (CONT’D)
Your L-pill. Cyanide. Death is
instantaneous.
Phyllis takes it, her hand steady. She unwraps it and looks
at the small capsule.
QUARTERMASTER (CONT’D)
It's sewn into the hem of your
jacket. If you're about to be
captured, bite down hard. You'll be
unconscious in seconds, dead in
less than a minute.
PHYLLIS
Have you given many of these?
QUARTERMASTER
More than I can count.
He begins packing the items back into the suitcase.
QUARTERMASTER (CONT’D)
The clothes are all French-made,
purchased in occupied territory.
Nothing British. Check your pockets
— we've added metro tickets,
receipts, small change. The little
details matter.
Phyllis pulls out a crumpled receipt from a Paris café dated
two weeks earlier.
PHYLLIS
You think of everything.
QUARTERMASTER
We try. But the Germans are
thorough too. One British cigarette
in your pocket and you're finished.
Genres:
["War","Espionage","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
24 -
Night Mission Preparations
EXT. AIRFIELD - NIGHT
A full moon illuminates the runway where a Halifax bomber
waits, its engines idling. A ground crew loads equipment and
check the systems.
Phyllis stands with Jackie and Yvonne near the aircraft. All
three wear dark civilian clothes and carry suitcases.
Buckmaster and several other officers wait nearby.
A CHAPLAIN (50s) approaches and offers each woman a small
prayer card. Jackie tucks it into her jacket, but Phyllis
stares at hers.
PHYLLIS
This isn’t a Catholic card.
Buckmaster grabs the card, then lashes out at the chaplain.
BUCKMASTER
Are you trying to get them killed?
Take your propaganda and go.
CHAPLAIN
I’m sorry, I —
BUCKMASTER
Just go!
He turns to Phyllis and the others, his voice now normal.
BUCKMASTER (CONT’D)
The weather over the Channel is
clear. The pilot will drop you at
three separate locations. Jackie
first, then Yvonne, then Phyllis.
He looks at each of them in turn.
BUCKMASTER (CONT’D)
Remember your training. Trust your
instincts. And come home safely.
Jackie embraces Phyllis tightly.
Yvonne shakes both their hands formally, her face composed
and calm.
YVONNE
Good luck to both of you.
The PILOT (30s) appears at the aircraft door and waves them
over. The three women pick up their cases and walk toward the
plane.
Phyllis pauses at the door and looks back at the airfield.
The officers watching them leave, then she climbs inside.
INT. HALIFAX BOMBER - NIGHT
The interior is cramped and loud. Phyllis, Jackie, and Yvonne
sit on metal benches bolted to the fuselage. Their parachutes
are in backpacks, and they’re bulky and uncomfortable.
The DISPATCHER (40s), an RAF sergeant, checks the equipment.
He tugs each harness and tests each buckle.
DISPATCHER
When the light above you turns
green, you go. No hesitation. The
pilot can't circle back.
Phyllis grips the edge of her seat, and looks down at her
knuckles — they’re white.
The plane accelerates down the runway and lifts off on a
course for France.
Genres:
["War","Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
25 -
Into the Void: The Parachute Drop
INT. HALIFAX BOMBER - LATER
The Channel passes below, the dark water visible in the
moonlight. The dispatcher moves forward to consult with the
pilot, then returns.
DISPATCHER
Fifteen minutes to the first drop
zone.
Jackie stands and begins the final checks of her equipment.
She tests her static line one more time, then takes her
position near the door.
When the dispatcher opens the door, the wind roars into the
cabin. Jackie looks back at Phyllis and Yvonne, nods once,
then turns toward the opening.
When the light turns green, Jackie jumps without hesitation.
The dispatcher closes the door.
A few moments pass as the aircraft banks slightly, adjusting
course. The dispatcher opens the door again.
DISPATCHER (CONT’D)
Yvonne. You're next.
Yvonne moves to the door with calm efficiency. She looks down
at the dark landscape, crosses herself quickly, and jumps.
Phyllis sits alone now. She touches the hem of her jacket
where the L-pill is hidden and closes her eyes.
DISPATCHER (CONT’D)
Five minutes.
Phyllis’s legs shake as she moves toward the door. The
dispatcher checks her equipment one final time.
DISPATCHER (CONT’D)
You'll do fine. Just remember your
training.
When he opens the door, cold air blasts into the cabin.
Below, dark fields and scattered farmhouses are visible in
the moonlight.
The red light glows above the door. Phyllis positions herself
at the edge, looking down at occupied France, then the light
turns green, and she steps into empty space.
Genres:
["War","Espionage","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
26 -
A Descent into Shadows
EXT. FRENCH COUNTRYSIDE - NIGHT
Phyllis falls through darkness, the parachute snapping open
above her. Fear grips her as the ground rushes up faster than
she expects. She hits hard, rolling as trained, but the
impact drives the air from her lungs.
She lies still for a moment, listening. Dogs bark in the
distance. A truck engine rumbles on a road she can't see.
Quickly, she gathers her parachute and drags it toward a
hedgerow. Her hands shake as she pulls the fabric into a
compact bundle and shoves it deep into the bushes.
Her suitcase lies twenty feet away, half-buried in soft
earth. She retrieves it and crouches in the shadows, waiting.
A light appears across the field. Then another. Two figures
approach carrying shielded lanterns.
Phyllis reaches for the pistol in her jacket pocket. Her
finger rests on the trigger.
One of the figures gives a low whistle — two short, one long.
The recognition signal.
She stands slowly and returns the whistle — one long, two
short.
A man and a woman, both in rough farm clothes approach. The
man is HENRI MOREAU (45), weathered and cautious. The woman
is CLAIRE MOREAU (40), his wife, carrying a basket.
HENRI
You're late.
PHYLLIS
The pilot had to avoid German
patrols.
HENRI
Can you walk?
PHYLLIS
Yes.
CLAIRE
Then we go. Quickly.
Claire pulls a worn coat and headscarf from her basket and
hands them to Phyllis.
CLAIRE (CONT’D)
Put these on. Hide the suitcase
under the coat.
Phyllis does as instructed. Claire takes her arm and they
begin walking, three people returning from a late visit,
nothing unusual.
Henri walks ahead slightly, watching the road.
EXT. COUNTRY ROAD - NIGHT
They walk in silence. When headlights appear in the distance,
they duck into a ditch until the vehicle passes — a German
patrol truck.
After two miles, they reach a farmhouse set back from the
road. No lights show in the windows.
Genres:
["War","Espionage","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
27 -
A Night of Preparation
INT. MOREAU FARMHOUSE - NIGHT
The house is dark and cold. Henri lights a single candle. The
main room is simple — a table, chairs, a stove, religious
pictures on the walls.
Claire goes to the stove and starts a fire. Within minutes,
she has soup heating in a pot.
HENRI
You'll stay here tonight. Tomorrow
we move you to your permanent
location.
PHYLLIS
Where is that?
HENRI
Cherbourg. You'll live above a
café. The owner is one of us.
He sits at the table and studies her in the candlelight.
HENRI (CONT’D)
You look very young.
PHYLLIS
I'm old enough.
HENRI
The Germans are everywhere.
Checkpoints, patrols, informers.
One mistake and you're dead.
PHYLLIS
I understand.
CLAIRE
Do you? This isn't England. There
are no rules here, no mercy.
She ladles soup into a bowl and sets it in front of Phyllis.
CLAIRE (CONT’D)
Eat. You'll need your strength.
Phyllis eats hungrily. The soup is thin but warm. Henri opens
her suitcase and examines the hidden radio compartment.
HENRI
Good work. The Germans have
detectors but this should pass
inspection if you're careful.
PHYLLIS
How often do they search?
HENRI
Randomly. Sometimes daily,
sometimes not for weeks. You can
never predict.
He closes the case carefully.
HENRI (CONT’D)
Your first transmission is in three
days. We have information about
troop movements near the coast and
London needs it immediately.
PHYLLIS
Where do I transmit from?
HENRI
Different locations each time.
Never the same place twice. The
Germans can triangulate your
position within ten minutes.
CLAIRE
You'll have lookouts. When they
signal danger, you stop
transmitting and move immediately.
Phyllis finishes the soup and sets down the spoon.
PHYLLIS
What about my cover? I'm supposed
to be a cosmetics saleswoman.
HENRI
Tomorrow you'll meet Madame Dubois.
She owns a perfume shop in town.
She'll give you samples to carry,
and customers to visit. It's a good
cover.
CLAIRE
Get some rest. We leave at dawn.
She shows Phyllis to a small bedroom with a narrow bed. The
room is cold and bare.
CLAIRE (CONT’D)
Sleep if you can.
Genres:
["War","Espionage","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
28 -
Under Watchful Eyes
EXT. CHERBOURG - DAY
The morning sun breaks through clouds over the port city.
German soldiers are everywhere — on street corners, checking
papers, and usually patrolling in pairs.
A German truck filled with soldiers rumbles past as two
Gestapo officers in black leather coats stand outside a café.
Phyllis walks beside Claire, carrying her suitcase. They wear
plain dresses and headscarves so they appear as two women
going about their business.
They pass a checkpoint, and a German soldier steps forward.
SOLDIER
Papiere.
Phyllis hands over her identity card without speaking. The
soldier examines it carefully, comparing the photograph to
her face. He then looks at the stamps and holds them up to
the light. Phyllis’s breathing is steady and her face calm.
The soldier hands back the card and waves them through.
They continue walking but Claire doesn't look at Phyllis or
acknowledge what just happened.
INT. CAFÉ MARTIN - DAY
The café is small, with a dozen tables. Half are occupied by
German soldiers drinking coffee and eating pastries. The
owner, GEORGES MARTIN (55), bald and nervous, works behind
the counter.
Claire and Phyllis sit at a corner table. Georges brings them
weak coffee in chipped cups.
GEORGES
Madame Moreau. And this must be our
new guest.
CLAIRE
She needs a room.
GEORGES
The one in back is prepared.
He glances at the German soldiers, then lowers his voice.
GEORGES (CONT’D)
They come here every morning at
eight. They leave by nine. That's
your window.
PHYLLIS
The window for what?
GEORGES
For moving around without being
seen. The back stairs lead directly
to the alley.
