Nurse Edith Cavell 1939
Directed by
Herbert Wilcox
Made by
RKO Radio Pictures
Nurse Edith Cavell Plot Summary
Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for Nurse Edith Cavell (1939). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.
Edith Cavell, a nurse in German-occupied Brussels at the onset of World War I, becomes the focal point of a high-stakes rescue effort that tests courage, loyalty, and international conscience. The story centers on her decision to shelter a young Frenchman, Jean Rappard, as German patrols tighten their grip on the city. The hospital she works in is subjected to regular inspections, and the tension escalates as Jean is placed on a canal barge and, after a border search, manages a daring escape.
Back in Brussels, the grim reality of occupation pushes Edith and her allies to act quickly. A firing squad executes a dozen escaped prisoners who had been hiding in the woods, underscoring the brutal consequences of every covert act of mercy. In the midst of this danger, Edith and her ally, Albert(/actor/william-edmunds), venture to the battlefield’s edge to locate the wounded. They manage to bring back four British men, including Bungey, who are quietly hidden in a secret room behind a wardrobe in the basement boiler room of the hospital. The Countess de Mavon, portrayed by Countess de Mavon, aids the operation by coordinating a safe route for transportation through the cobbler, a contact point crucial to the plan’s survival.
Meanwhile, Edith extends care to dying Germans in the main hospital, a paradox that highlights the humanity she maintains even as the stakes rise. A further three Frenchmen are sent toward the border by barge, alongside Mme Moulin, whose involvement adds to the precarious web of trust and betrayal surrounding the hospital’s covert network. An apparently escaped PoW arrives at the Countess’s mansion, where suspicion is heavy—she confines him in the kitchen while alerting the German authorities. The hospital’s watchfulness intensifies, and the growing numbers of those aided complicate every decision. Among the expanding circle is Lt. Schultz of German military intelligence, who begins to unravel Edith and the Countess’s operation, exposing each person to new ID papers and money to keep the network moving.
The turning point arrives on 5 August 1915, when Edith is arrested and imprisoned in the Prison of St Gilles. A forceful campaign erupts to win her release, but the Germans press to “set an example.” In the trial, she faces charges of espionage, and the presence of the very young François Rappard(/actor/rex-downing) as a key non-military witness underscores the gravity of the offense. The authorities point to the grim record: those helped are returned to the front and often killed. Edith acknowledges that she has helped hundreds of men escape, and the three military judges deliberate, while she is briefly spoken to in her cell by Capt. Heinrichs(/actor/george-sanders), who delivers the damning verdict: she is to be shot at dawn.
Despite pleas from the British consul, clemency is denied, and the moral weight of the decision becomes clear. Some members of the firing squad resist the order, citing their reluctance to shoot a woman, yet eight soldiers carry out the sentence. The execution marks a stark moment in the grim history of the war, and the narrative closes with a memorial held in Westminster Abbey on May 15, 1919, honoring Edith Cavell’s sacrifice and the broader testimony she bore in the struggle for mercy amid war.
Nurse Edith Cavell Timeline
Follow the complete movie timeline of Nurse Edith Cavell (1939) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.
Edith Cavell hides a Frenchman in Brussels
Edith Cavell hides a young Frenchman, Jean Rappard, in her clinic, risking discovery by patrols and hospital inspections. Her sheltering acts set in motion German scrutiny that will intensify over the following months.
German inspection of the hospital
German troops periodically inspect her hospital and question staff, threatening to expose any sheltering. The ongoing searches heighten fear and test Edith’s resolve to protect those seeking refuge.
Jean escapes at the border by canal barge
Jean is placed on a canal barge and, despite being searched at the border, manages to escape to safety. The escape highlights the perilous cat-and-mouse game of survival under occupation.
Executions of escaped prisoners
Back in Brussels, a firing squad executes a dozen escaped prisoners who were caught in the woods, showing the brutal consequences of aiding fugitives. The incident underscores the brutal atmosphere of the occupation and the risks Edith faces.