A German officer calls out for more coffee, and Georges
hurries over with the pot.
CLAIRE
He's terrified but reliable. He
lost his son at Dunkirk.
She finishes her coffee and stands.
CLAIRE (CONT’D)
Someone will contact you tomorrow
with instructions. Until then, stay
in your room and study your cover
story.
PHYLLIS
Thank you for everything.
CLAIRE
Don't thank me. Just stay alive.
She leaves Phyllis sitting alone, watching the German
soldiers laugh and smoke at their table.
Genres:
["War","Espionage","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
29 -
A New Identity
INT. CAFÉ MARTIN - PHYLLIS'S ROOM - DAY
One small window overlooks the alley behind the shop. A small
bed, a chair, and a basin for washing almost fill the tiny
room. Phyllis's suitcase sits on the floor.
She opens the case and carefully removes the radio,
assembling it on the bed.
The components fit together precisely. She runs through the
setup three times, keeping track of her time — thirty
seconds.
A knock at the door startles her. Phyllis quickly
disassembles the radio and hides it back in the case.
PHYLLIS
Yes?
The door opens and a woman enters — MADAME DUBOIS (50s),
elegantly dressed despite wartime shortages. She carries a
leather bag.
DUBOIS
I'm Madame Dubois. Henri sent me.
She sets the bag on the bed and opens it. Inside are
cosmetics, perfume samples, and order forms — everything a
saleswoman would carry.
DUBOIS (CONT’D)
This is your business now. You'll
visit shops in town, take orders,
and deliver products. It explains
why you move around so much.
PHYLLIS
Do you actually sell cosmetics?
DUBOIS
Of course. The business must be
real. I've run it for twenty years.
She hands Phyllis a ledger book filled with entries.
DUBOIS (CONT’D)
Study these. Memorize the
customers, their orders, and their
habits. If a German questions you,
the details must be perfect.
PHYLLIS
When do I start?
DUBOIS
Tomorrow. I'll introduce you as my
new assistant. Some customers are
Resistance, but most are not.
You'll learn to tell the
difference.
She moves to the window and looks down at the alley.
DUBOIS (CONT’D)
The Germans are looking for radio
operators. Three were caught last
month. They were tortured at
Gestapo headquarters and then shot.
PHYLLIS
I'll be careful.
DUBOIS
Careful isn't enough. You must be
invisible.
She turns back from the window.
DUBOIS (CONT’D)
Your first transmission is tomorrow
night. You'll go to a farmhouse
outside town. Henri will give you
the details and the message.
PHYLLIS
How do I contact London?
DUBOIS
Specific frequencies at specific
times. If you miss your window, you
wait twenty-four hours for the next
one.
She closes her bag and moves to the door.
DUBOIS (CONT’D)
Get some rest. Tomorrow will be
difficult.
Genres:
["War","Espionage","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
30 -
A Fragrant Encounter
INT. DUBOIS PARFUMERIE - DAY
The shop is small but elegant and it’s filled with bottles,
powders, and creams. The scent of lavender and rose fills the
air. Several customers browse the shelves.
Phyllis stands behind the counter with Madame Dubois,
learning the business. A middle-aged woman approaches with
questions about face cream. Phyllis answers smoothly, her
French perfect and natural.
Then the door opens and a GERMAN HAUPTMANN (35), severe and
observant, enters. The shop goes quiet.
HAUPTMANN
I need a gift for my wife.
Something French.
DUBOIS
Of course, Herr Hauptmann. What
does she prefer?
HAUPTMANN
Something elegant. Perhaps perfume.
Dubois shows him several bottles, describing each one. He
listens politely, then his gaze shifts to Phyllis.
HAUPTMANN (CONT’D)
You're new here.
PHYLLIS
I started this week.
HAUPTMANN
Where are you from?
PHYLLIS
Paris. I came to Cherbourg to help
my aunt with her business.
She indicates Dubois, who nods confirmation.
HAUPTMANN
Paris is occupied but civilized.
Things here are more primitive.
PHYLLIS
It has its charms.
He studies her face and Phyllis meets his gaze without
flinching. Hauptmann points to a bottle of expensive perfume.
HAUPTMANN
I'll take this one.
Dubois wraps it carefully in paper tied with string.
DUBOIS
That will be eighty francs, Herr
Hauptmann.
He pays and takes the package, then bows to Phyllis.
HAUPTMANN
I'm sure I'll see you again,
Mademoiselle.
PHYLLIS
I'm here every day.
After he leaves, the tension in the shop eases slightly, and
the other customers resume browsing.
Dubois leans close to Phyllis.
DUBOIS
That was Hauptmann Becker. He runs
the Gestapo office on rue Gambetta.
PHYLLIS
Should I be worried?
DUBOIS
He's suspicious of everyone. If he
comes back, be polite but
forgettable.
Genres:
["Drama","War","Espionage"]
Ratings
Scene
31 -
A Dangerous Mission
INT. CAFÉ MARTIN - PHYLLIS'S ROOM - NIGHT
Phyllis lies on the bed, staring at the ceiling and listening
to German voices drift up from the café below — soldiers
laughing, drinking, and playing cards.
Henri knocks softly on the door, and enters carrying a
leather satchel. He speaks barely above a whisper.
HENRI
The transmission is tomorrow night
at nine o'clock. There's a barn
three kilometers east of town on
the road to Valognes. You'll
transmit from there.
He opens the satchel and removes several handwritten pages.
HENRI (CONT’D)
Troop movements, supply convoys,
fortification details. All coded.
London needs this immediately.
PHYLLIS
How long do I have?
HENRI
Ten minutes maximum. If the Germans
detect you, they'll send trucks
with direction finders. You'll have
five minutes to escape before they
arrive.
He hands her a pencil sketch of the route to the barn.
HENRI (CONT’D)
Memorize this and burn it. I'll
have two lookouts posted. If they
whistle once, you have time to
finish. If they whistle twice, you
stop immediately and run.
PHYLLIS
Where do I run to?
HENRI
There's a safe house in Valognes.
The address is on the back of the
sketch. Go there and wait for
instructions.
He studies her in the dim light.
HENRI (CONT’D)
Are you ready for this?
PHYLLIS
I have to be.
HENRI
That's not an answer.
PHYLLIS
Yes. I'm ready.
He nods and leaves as quietly as he came. Phyllis looks at
the sketch, then burns it in the basin. She watches the paper
turn to ash.
Genres:
["War","Espionage","Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
32 -
A Night of Transmission
EXT. COUNTRYSIDE - NIGHT
Phyllis rides a battered bicycle along a dark road. A large
wicker basket is strapped to the front, filled with loose hay
and farm tools. The handle of her suitcase is barely visible,
buried deep beneath the hay.
She passes a German checkpoint but it's unmanned at this
hour. A kilometer further, she turns onto a dirt track
leading to a barn.
Two figures stand in the shadows — Henri and a younger man,
PASCAL (25), who holds a rifle.
HENRI
You made good time.
PHYLLIS
The roads were clear.
PASCAL
I'll watch the main road. If I see
headlights, I whistle twice.
He moves off into the darkness while Henri leads Phyllis into
the barn.
INT. BARN - NIGHT
The barn smells of hay and animals. A cow shifts in its
stall, making loud mooing sounds. Henri lights a shielded
lantern, keeping the light low.
HENRI
Set up here. You have a clear line
to England.
Phyllis opens her suitcase and quickly assembles the radio.
She attaches the antenna wire and runs it up through a gap in
the roof boards. Henri watches the process with approval.
HENRI (CONT’D)
Fast. Good.
Phyllis puts on the headphones and adjusts the frequency.
Static fills her ears, then a faint signal — London calling
for agents.
She taps out her identification code and waits. The response
comes immediately. London acknowledges.
Her fingers move rapidly on the key, sending the coded
message. Groups of five letters, transmitted clearly and
quickly. Henri keeps watch at the door.
Five minutes pass. Phyllis continues transmitting, sweat
beading on her forehead despite the cold night air.
A whistle sounds outside — once. A time warning.
She speeds up slightly, maintaining accuracy. The message is
nearly complete.
Another single whistle. Two minutes.
She finishes the final group and sends the completion code.
London acknowledges receipt of the message.
Quickly, she disconnects the antenna and disassembles the
radio. Everything goes back into the suitcase. Henri snuffs
out the lantern.
They wait in darkness, listening.
An engine sounds in the distance, growing louder. A German
patrol truck passes on the main road but doesn't turn toward
the barn.
The engine fades. Henri exhales slowly.
HENRI (CONT’D)
That was close.
PHYLLIS
Did they detect the transmission?
HENRI
Impossible to know. We should move
anyway.
They exit the barn. Pascal emerges from his hiding place.
PASCAL
There's another patrol coming from
the north. We need to leave now.
HENRI
Take her back to town. Use the
river road.
PASCAL
What about you?
HENRI
I'll lead them away if necessary.
He looks at Phyllis.
HENRI (CONT’D)
You did well. London will be
pleased.
PHYLLIS
When's the next transmission?
HENRI
Three days and in a different
location. Someone will contact you.
Pascal takes Phyllis's bicycle and they set off through the
fields, avoiding roads. Behind them, Henri disappears into
the darkness.
Genres:
["War","Espionage","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
33 -
Shadows of Trust
EXT. RIVER ROAD - NIGHT
Pascal and Phyllis move quickly along a narrow path beside a
river. The water reflects starlight. Trees overhang the path,
providing cover.
Pascal carries his rifle casually but his eyes constantly
scan their surroundings.
PASCAL
You're brave to do this.
PHYLLIS
Or stupid.
PASCAL
Maybe both.
They walk in silence for several minutes. In the distance,
truck engines rumble and lights sweep across fields.
PASCAL (CONT’D)
The Germans are searching. They
must have detected something.
PHYLLIS
Will Henri be alright?
PASCAL
Henri has been doing this since
1940. He knows every hiding place
within fifty kilometers.
They reach the outskirts of Cherbourg where Pascal stops.
PASCAL (CONT’D)
From here you go alone. I can't be
seen near the café.
PHYLLIS
Thank you.
PASCAL
Be careful of Hauptmann Becker. He
arrested four people last week. Two
were informers he planted in our
network.
PHYLLIS
How do you know who to trust?
PASCAL
You don't. You just try not to get
killed while you figure it out.
He hands her the bicycle and melts back into the shadows.
Genres:
["War","Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
34 -
A Night of Tension
INT. CAFÉ MARTIN - PHYLLIS'S ROOM - NIGHT
Phyllis lies on her bed fully clothed, too tense to sleep.
The suitcase sits beside her, innocent-looking but deadly if
discovered.
Footsteps sound on the stairs. Heavy boots. German voices.
She sits up, hand moving to the hem of her jacket where the L-
pill is hidden.
The footsteps pass her door and continue up to the attic.
Laughter. They're searching for contraband or hidden people.
More footsteps. Doors opening and closing. Her door handle
turns.
The door swings open. A GERMAN FELDWEBEL (Sergeant, 30s),
stands there with a flashlight. Behind him are two more
soldiers.
FELDWEBEL
Papers.
Phyllis hands over her identity card with steady hands. The
Feldwebel examines it while shining his light around the
room.
FELDWEBEL (CONT’D)
What's in the suitcase?
PHYLLIS
Cosmetics. I'm a saleswoman.
FELDWEBEL
Open it.
Phyllis's heart pounds but her hands remain steady. She opens
the suitcase and shows him the cosmetics samples, carefully
arranged to hide the false bottom.
The Feldwebel pokes through the items with his flashlight. He
picks up a bottle of perfume, opens it, sniffs.
FELDWEBEL (CONT’D)
This is French?
PHYLLIS
Yes. From Paris.
He sets it back and closes the lid. He hands back her
identity card.
FELDWEBEL
Stay in your room. There's a
curfew.
PHYLLIS
I wasn't planning to go anywhere.
The soldiers leave, their boots heavy on the stairs. Phyllis
waits until she hears them exit the building before allowing
herself to breathe normally.
She goes to the window and looks out. German trucks fill the
street. Soldiers move from building to building, checking
everything.
Someone was betrayed tonight. She wonders who, and whether
they're still alive.
Genres:
["War","Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
35 -
Secrets in the Parfumerie
INT. DUBOIS PARFUMERIE - DAY
Morning light filters through the shop windows. Phyllis
arranges bottles on shelves while Madame Dubois works at the
counter with ledgers.
The door opens and a young woman enters — SIMONE (22), pretty
and nervous, carrying a basket.
SIMONE
I need face cream. Something for
dry skin.
DUBOIS
Phyllis will help you.
Phyllis approaches and shows Simone several options. As she
explains each product, Simone leans close.
SIMONE
(whispering)
Henri sent me. There's a meeting
tonight at the church at ten
o'clock. Come alone.
PHYLLIS
(normal voice)
This one has lanolin. It's very
effective.
SIMONE
I'll take it.
Phyllis wraps the cream. Simone pays and leaves quickly.
Dubois glances up from her ledgers but says nothing.
An hour passes. The shop remains quiet except for two elderly
women browsing.
The door opens again. Hauptmann Becker enters, this time with
another Gestapo officer — STURMBANNFÜHRER KLEIN (40s), cold-
eyed and methodical.
BECKER
Madame Dubois. And the charming
Mademoiselle from Paris.
DUBOIS
Gentlemen. How can we help you
today?
KLEIN
We're conducting routine
inspections. All businesses must
cooperate.
He walks slowly through the shop, examining everything. He
picks up bottles, reads labels, opens drawers behind the
counter.
Becker watches Phyllis, his expression unreadable.
BECKER
How is business, Mademoiselle?
PHYLLIS
Steady. Women still want to look
nice, even during wartime.
BECKER
Vanity is universal.
Klein finishes his inspection and approaches Dubois.
KLEIN
Your papers are in order. However,
we'll need a list of all your
suppliers and customers.
DUBOIS
Of course. I can prepare that this
afternoon.
KLEIN
Good. Bring it to headquarters by
five o'clock.
He turns to leave, but Becker remains, still watching
Phyllis.
BECKER
You remind me of someone. A girl I
knew in Paris before the war.
PHYLLIS
I have a common face.
BECKER
No. It was the voice. She worked at
a café near the Sorbonne. A
student. Very political.
PHYLLIS
I’ve never had a head for politics,
Herr Hauptmann. Only perfume.
Becker smiles, but it doesn't reach his eyes.
BECKER
Politics smells much worse, I
assure you.
(he leans in)
She disappeared in 1941. Fled to
England, we think. Foolish girl.
The weather there is dreadful.
PHYLLIS
(deadpan)
So I hear. I prefer the climate
here.
Becker holds her gaze for a moment too long.
BECKER
Let us hope it stays pleasant for
you.
He sets down the bottle and follows Klein out. The shop door
closes behind them.
Dubois waits a full minute before speaking.
DUBOIS
He suspects something.
PHYLLIS
How can you tell?
DUBOIS
Twenty years of dealing with
Germans. I can read them.
She locks the shop door and turns the sign to closed.
DUBOIS (CONT’D)
You should leave Cherbourg.
Tonight, after the meeting.
PHYLLIS
London sent me here to work. I'm
not leaving.
DUBOIS
Pride will get you killed.
PHYLLIS
So will running every time a German
asks questions.
Dubois studies her for a long moment.
DUBOIS
You're either very brave or very
foolish.
PHYLLIS
Can't I be both?
Genres:
["War Drama","Espionage Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
36 -
A Night of Shadows
INT. CHURCH - NIGHT
The church is dark except for candles burning at the altar.
Phyllis enters through a side door and waits.
Shadows move in the pews. As she approaches, she counts six
people: Henri, Pascal, Simone, and three others she doesn't
recognize — two men and a woman, all middle-aged.
Henri gestures for her to sit.
HENRI
(low voice)
The Germans arrested Maurice. He
was one of our couriers.
PASCAL
Did he talk?
HENRI
Not yet. But he will eventually.
Everyone does.
One of the unknown men — LAURENT (45), a schoolteacher —
speaks up.
LAURENT
We should scatter. Go to ground
until things calm down.
HENRI
If we scatter, the network
collapses. London needs
intelligence now, not in three
months.
SIMONE
Maurice knows about the safe
houses. If he talks, the Germans
will raid them all.
HENRI
We're moving everyone to new
locations. As of tonight, all
previous arrangements are void.
He looks at Phyllis.
HENRI (CONT’D)
You can't stay at the café anymore.
It's too exposed.
PHYLLIS
Where do I go?
HENRI
There's a farm fifteen kilometers
south. The family is reliable.
You'll transmit from there until we
can arrange something else.
The woman — MARIE (40), a baker — raises her hand.
MARIE
What about weapons? We have
explosives but nothing to use them
with.
HENRI
London is sending a drop next week.
Guns, ammunition, more explosives.
We need to organize the reception.
PASCAL
Where?
HENRI
The same field we used in March.
You'll be in charge, Pascal.
Pascal nods. The group continues planning in hushed voices.
Phyllis listens and learns how the network operates — she
learns who does what, how information flows, and where the
vulnerabilities lie.
Footsteps sound outside and everyone freezes. Henri blows out
the nearest candles.
The church door opens. A figure enters — Georges from the
café. He's breathing hard, clearly frightened.
GEORGES
The Gestapo is conducting street
sweeps. Random checks are
everywhere. You need to leave now.
HENRI
Everyone out the back. Move
separately. Don't go home if you
live alone.
The group disperses quickly. Phyllis follows Simone out
through a rear exit into an alley.
EXT. ALLEY - NIGHT
Simone pulls Phyllis into a doorway as German voices echo
from the main street. Two soldiers pass the alley entrance,
their flashlights cutting through the darkness.
SIMONE
Follow me, and Stay close.
They move through back streets and narrow passages, avoiding
main roads. The town feels like a trap closing around them.
They reach a small apartment building. Simone leads Phyllis
up three flights of stairs to a cramped flat.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller","War"]
Ratings
Scene
37 -
A Night of Fear and Reflection
INT. SIMONE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
The apartment is tiny — one room with a bed, a table, a hot
plate for cooking. Photographs of a man in French army
uniform sit on a shelf.
SIMONE
That was Michel at the battle of
Sedan — 1940.
Phyllis looks at the photo, then at Simone. She nods,
understanding.
PHYLLIS
He looks kind.
SIMONE
He was.
(beat)
Being angry is easier than being
sad. It keeps you warmer at night.
She pulls out blankets and makes a bed on the floor.
SIMONE (CONT’D)
You'll sleep here tonight. Tomorrow
Henri will take you to the farm.
PHYLLIS
Thank you.
SIMONE
Don't thank me. If the Germans find
you here, they'll shoot us both.
She turns off the lights and they sit in darkness, listening
to patrol trucks rumble through the streets below.
SIMONE (CONT’D)
Are you frightened?
PHYLLIS
Yes.
SIMONE
Good. Fear keeps you alive. It's
when you stop being afraid that you
make mistakes.
A searchlight sweeps past the window. Phyllis watches it move
across the walls, hunting.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller","War"]
Ratings
Scene
38 -
Arrival at the Durand Farm
EXT. COUNTRYSIDE - DAY
Henri drives a battered farm truck along a rutted road.
Phyllis sits beside him, her suitcase at her feet. They pass
German checkpoints but Henri knows the routes the patrols use
and avoids them.
The landscape is gentle rolling hills and hedgerows. Cows
graze in fields. It looks peaceful, but the occasional burned-
out building tells a different story.
HENRI
The Durand family has been farming
this land for two hundred years.
They lost their son at Dunkirk.
PHYLLIS
How many people do you have working
with you?
HENRI
Fifty in this area. Maybe two
hundred across Normandy. Not
enough.
PHYLLIS
London says more agents are coming.
HENRI
London says many things. Sometimes
they're true.
He turns onto a narrow track leading to a stone farmhouse.
Chickens scatter as the truck approaches.
EXT. DURAND FARM - DAY
The farmhouse is old but well-maintained. A barn stands
nearby, and fields stretch in all directions. An elderly man
— ROBERT DURAND (65), weathered and strong — comes out to
meet them.
DURAND
You're late.
HENRI
The roads are difficult.
Durand looks at Phyllis, assessing her.
DURAND
She's small. Can she work?
HENRI
She's not here to work. She's here
to hide.
DURAND
Everyone works on a farm. Otherwise
the neighbors ask questions.
His wife — MARIE DURAND (60), stern but kind — appears in the
doorway.
MARIE
Bring her inside. She looks half-
starved.
Genres:
["War","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
39 -
A Safe Haven Amidst Danger
INT. DURAND FARMHOUSE - DAY
The kitchen is warm and clean. A fire burns in the large
hearth. Marie sets bread and cheese on the table.
MARIE
Sit. Eat.
Phyllis sits and eats gratefully. The bread is dark and
coarse but fresh. Henri and Durand speak quietly near the
window.
DURAND
How long does she stay?
HENRI
Until it's safe to move her back to
town. Maybe a few weeks.
DURAND
The Germans patrol this area twice
a week. If they find her, they'll
burn the farm and shoot us all.
HENRI
I know what I'm asking.
DURAND
Do you? My wife and I are old.
We've lived our lives. But you're
asking us to risk everything for a
girl we don't know.
HENRI
She's risking her life for France.
The least we can do is give her a
place to sleep.
Durand looks at Phyllis again, his expression softening.
DURAND
She can stay in the loft. If
Germans come, there's a space
behind the hay bales. They won't
find her.
MARIE
I'll show you after you eat.
She pours coffee.
MARIE (CONT’D)
You'll help with morning chores.
Feeding chickens, collecting eggs.
It makes you look like family.
PHYLLIS
I've never worked on a farm.
MARIE
You'll learn. It's not complicated.
Henri finishes his conversation with Durand and prepares to
leave.
HENRI
Your next transmission is in two
days. I'll come at dusk with the
message.
PHYLLIS
Where do I transmit from?
HENRI
The barn. Robert will watch for
patrols.
He looks at the Durands, then back at Phyllis.
HENRI (CONT’D)
Keep your head down. Don't do
anything to draw attention.
He leaves. The sound of the truck fades down the road.
Phyllis sits in the kitchen with these two strangers who are
risking everything for her.
DURAND
Come. I'll show you where you'll
sleep.
INT. BARN - LOFT - DAY
The loft is filled with hay and old farm equipment. Durand
moves several bales and reveals a narrow space behind them —
barely large enough for a person.
DURAND
If Germans search, you hide here.
Don't move, don't breathe loud.
They usually don't search
thoroughly but sometimes they do.
PHYLLIS
How will I know when it's safe to
come out?
DURAND
Marie will knock three times on the
wall. Don’t show yourself before.
He shows her a thin bedroll and blanket in the corner.
DURAND (CONT’D)
It's not comfortable but it's safe.
We've hidden people before.
PHYLLIS
What happened to them?
DURAND
Some made it to England. Some got
caught. That's the way it goes.
He climbs down the ladder. Phyllis looks around her new home
— rough wood, dusty hay, gaps in the walls where wind
whistles through.
Genres:
["Drama","War","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
40 -
A Morning of Tension
EXT. DURAND FARM - MORNING
Dawn breaks over the fields. Phyllis stands in the yard with
Marie, learning to scatter grain for the chickens. The birds
rush forward, pecking and fighting over food.
MARIE
Not too much at once. Make it last.
Phyllis adjusts her throwing and Marie watches critically.
MARIE (CONT’D)
Better. Now the eggs. Come.
They enter the chicken coop. Marie shows her how to check the
nests and collect eggs gently.
MARIE (CONT’D)
Some hens get angry when you take
their eggs. Watch the brown one in
the corner. She pecks.
Phyllis reaches carefully into a nest and removes two warm
eggs. She places them in the basket Marie carries.
A sound in the distance alerts them. It’s the sound of a
truck engine. Marie goes still, listening.
MARIE (CONT’D)
Germans. Hide.
PHYLLIS
But they'll see me running to the
barn.
MARIE
Then don't run. Keep collecting
eggs. You're family. Act like it.
The truck appears on the road, approaching the farm. Marie
continues working as if nothing is wrong. Phyllis forces
herself to move calmly from nest to nest.
EXT. DURAND FARM - CONTINUOUS
A German truck pulls into the yard. Two German soldiers jump
out — both young, bored-looking. An OFFICER (25) approaches
Durand, who's working on a fence.
OFFICER
We need eggs. Milk if you have it.
DURAND
How many eggs?
OFFICER
Two dozen. And five liters of milk.
DURAND
That's everything we have.
OFFICER
Then give us everything.
Marie and Phyllis emerge from the chicken coop. The officer
looks at Phyllis with interest.
OFFICER (CONT’D)
Who's this?
MARIE
My niece. She's helping with the
farm work.
OFFICER
Papers.
Phyllis sets down the egg basket and removes her identity
card from her pocket. The officer examines it carefully.
OFFICER (CONT’D)
From Paris? What brings you here?
PHYLLIS
My aunt needed help. Times are
difficult.
OFFICER
Times are difficult for everyone.
He hands back her card and takes the basket of eggs from
Marie. The other soldier brings out milk cans from the barn.
OFFICER (CONT’D)
Good French milk. The Führer
appreciates your contribution to
the Reich.
They load the supplies into the truck and drive away. Durand
waits until they're out of sight before speaking.
DURAND
You did well. You stayed calm.
PHYLLIS
I didn't feel calm.
DURAND
It doesn't matter how you feel. It
only matters how you look.
Genres:
["Drama","War","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
41 -
Whispers in the Dark
INT. BARN - NIGHT
Phyllis sits in the loft with her radio assembled. An oil
lamp provides dim light. Henri stands nearby with several
handwritten pages.
HENRI
This details troop movements near
Carentan. Also depot locations and
names of collaborators.
Phyllis sets up the radio. Henri hands her the raw
intelligence data.
PHYLLIS
Hold the light steady.
She picks up her knitting. With surgical precision, she
slides the active row of stitches down the left needle,
revealing a tiny strip of silk wrapped tightly around the
metal.
Rows of random letters are printed on the silk. The One-Time
Pad.
She uses a pin to prick a hole next to the current line of
code, then begins transcribing — converting Henri's intel
into the cipher using the silk key.
HENRI
(watching, impressed)
Ingenious.
PHYLLIS
It's women's work, Henri. Nobody
pays attention to it.
Durand watches from below, positioned where he can see the
road.
HENRI
London wants more details about
coastal defenses. Can you get close
enough to observe?
PHYLLIS
As a cosmetics saleswoman? How
would I explain being near military
installations?
HENRI
You'll need a different approach.
We're working on it.
She finishes encoding and puts on the headphones. Her fingers
tap out the call sign. Static fills her ears, then London
responds.
She transmits steadily, her rhythm consistent and
professional. Five minutes pass. Seven. Ten.
Durand whistles once — a low, bird-like sound. A warning.
Phyllis speeds up slightly, maintaining accuracy. The message
is three-quarters complete.
Another whistle. Closer danger.
She continues transmitting, sweat running down her back
despite the cold night. Two more groups. One more.
Done. She disconnects and begins disassembling the radio.
DURAND
Truck coming. Germans.
Phyllis works faster, her hands shaking. The radio goes into
the suitcase. Henri grabs the lamp and the encoded pages.
HENRI
Hide. Now!
Phyllis scrambles behind the hay bales into the narrow space.
Henri covers the opening and climbs down the ladder with the
lamp.
Phyllis lies perfectly still, breathing through her mouth to
make no sound. Her heart pounds so loud she's certain it can
be heard.
She hears truck engines, then boots in the yard, then German
voices, sharp and commanding.
GERMAN VOICE
We detected a radio transmission
from this area. Where is it?
DURAND
(in French)
I don't know what you're talking
about.
GERMAN VOICE
Search everything.
Footsteps enter the barn. The ladder creaks as someone
climbs. A flashlight beam cuts through darkness above
Phyllis's hiding place.
The beam sweeps across the hay bales. Stops, then returns.
Someone pulls at the bales, and Phyllis holds her breath.
GERMAN SOLDIER
(calling down)
Just hay and old equipment up here.
GERMAN OFFICER
Check behind everything. They hide
radios in walls, under floorboards.
More movement. More searching. Tools being moved. Hay being
shifted.
Time stretches impossibly long. Phyllis feels faint from
holding her breath but doesn't dare inhale deeply.
Finally, the footsteps retreat down the ladder.
GERMAN OFFICER (CONT'D)
We found nothing here. The transmission came from somewhere
else.
DURAND
I told you. We're just farmers.
GERMAN OFFICER
We'll be watching this area. If we
catch anyone with a radio, the
whole family will be shot.
The trucks leave. Silence settles over the farm. Phyllis
waits, not moving. Minutes pass.
She hears three knocks on the barn wall. Marie's signal.
Phyllis crawls out from behind the hay, gasping for air. Her
whole body shakes. Henri climbs back up with the lamp.
HENRI
That was too close.
PHYLLIS
Did the message get through?
HENRI
Most of it. London acknowledged
receipt.
He helps her stand. Her legs barely support her weight.
HENRI (CONT’D)
You can't transmit from here again.
They're triangulating positions.
Next time they'll find you.
PHYLLIS
Where do I transmit from?
HENRI
We'll find new locations and make
them different every time. It makes
the work slower but safer.
DURAND
(from below)
She should leave. Tonight. It's too
dangerous for her to stay.
HENRI
Where would she go? Every safe
house is being watched.
PHYLLIS
I'm not leaving. London needs
intelligence.
HENRI
London needs live agents more than
dead ones.
He gathers the radio and places it back in the suitcase.
HENRI (CONT’D)
We'll figure something out. For
now, get some rest.
INT. BARN - LOFT - NIGHT
Phyllis lies on the bedroll, unable to sleep. Every sound
makes her jump — the wind, an animal moving in the barn
below, leaves rustling. Phyllis stirs and checks below again.
PHYLLIS
(to herself)
I wonder about Jackie and Yvonne.
Are they alive? And I thought about
mother — what would she do in this
situation?
Phyllis sits up and her eyes open wide. The Germans are
everywhere, hunting her and people like her with systematic
efficiency.
She touches the hem of her jacket where the L-pill is hidden.
PHYLLIS (CONT’D)
(to herself)
How long could I hold out under
torture? Twenty-four hours? Twelve?
Would I have the courage to use the
pill before they broke me?
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller","War"]
Ratings
Scene
42 -
A Risky Decision
EXT. VILLAGE MARKET - DAY - THREE DAYS LATER
Phyllis stands at a vegetable stall, examining a bruised
cabbage. She carries a woven string bag—no suitcase, no
cosmetics. She looks like a housewife.
Pascal appears beside her, picking up a potato. He doesn't
look at her.
PASCAL
(whispers)
Henri was arrested last night. The
Gestapo has him.
Phyllis freezes, but forces her hand to stay steady as she
pays the vendor.
PHYLLIS
How much does he know?
PASCAL
He knows everything — the names,
locations, and safe houses. We have
maybe twelve hours before he
breaks.
PHYLLIS
What do we do?
PASCAL
Everyone needs to disappear. And we
shut down the network for six
months.
PHYLLIS
Six months? The invasion won't wait
that long.
PASCAL
Better a dormant network than a
dead one.
He slides a small paper packet—hidden under a newspaper—into
her string bag.
PASCAL (CONT’D)
These are new identity papers and a
train ticket to Brittany. There is
a contact address in Rennes. Leave
tonight.
PHYLLIS
My radio is still at the farm.
PASCAL
Leave it. It’s too dangerous to go
back.
PHYLLIS
I can’t. London is sending
coordinates for the drop zones. I'm
not leaving without it.
Pascal looks at her, seeing he can't change her mind.
PASCAL
Then God help you.
He drops the potato and walks away, disappearing into the
crowd. Phyllis clutches her bag, checking the exits for
Germans, then turns back toward the farm.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller","War"]
Ratings
Scene
43 -
A Risky Departure
INT. DURAND FARMHOUSE - DAY
Phyllis sits at the kitchen table with Marie and Robert. The
package lies open between them — identity papers for someone
named Catherine Blanc, train tickets, and a small amount of
money.
MARIE
If Henri talks, the Germans will
come here within hours.
DURAND
Then we all need to leave. We have
family in the mountains, so we can
hide there.
MARIE
And abandon the farm? It's been in
your family for generations.
DURAND
Better to lose a farm than our
lives.
Phyllis studies the new identity papers. Catherine Blanc,
from Toulouse, age twenty-five, teacher.
PHYLLIS
I can't destroy the radio. It's too
valuable.
DURAND
Then take it with you. But if the
Germans search you on the train,
you're finished.
PHYLLIS
I'll take that chance.
She stands and gathers her few belongings. Marie wraps bread
and cheese in cloth.
MARIE
Eat this on the train. Don't talk
to anyone. Germans watch the
stations.
PHYLLIS
Thank you for everything.
MARIE
Just stay alive. That's all the
thanks we need.
Durand stands and shakes her hand formally.
DURAND
Henri said you were brave. He was
right.
PHYLLIS
Henri is brave. I'm just trying not
to get caught.
DURAND
That's the same thing.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
44 -
A Narrow Escape
EXT. TRAIN STATION - CHERBOURG - DAY
The station is crowded with civilians and German soldiers.
Phyllis joins a queue for the ticket window, her suitcase
heavy in her hand.
Gestapo officers check papers at the platform entrance. She
recognizes one of them — Klein, the officer who inspected
Dubois's shop.
She considers leaving but that would draw attention. She
takes a breath and moves forward with the crowd.
Klein stops an elderly man ahead of her, examining his papers
with painful slowness. The man stammers answers to questions.
Finally, Klein waves him through.
Phyllis steps forward and hands over her new identity card.
Klein studies it, then looks at her face.
KLEIN
Catherine Blanc? From Toulouse?
PHYLLIS
Yes.
KLEIN
What brings you to Normandy?
PHYLLIS
I was visiting family. Now I'm
going to Rennes for a teaching
position.
KLEIN
Teaching what subject?
PHYLLIS
Literature and history.
Klein flips through her papers, checking every stamp and
signature.
KLEIN
Your papers seem very new.
PHYLLIS
They were reissued last month. The
original ones were damaged in a
fire.
KLEIN
A fire?
PHYLLIS
A cooking accident. My landlady was
careless.
He continues studying the documents. Behind Phyllis, the
crowd grows restless. A GERMAN SOLDIER calls to Klein. that
the train is boarding.
GERMAN SOLDIER
Train is boarding now.
KLEIN
(to Phyllis)
Go.
Phyllis walks onto the platform on shaking legs. The train
waits, steam hissing from the engine. She finds a compartment
and sits by the window.
Other passengers file in — TWO FRENCH WOMEN with CHILDREN, an
ELDERLY PRIEST, and a GERMAN CORPORAL heading to his next
posting.
The train lurches into motion. Cherbourg fades away as they
pick up speed. Phyllis watches the countryside pass, every
kilometer taking her farther from the network she helped
build.
The network is broken. But networks can be rebuilt.
She touches the suitcase at her feet, feeling the weight of
the hidden radio.
PHYLLIS
(to herself)
As long as I have this, I can still
fight.
Genres:
["Historical Drama","War"]
Ratings
Scene
45 -
Tension on the Train
INT. TRAIN - DAY
The train rattles through the countryside.
Phyllis sits opposite the GERMAN CORPORAL. She is knitting a
grey sock, her needles clicking a steady, hypnotic rhythm.
Click-clack. Click-clack.
The Corporal lowers his newspaper, annoyed by the sound.
CORPORAL
Must you do that?
Phyllis jumps, dropping a stitch. She looks terrified—the
perfect image of a simpleton.
PHYLLIS
I'm sorry, Herr Corporal. Nerves.
I'm traveling to a new job and I...
She fumbles to fix the stitch. The Corporal sighs, losing all
interest in her.
CORPORAL
It's fine. Just ... quieter.
PHYLLIS
Yes. Of course.
He watches her for a second longer. Just a girl making socks.
He goes back to his paper.
Phyllis resumes knitting. Her thumb brushes the bump in the
yarn wrapped around the needle—the codes are safe.
The French woman across from Phyllis lets out a breath she'd
been holding.
FRENCH WOMAN
They're checking everyone now. Last
month they arrested three people
from my village.
PHYLLIS
What did they do?
FRENCH WOMAN
Nothing. That's what makes it so
frightening. They were just in the
wrong place at the wrong time.
The priest closes his prayer book and looks at Phyllis.
PRIEST
Are you really a teacher, my child?
PHYLLIS
Why would I lie?
PRIEST
These days, everyone lies. It's how
we survive.
He returns to his prayers. The German corporal folds his
newspaper and closes his eyes to sleep.
Phyllis watches the landscape roll past Phyllis closes her
eyes and sighs.
PHYLLIS
(to herself)
What will I find in Rennes? Will
there be a network there? Will my
contact be real or a trap?
Genres:
["Drama","Historical","War"]
Ratings
Scene
46 -
A Risky Arrival in Rennes
EXT. RENNES STATION - EVENING
The train pulls into a larger station. Phyllis steps onto the
platform carrying her suitcase. The station is busy with
travelers and German military personnel.
She checks the address Pascal gave her — 17 rue du Puits. She
asks a station porter for directions.
PORTER
Twenty minutes on foot. Go straight
down this street, turn left at the
church, then right at the fountain.
She begins walking, but the city is bigger than Cherbourg,
and more anonymous.
German patrols are everywhere but they're focused on groups
of young men, potential Resistance fighters. A lone woman
with a suitcase draws little attention.
She finds rue du Puits — a narrow street lined with shops and
apartments. Number 17 is a bakery with living quarters above.
INT. BAKERY - EVENING
The shop smells of bread and pastries despite the shortages.
A woman stands behind the counter — LUCIENNE MERCIER (35),
sharp-eyed and efficient.
Only one customer remains, an old man buying a small loaf. He
pays and leaves. Lucienne looks at Phyllis.
LUCIENNE
We're closing soon.
PHYLLIS
Pascal sent me.
Lucienne's expression doesn't change but her eyes sharpen.
LUCIENNE
I don't know anyone named Pascal.
PHYLLIS
He said you'd say that. He also
said to mention the sparrow that
flew from Cherbourg.
Lucienne locks the shop door and pulls down the shade.
LUCIENNE
Come upstairs. Quickly.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller","War"]
Ratings
Scene
47 -
A Toast to Survival
INT. LUCIENNE'S APARTMENT - EVENING
The apartment above the bakery is small and cluttered.
Lucienne closes all the curtains before turning on a lamp.
LUCIENNE
They arrested Henri three days ago.
The network in Cherbourg is
finished.
PHYLLIS
That's why I'm here.
LUCIENNE
How much does Henri know?
PHYLLIS
As much as anyone.
Lucienne sits heavily on a chair, her face pale.
LUCIENNE
Then they'll come for all of us.
It's only a matter of time.
PHYLLIS
Not if we're careful and we change
everything.
LUCIENNE
Change how?
PHYLLIS
Make new procedures, set up new
meeting places, use new codes. We
assume everything Henri knew is
compromised and we start fresh.
Lucienne looks at the suitcase.
LUCIENNE
You brought the radio?
PHYLLIS
Yes.
LUCIENNE
That was foolish. If you'd been
caught on the train, they'd have
executed you on the spot.
PHYLLIS
But I wasn't caught. And now we can
still communicate with London.
Lucienne stands and paces the small room.
LUCIENNE
There are twelve people working in
this area. Small cells, with
limited contact between them.
That's how we stay alive.
PHYLLIS
Can you trust all of them?
LUCIENNE
I trust six completely. The others
I watch carefully.
PHYLLIS
Then we work with the six and build
from there.
Lucienne stops pacing and looks at Phyllis.
LUCIENNE
You're young. How old are you
really?
PHYLLIS
Does it matter?
LUCIENNE
It matters because the young ones
think they're invincible and take
stupid risks.
PHYLLIS
I'm not invincible. I'm just
committed.
Lucienne pulls out a bottle of wine and two glasses from a
cupboard.
LUCIENNE
Stay here tonight. Tomorrow I'll
introduce you to the others. We'll
see if they accept you.
PHYLLIS
And if they don't?
LUCIENNE
Then you'll be on your own. Which
in this business might be safer
anyway.
She pours wine and hands a glass to Phyllis.
LUCIENNE (CONT’D)
To survival.
They drink. Outside, church bells ring the hour. Somewhere in
the city, a German patrol truck rumbles past.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller","War"]
Ratings
Scene
48 -
Morning Briefing
INT. LUCIENNE'S APARTMENT - MORNING
Phyllis wakes up on a narrow couch, disoriented. Sunlight
streams through gaps in the curtains, and the smell of bread
baking drifts up from the shop below.
Lucienne enters carrying two cups of coffee.
LUCIENNE
The others will be here at noon.
Prepare what you want to say.
PHYLLIS
What do they need to know?
LUCIENNE
That you're competent and won't get
them killed. That's all anyone
cares about.
She sets down the coffee and opens a cupboard, pulling out a
map of the Rennes area.
LUCIENNE (CONT’D)
We have people in the city and in
five surrounding villages. The
network extends west toward the
coast and south toward Nantes.
She marks locations with small pencil dots.
LUCIENNE (CONT’D)
We gather intelligence on troop
movements, sabotage railway lines
when ordered, and help downed
pilots escape to Spain.
PHYLLIS
How often do you transmit to
London?
LUCIENNE
We don't. Our last radio operator
was caught two months ago. Since
then we've been blind and mute.
PHYLLIS
Then I'm exactly what you need.
LUCIENNE
Or exactly what will get us all
killed. The Germans are very good
at finding radio operators.
PHYLLIS
I've been transmitting for three
months and I'm still alive.
LUCIENNE
Three months isn't very long.
PHYLLIS
It's longer than most agents last.
Lucienne studies her with a mixture of respect and concern.
LUCIENNE
You're either very good or very
lucky.
PHYLLIS
Can't I be both?
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller","War"]
Ratings
Scene
49 -
Trust and Betrayal in the Shadows
INT. LUCIENNE'S APARTMENT - AFTERNOON
Six people crowd into the small apartment. Phyllis recognizes
the type — ordinary French citizens who've chosen to resist.
ANDRÉ (50), a postal worker, sits near the window watching
the street. MARGUERITE (28), a nurse, perches on the arm of a
chair. FRANÇOIS (40), a railway inspector, stands with arms
crossed. The others — PIERRE, JEAN, and SOPHIE — range from
early twenties to late fifties.
Lucienne makes introductions using only first names. No one
shakes hands or exchanges pleasantries.
ANDRÉ
Pascal sent word that Cherbourg
fell apart. Henri talked?
LUCIENNE
We don’t know, but we assume he
did. Everyone talks eventually.
FRANÇOIS
Then why bring someone from that
network here? She could lead the
Gestapo straight to us.
PHYLLIS
I was careful. I changed identity,
and took an indirect route. No one
followed me.
FRANÇOIS
You hope no one followed you. You
can't be certain.
PHYLLIS
Nothing in this work is certain.
You know that.
MARGUERITE
What can you do that we need?
PHYLLIS
I can restore your communication
with London. Without that, you're
isolated and blind.
PIERRE
The last radio operator lasted
three weeks before the Germans
caught him. Why would you last any
longer?
PHYLLIS
Because I'm smaller, less obvious,
and I know how to stay invisible.
She opens her suitcase and shows them the hidden radio
compartment.
PHYLLIS (CONT’D)
I change locations constantly,
transmit for no more than ten
minutes, and never use the same
frequency pattern twice. The
Germans haven't caught me yet.
ANDRÉ
Yet being the important word.
LUCIENNE
We need to decide. Do we accept her
or not?
The group exchanges glances.
FRANÇOIS
I vote no. It’s too risky.
MARGUERITE
I vote yes. We need London's
guidance for what's coming.
ANDRÉ
What's coming?
MARGUERITE
An innvasion. Everyone knows it's
coming. When it does, we'll need to
coordinate with Allied forces.
The others nod slowly. Sophie, who hasn't spoken yet, raises
her hand.
SOPHIE
I vote yes. But on one condition.
If you're caught, you don't know
any of our names or locations. We
give you limited information only.
PHYLLIS
That works both ways. You don't
know where I transmit from or where
I'm staying.
ANDRÉ
Agreed. Compartmentalization keeps
us all safer.
He looks at François, who still seems unconvinced.
FRANÇOIS
Fine. But at the first sign the
Germans are onto her, we cut all
contact.
LUCIENNE
That's reasonable. Are we agreed?
Everyone nods except François, who finally shrugs acceptance.
LUCIENNE (CONT’D)
Good. Phyllis will send her first
transmission tonight. André, you
have information for London?
ANDRÉ
German supply trains are running on
a new schedule. I have the complete
timetable.
He hands Phyllis several pages of handwritten notes. She
studies them quickly.
PHYLLIS
This is excellent. London can plan
sabotage based on this.
FRANÇOIS
Just don't let them trace you when
you send it.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller","War"]
Ratings
Scene
50 -
Transmission Under Fire
EXT. ABANDONED WAREHOUSE - NIGHT
The warehouse sits on the edge of the city near the river.
Windows are broken, and weeds grow through cracks in the
pavement. It looks completely abandoned.
Phyllis and Lucienne approach from different directions,
checking for surveillance. They meet at a side door.
LUCIENNE
Jean is watching the main road.
Sophie is at the rail yard. If they
see patrols, they'll signal.
Inside, the warehouse is vast and empty. Moonlight shines
through broken skylights. Phyllis sets up her radio in a
corner with a clear line of sight to England.
She assembles the equipment quickly, her hands moving with
practiced efficiency. Lucienne watches from the door.
LUCIENNE (CONT’D)
How long?
PHYLLIS
Eight minutes to encode and
transmit. Less if I rush but
accuracy suffers.
LUCIENNE
Don't rush. Do it right.
Phyllis puts on the headphones and begins tapping out her
call sign. Static fills her ears. She adjusts the frequency.
London responds immediately. They've been waiting for contact
from this region.
Her fingers fly across the keys, sending the encoded message.
The train schedules, supply depot locations, troop strength
estimates. All the intelligence André and the others have
gathered.
Five minutes pass. Six. The message is halfway complete.
A whistle sounds outside — low and urgent. Jean's warning.
LUCIENNE (CONT’D)
Patrol coming.
PHYLLIS
I need three more minutes.
LUCIENNE
We don't have three minutes.
Phyllis continues transmitting, her speed increasing
slightly. She can't stop now, not with half the message
incomplete.
Another whistle, closer. Sophie this time.
LUCIENNE (CONT’D)
They're on this street. We need to
go now.
PHYLLIS
Almost done.
Two more groups of letters. One more. Done.
She disconnects and begins disassembling the radio. Her hands
shake but don't fumble. The components go into the suitcase
in seconds.
Truck engines rumble outside. Flashlight beams sweep across
the warehouse exterior.
LUCIENNE
Back door. Run.
They move through the warehouse to a rear exit. The door is
rusted shut. Lucienne kicks it hard and it groans open.
EXT. ALLEY - NIGHT
They emerge into a narrow alley between buildings. Behind
them, German voices shout orders. Boots pound into the
warehouse.
Lucienne pulls Phyllis left, away from the voices. They run
through the darkness, the suitcase banging against Phyllis's
leg.
A beam of light catches them. A SOLDIER shouts.
SOLDIER
Stop!
They turn a corner and press against a wall, breathing hard.
Footsteps approach. The beam of light sweeps past their
hiding spot.
The soldier continues down the alley, not seeing them in the
deep shadows.
They wait, perfectly still. More soldiers pass. The search
spreads out across the neighborhood.
After ten minutes, Lucienne gestures. They move quietly along
the wall, staying in darkness, heading toward the river.
EXT. RIVER BANK - NIGHT
They reach the river and crouch behind old crates stacked
near a dock. Across the water, the city lights reflect in
broken patterns.
LUCIENNE
That was too close.
PHYLLIS
But the message got through.
LUCIENNE
This time. Next time we might not
be so lucky.
She looks at Phyllis in the moonlight.
LUCIENNE (CONT’D)
François was right. We’re in danger
— all of us.
PHYLLIS
Everyone is in danger while the
Germans are here.
LUCIENNE
I used to think winning was
possible. Now I just hope to
survive.
PHYLLIS
If all we do is survive, we've
already lost.
They sit in silence, listening to the river lap against the
dock. In the distance, the German trucks continue their
search.
Genres:
["War","Espionage","Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
51 -
Urgent Decisions in the Bakery
INT. BAKERY - BACK ROOM - DAY
Phyllis sits at a small table encoding a message. The room is
cramped, filled with sacks of flour and baking supplies.
Marguerite enters through the back door, her nurse's uniform
spotted with blood.
MARGUERITE
We have a problem.
PHYLLIS
What kind of problem?
MARGUERITE
A British pilot’s plane was shot
down near Fougères. He's injured
and hiding in a barn.
PHYLLIS
Can you reach him?
MARGUERITE
I treated his wounds but he needs
to be moved. The Germans are
searching the area.
PHYLLIS
What does London say?
MARGUERITE
I don't know. You're the one who
talks to London.
Phyllis sets aside her current message and pulls out a fresh
sheet of paper.
PHYLLIS
What's his condition?
MARGUERITE
Broken leg, and burns on his hands
and arms. He can walk with support
but not far.
PHYLLIS
We need an extraction. Someone who
can take him to Spain or the coast.
MARGUERITE
That takes weeks to arrange.
Lucienne enters from the shop front, closing the door behind
her.
LUCIENNE
The Germans arrested three more
farmers from outside town this
morning. They're accusing them of
harboring Resistance fighters.
(a beat)
The Gestapo is tightening its grip.
She looks at Phyllis.
LUCIENNE (CONT’D)
How secure do you feel here?
PHYLLIS
I'm never secure. I just try to
stay ahead of them.
LUCIENNE
Maybe it's time to move you again.
Change your identity, and we’ll
send you somewhere else.
PHYLLIS
And build another network from
scratch?
LUCIENNE
It’s better than being caught.
PHYLLIS
I'm not leaving until the invasion
comes.
MARGUERITE
When will that be?
PHYLLIS
Soon. London is asking for more and
more intelligence about coastal
defenses. That means they're
planning something big.
She finishes encoding the message about the downed pilot.
PHYLLIS (CONT’D)
I'll transmit this tonight. London
will arrange extraction or tell us
to move him ourselves.
MARGUERITE
Moving him could kill him.
PHYLLIS
Staying here definitely will.
Genres:
["War Drama","Espionage","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
52 -
Secrets in the Confessional
INT. CHURCH - CONFESSIONAL - DAY
Phyllis sits in the confessional booth. Through the screen,
she can see the vague outline of André on the other side.
ANDRÉ
Bless me, Father, for I have
sinned.
PHYLLIS
This isn't funny, André.
ANDRÉ
No, but it's the safest place to
talk. The Germans don't monitor
confessions.
PHYLLIS
What do you have?
ANDRÉ
New troop movements. There’s an
entire Panzer division moving
toward the coast near Caen.
He slides several photographs through the gap at the bottom
of the screen. Phyllis examines them — German tanks on
railway flatcars, supply trucks, and command vehicles.
PHYLLIS
How did you get these?
ANDRÉ
François took them from the railway
inspection tower. He has access to
restricted areas.
PHYLLIS
This is exactly what London needs.
ANDRÉ
There's more. Sophie overheard
German officers talking in a café.
They mentioned something called the
Atlantic Wall.
PHYLLIS
What is it?
ANDRÉ
Fortifications along the entire
coast: concrete bunkers, mine
fields, artillery positions.
They're preparing for invasion.
PHYLLIS
Then the invasion must be close.
ANDRÉ
We need to be ready. When it comes,
we'll need to cause as much chaos
as possible behind German lines.
PHYLLIS
London will send instructions. Arms
drops, sabotage targets,
everything.
A door opens in the church. Footsteps echo on stone. André
goes silent.
Through a gap in the confessional curtain, Phyllis sees a
German officer enter. He walks slowly down the center aisle,
looking at the religious artwork.
It's Hauptmann Becker from Cherbourg.
Phyllis holds her breath. What is he doing in Rennes? Did he
follow her?
Becker stops in front of a statue of Mary, studying it for a
long moment. Then he turns and walks back out of the church.
ANDRÉ
(whispers)
Do you know him?
PHYLLIS
He's Gestapo from Cherbourg. He
questioned me there.
ANDRÉ
Then he's here because of you.
PHYLLIS
Maybe. Or maybe he was just
transferred.
ANDRÉ
Either way, you need to be more
careful.
André leaves the confessional first. Phyllis waits five
minutes, then exits separately.
Genres:
["War","Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
53 -
A Shadow of Suspicion
EXT. STREET - DAY
Phyllis walks through the city, hyper-aware of everyone.
PHYLLIS
(to herself)
Is that man following me? Is that
woman watching from the café?
She turns down a side street, then another, checking for
surveillance. No one appears to be following but she can't be
certain.
She reaches a small park and sits on a bench, pretending to
read a book. Around her, ordinary life continues — mothers
with children, old men playing chess, a vendor selling
roasted chestnuts from a cart.
A shadow falls across her book. She looks up.
Becker stands there, holding a newspaper.
BECKER
Mademoiselle Touzalin. What a
surprise to see you in Rennes.
PHYLLIS
Herr Hauptmann. I didn't know you
were assigned here.
BECKER
I was transferred last week. The
Cherbourg posting was too quiet for
my tastes.
He sits beside her without being invited.
BECKER (CONT’D)
And you? What brings you to Rennes?
I thought you were selling
cosmetics in Normandy.
PHYLLIS
The business wasn't successful. I'm
looking for teaching positions now.
BECKER
Teaching. Yes, your new papers say
you're a teacher. Catherine Blanc,
isn't it?
Her blood runs cold. He knows about the new identity.
PHYLLIS
My legal name. I used my mother's
maiden name for business purposes
before.
BECKER
How convenient to have two
identities.
He opens his newspaper and pretends to read.
BECKER (CONT’D)
I've been investigating radio
operators in this region. Someone
has been transmitting to London
regularly for the past two weeks.
PHYLLIS
That must keep you busy.
BECKER
Very busy. But I'm patient.
Eventually, everyone makes a
mistake.
He folds the newspaper and stands.
BECKER (CONT’D)
Enjoy your afternoon, Mademoiselle
Blanc. I'm sure we'll see each
other again soon.
He walks away, leaving Phyllis sitting frozen on the bench.
She forces herself to sit still, to finish the page she's
pretending to read. Then she stands calmly and walks in the
opposite direction Becker went.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller","War"]
Ratings
Scene
54 -
A Risky Transmission
INT. LUCIENNE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Phyllis paces the small room while Lucienne and André listen
to her account of the meeting with Becker.
PHYLLIS
He knows. Maybe not everything, but
enough to be watching me.
ANDRÉ
He knows you're an agent. He's just
waiting to catch you in the act.
LUCIENNE
You need to leave Rennes tonight.
PHYLLIS
And go where? He knows my new
identity. He'll have every station
and checkpoint watching for
Catherine Blanc.
ANDRÉ
Then we get you a third identity
and send you somewhere he can't
find you.
PHYLLIS
I'm tired of running. I'm tired of
the Germans hunting us while we
hide and scatter.
She stops pacing and faces them.
PHYLLIS (CONT’D)
The invasion is coming soon. I can
feel it. London's questions are
getting more specific and more
urgent. We need to stay operational
until it arrives.
LUCIENNE
What good is staying operational if
you're caught?
PHYLLIS
Then I won't get caught.
ANDRÉ
That's not a plan. That's hope.
PHYLLIS
Hope is all we have sometimes.
She pulls out the photographs André gave her earlier.
PHYLLIS (CONT’D)
London needs these pictures of the
Panzer division, and they need them
immediately. If Becker is watching
me, I can't transmit from anywhere
in the city.
LUCIENNE
There's a farm twenty kilometers
north. The family is trustworthy.
You could transmit from there.
PHYLLIS
How do I get there without being
followed?
ANDRÉ
I have a postal delivery truck. I
can hide you in the back among the
mail sacks.
LUCIENNE
And if the Germans stop you?
ANDRÉ
I make deliveries to that area
every week. It's normal routine.
They look at each other, weighing the risks.
PHYLLIS
When can we go?
ANDRÉ
Tomorrow morning. Five o'clock,
before the patrols change shifts.
LUCIENNE
This is insane. If Becker suspects
you, he'll have people watching
André too.
PHYLLIS
Then we need to be smarter than
them.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller","War"]
Ratings
Scene
55 -
A Risky Escape
EXT. POST OFFICE - MORNING
The morning sun creeps over the city as André loads mail
sacks into his truck. Phyllis watches from across the street.
Two German soldiers stand at the corner smoking cigarettes.
One yawns. The other checks his watch.
André finishes loading and climbs into the driver's seat. He
starts the engine and lets it warm up.
Phyllis crosses the street casually, as if heading to work.
As she passes the truck, André opens the passenger door
slightly.
She slips into the back among the mail sacks. André pulls a
canvas tarp over the cargo area, concealing her.
The truck pulls away from the post office. Through a gap in
the tarp, Phyllis can see the city passing. They approach a
checkpoint.
GERMAN SOLDIER
Papers.
André hands over his postal identification. The soldier
examines it, then walks around the truck looking into the
back.
Phyllis lies perfectly still under the tarp, barely
breathing.
SOLDIER
What are you carrying?
ANDRÉ
Mail. Deliveries to farms outside
the city.
SOLDIER
Open the back.
André climbs down and lifts the tarp slightly, showing the
mail sacks. The soldier pokes at them with his rifle,
satisfied they're just mail.
SOLDIER (CONT’D)
Go ahead.
The truck continues through the checkpoint. Phyllis exhales
slowly.
Genres:
["War","Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
56 -
A Race Against Discovery
EXT. FARM - MORNING
The farm is isolated, surrounded by fields and forest. André
pulls up to a weathered farmhouse. An old woman — MADAME
LAURENT (70) — emerges from the house.
MADAME LAURENT
You're late this week.
ANDRÉ
Extra deliveries.
He helps Phyllis out of the truck. Madame Laurent looks her
over critically.
MADAME LAURENT
She's the one?
ANDRÉ
Yes. Can she use your barn?
MADAME LAURENT
For what?
ANDRÉ
It’s better you don't know.
Madame Laurent shrugs.
MADAME LAURENT
The barn is open. I'll be in the
house if any Germans come.
She goes inside without another word. André looks at Phyllis.
ANDRÉ
You have two hours before I need to
leave. Make it count.
INT. BARN - MORNING
The barn is old but solid. Phyllis sets up her radio in the
loft where she has a clear view of the road.
She assembles the equipment and begins encoding the
photographs into verbal descriptions. Tank types, unit
markings, supply vehicles, estimated troop strength.
Her fingers tap rapidly on the keys. London responds
immediately, acknowledging the importance of the
intelligence.
Fifteen minutes into the transmission, André whistles from
below — a warning.
Phyllis continues transmitting, her speed increasing. The
message is three-quarters complete.
ANDRÉ
(calling up)
German patrols. Coming up the road.
PHYLLIS
How far?
ANDRÉ
A kilometer. Maybe two minutes.
She transmits faster, sacrificing some accuracy for speed.
After the final groups of letters go out, London acknowledges
receipt. She disconnects the radio and slams it into the
suitcase.
She grabs her knitting bag. The silk strip is still on the
needle. There's no time to hide it.
She YANKS the yarn hard. The knitting unravels. The silk
strip falls off the needle.
Phyllis grabs the tiny piece of silk, wads it into a ball,
and shoves it into her mouth. She swallows it dry.
ANDRE
(calling up)
Phyllis!
She grabs the empty needles and the suitcase and slides down
the ladder.
ANDRÉ
Hide in the milk house. Behind the
cooling tanks.
She runs across the yard to a small stone building. Inside,
it's cold and dark. She squeezes behind a row of large metal
tanks used for cooling milk.
The sound of truck engines approaching grows louder. Boots
hit the ground, then German voices fill the yard.
GERMAN OFFICER
We're looking for a radio operator.
Someone reported hearing
transmissions from this area.
MADAME LAURENT
I don't know anything about that.
GERMAN OFFICER
(to the soldiers)
Check everything — the house, the
barn, and all the buildings.
The milk house door opens and a flashlight beam cuts through
the darkness. Phyllis presses herself flat against the cold
stone wall, the suitcase clutched to her chest.
The beam sweeps across the tanks, over the floor, and along
the walls. It pauses on the space where she's hiding.
Genres:
["War","Espionage","Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
57 -
Close Call in the Milk House
INT. MILK HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
As the German soldier moves closer, the flashlight beam
inches across the wall toward Phyllis's hiding place.
A voice calls from outside.
GERMAN VOICE
We found something in the barn.
The soldier turns and leaves quickly. The door slams shut.
Phyllis remains frozen, still listening. She hears more
German voices. They sound excited and urgent.
GERMAN OFFICER
(distant)
What is it?
GERMAN SOLDIER
Equipment in the loft. It looks
like radio parts.
Phyllis's heart stops. Did she leave something behind?
GERMAN OFFICER
Bring the old woman. She has some
explaining to do.
More shouting, then an engine starts. After several long
minutes, the trucks drive away.
Silence.
The milk house door opens. André looks in.
ANDRÉ
They're gone. But we need to leave.
Phyllis emerges from behind the tanks, her legs shaking. They
cross to the house. Madame Laurent stands in the kitchen, her
face pale.
MADAME LAURENT
They found old radio parts in the
barn. From before the war. My
husband used to listen to
broadcasts from Paris.
ANDRÉ
That saved us. They think they
found what they were looking for.
MADAME LAURENT
They said they'd be back. You can't
come here again.
PHYLLIS
I'm sorry we put you in danger.
MADAME LAURENT
Don't be sorry. Just win this war
so it was worth it.
INT. POST TRUCK - DAY
André drives back toward Rennes. Phyllis sits in the
passenger seat this time, watching the countryside pass.
ANDRÉ
That was too close.
PHYLLIS
We got the intelligence through.
That's what matters.
ANDRÉ
Lucienne is right. You're going to
get us all killed.
PHYLLIS
I’m doing everything to ensure that
doesn’t occur.
André doesn't respond. They drive in silence.
As they approach the city, Phyllis notices something. German
trucks are everywhere, and soldiers are moving with purpose.
It’s more activity than usual.
PHYLLIS (CONT’D)
Something's happening.
ANDRÉ
Maybe they're preparing for
something.
They pass a German command post where officers stand outside
examining maps and pointing toward the coast.
PHYLLIS
Or maybe something's already
happened.
Genres:
["War Drama","Espionage Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
58 -
Resistance in Action: The D-Day Sabotage
INT. LUCIENNE'S APARTMENT - DAY
Phyllis bursts through the door. Lucienne sits at the table
with Marguerite and François. They're listening to a small
radio, volume low.
LUCIENNE
Allied forces landed in Normandy
this morning. The invasion has
started.
Phyllis sinks into a chair, the weight of the moment
overwhelming.
PHYLLIS
Do we know anything?
MARGUERITE
It started before dawn. American,
British, and Canadian troops. Tens
of thousands of them.
FRANÇOIS
The Germans are in chaos. They’re
moving troops, and trying to figure
out if it's the real invasion or a
diversion.
LUCIENNE
We have orders from London. Every
Resistance network is to begin
sabotage operations immediately.
Railway lines, telephone cables,
ammunition dumps.
She spreads out a map marked with targets.
LUCIENNE (CONT’D)
The goal is to prevent German
reinforcements from reaching the
coast. Every hour we delay them
gives the Allies more time to
establish their beachhead.
PHYLLIS
What do you need me to do?
LUCIENNE
Keep transmitting. London needs
constant updates on German
movements. Where troops are going,
how many, what equipment they have.
ANDRÉ
The Germans will be hunting for
radio operators more than ever now.
They know we're coordinating with
the invasion forces.
PHYLLIS
Then I'll have to be more careful
than ever.
MARGUERITE
Or you could finally leave and get
out while you still can.
PHYLLIS
I didn't come to France to leave
when things got difficult.
She looks at the map, studying the marked targets.
PHYLLIS (CONT’D)
We've been preparing for this
moment. All the training, all the
risks. This is why we're here.
FRANÇOIS
Some of us won't survive what comes
next.
PHYLLIS
I know.
FRANÇOIS
And you're willing to accept that?
PHYLLIS
I jumped out of an airplane. That
was acceptance enough.
EXT. RAILWAY BRIDGE - NIGHT
Phyllis watches from a distance as François and Pierre place
explosives under a railway bridge. They work quickly, their
movements practiced and efficient.
André stands beside Phyllis, holding a rifle and scanning for
patrols.
ANDRÉ
Three trains have already been
delayed because of our sabotage.
The Germans are furious.
PHYLLIS
Good. Every train we stop is one
less that reaches Normandy.
François gives a signal when he finishes placing the charges.
Everyone retreats to a safe distance.
The explosion lights up the night sky. The bridge collapses
into the river, twisted metal and broken concrete blocking
the railway line.
They scatter immediately, disappearing into the darkness
before German patrols can respond.
Genres:
["War","Espionage","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
59 -
Escape from the Factory
INT. ABANDONED FACTORY - NIGHT
Phyllis transmits from a different location each night.
Tonight it's an abandoned factory on the edge of town.
Her fingers fly across the keys, sending intelligence back to
London.
German troop movements. Panzer divisions heading north toward
Normandy. Supply convoys, ammunition trains, everything the
Allies need to know.
Sophie keeps watch from a broken window.
SOPHIE
How much longer?
PHYLLIS
Five minutes.
SOPHIE
The Germans are sweeping the entire
district. They know we're operating
nearby.
PHYLLIS
Almost done.
She finishes the transmission and begins disassembling the
radio. Outside, truck engines approach.
SOPHIE
Too late. They're here.
Phyllis grabs the suitcase and they run for the back exit.
Behind them, German soldiers pour into the factory.
They emerge into an alley and run through the darkness.
Shouts and gunfire echo behind them.
Sophie stumbles and falls. Phyllis helps her up and they keep
running.
They reach a bridge over the river. German soldiers appear at
both ends, cutting off escape routes.
Sophie looks at Phyllis, her eyes wide with fear.
SOPHIE (CONT’D)
We're trapped.
Phyllis looks at the river below. It is dark and fast-moving.
PHYLLIS
Can you swim?
SOPHIE
Not well.
PHYLLIS
Neither can I.
She climbs onto the bridge railing, pulling Sophie with her.
The Germans run toward them, shouting for them to stop.
PHYLLIS (CONT’D)
On three. One, two —
They jump together, plunging into the cold dark water.
EXT. RIVER - NIGHT
The current pulls them downstream. Phyllis struggles to keep
her head above water while holding onto the suitcase. Sophie
flails beside her.
They wash up on a muddy bank a hundred meters downstream.
Phyllis drags Sophie onto solid ground and they lie gasping.
Searchlights sweep the river behind them, but the Germans are
searching upstream near the bridge.
SOPHIE
We made it.
PHYLLIS
Barely.
They help each other up and stumble into the forest, leaving
the lights and shouting behind.
BACK TO PRESENT:
Genres:
["War","Thriller","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
60 -
The Weight of Secrets
INT. COTTAGE - BEDROOM - DAY (2016)
Phyllis lies in bed, David still sitting beside her. His
phone continues recording.
DAVID
How long did you keep transmitting?
PHYLLIS
Four more months. Until Paris was
liberated.
DAVID
And you were never caught?
PHYLLIS
I came close many times. I lost
friends and saw terrible things.
She pauses, her eyes tearing with the reflection.
PHYLLIS (CONT’D)
The work mattered. At least I hope
it did.
DAVID
Were you afraid the entire time?
PHYLLIS
Every single day. Fear was my
constant companion.
DAVID
What happened after the liberation?
PHYLLIS
I came home, and tried to forget. I
met your father, moved to New
Zealand, and raised a family.
She looks at David.
PHYLLIS (CONT’D)
I buried those memories for seventy
years and pretended I'd been
someone else during the war.
DAVID
Why?
PHYLLIS
Because those memories were too
heavy to carry. The friends I lost,
the risks we took, the people who
died because of mistakes we made.
DAVID
But you also saved countless lives.
PHYLLIS
Perhaps. I'll never really know.
That's the hardest part - not
knowing if what we did was enough.
David reaches over and stops the recording.
DAVID
Thank you for telling me.
PHYLLIS
Why does it matter now? The war has
been over for decades.
DAVID
It matters because you're my
mother. Because I spent sixty-three
years not knowing who you really
were.
Phyllis looks toward the window where afternoon light streams
through.
PHYLLIS
I wasn't anyone special. I was
terrified and stubborn and probably
a bit foolish.
DAVID
You were brave. That's what courage
is. Being terrified and doing it
anyway.
Phyllis almost smiles.
PHYLLIS
Your grandmother would have said
the same thing.
DAVID
She would have been proud of you.
PHYLLIS
I hope so. I spent my whole life
trying to live up to her example.
She closes her eyes, tired from the conversation.
PHYLLIS (CONT’D)
People called me a sparrow during
the war. Small, unremarkable, easy
to overlook. That's how I survived.
DAVID
You were much more than that.
PHYLLIS
Perhaps. But the sparrow always
made it home when larger birds fell
from the sky.
David sits quietly, watching his mother rest. After a moment,
she opens her eyes.
PHYLLIS (CONT’D)
Will you share the story?
DAVID
If you'll let me.
PHYLLIS
I suppose it's time people knew.
Before it's too late.
DAVID
I'll make sure they remember.
She reaches for his hand and squeezes it gently.
PHYLLIS
Thank you for asking and for
wanting to know.
DAVID
I wish I'd asked years ago.
PHYLLIS
I wouldn't have told you. I wasn't
ready.
DAVID
Are you ready now?
PHYLLIS
Yes. Finally.
EXT. COTTAGE - DAY
David walks to his car and looks back at the cottage. His
mother waves from the window, small and frail but somehow
still strong.
He gets in his car, the printed documents and his phone on
the passenger seat. The recording that will finally tell the
world what his mother did.
He drives away through the rolling New Zealand countryside.
FADE TO BLACK.
TITLE CARD:
Phyllis Latour sent 135 intelligence reports to London during
her time in France. She was awarded the Croix de Guerre and
the Légion d’honneur. She passed away in 2016 at the age of
93, six months after finally telling her story to her son.