Edith and Albert search for the wounded
Edith Cavell and Albert go to a battlefield near the woods to search for the wounded and bring them back to safety. Their actions illustrate the humanitarian resolve that runs through the story.
Hidden escapees in the hospital
They hide four British men, including Private Bungey of the Buffs, in a secret room accessed via a wardrobe in the basement boiler room. The improvised concealment demonstrates the dangers and ingenuity required to shelter escapees.
Countess arranges safe transportation
The Countess organizes the network to arrange safe transportation for the escapees, coordinating with locals to move people toward safety. This step tightens the operation that Edith helps run.
Edith tends dying Germans
Edith also tends dying German soldiers in the main hospital, showing her willingness to care for the wounded regardless of nationality. This dual role highlights the moral ambiguities at the heart of a medic’s duty.
Three more French prisoners to the border
Three more French prisoners are sent to the border by barge with Mme Moulin, expanding the flow of escapees aided by Edith’s circle. The operation grows more complex and increasingly risky.
A PoW arrives at the Countess's mansion
An alleged escaped PoW arrives at the Countess's mansion; Edith's suspicions rise due to his accent, and she locks him in the kitchen while informing the German authorities. The encounter foreshadows intensified surveillance and infiltration.
Hospital watched; a German spy infiltrates
The hospital comes under watch as the numbers aided grow, and Wilhelm Schultz, an officer from German military intelligence, begins to unravel how Edith and the Countess operate. He arranges for new ID papers and money for each escapee.
Edith is arrested
On August 5, 1915, Edith is arrested and taken to the Prison of St Gilles. A campaign to win clemency begins, but the Germans want to set an example.
Trial and witness
At the court, she is charged with espionage and confronted by witnesses, including the young Francois Rappard in handcuffs. Edith admits that she helped at least 200 men escape.
Sentence and fate
Military judges sentence her to be shot at dawn. Some soldiers express reluctance to shoot a woman, but the execution proceeds with the assigned soldiers carrying out the sentence.
Memorial service
On May 15, 1919, a memorial service is held in Westminster Abbey to honor Edith Cavell and her sacrifices. The service commemorates the impact of her courage and inspires future humanitarian acts.
Nurse Edith Cavell Characters
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Edith Cavell
A nurse in German-occupied Brussels who hides a young Frenchman and helps Allied soldiers escape. Her steadfast resolve under the threat of arrest reveals a moral backbone guiding the hospital and rescue network. She embodies courage and compassion, accepting the personal cost of aiding others.
Pte Bungey
A British soldier from The Buffs who is aided by Edith Cavell and sheltered in a secret room behind the hospital boiler room. His presence highlights the human dimension of the war and the danger faced by those who resist the occupation.
Countess de Mavon
A key ally who collaborates in locating safe transport for wounded and escapees, including arranging transfers through trusted intermediaries. She operates within a world of suspicion and privilege, balancing deception and duty.
François Rappard
A young French prisoner who is brought into the court as a critical non-military witness. His presence underscores the human stories behind the conflict and helps illuminate Cavell’s role in aiding others.
Lt. Schultz
A German military intelligence officer who deduces how Edith and the Countess operate their escape network. He embodies the war’s intelligence-driven pressure and the strategic mindset behind punitive actions.
Mme. Moulin
A figure connected to the Countess's circle, involved in the broader mechanism of safe transport and information exchange that sustained the escape network.
Nurse Edith Cavell Settings
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Time period
World War I (1914-1918)
Set during the early years of World War I, with Brussels under German occupation. The pivotal events occur in 1915, including Edith Cavell’s arrest, trial for espionage, and execution, against a backdrop of escape networks and the broader wartime atmosphere.
Location
Brussels, Belgium, St. Gilles Prison, Westminster Abbey
The story primarily unfolds in German-occupied Brussels, centered on the hospital where Edith Cavell works. It also moves to the secretive spaces behind a hospital boiler room used to hide escapees, and to the St. Gilles Prison where Cavell is held. The narrative culminates with a memorial service at Westminster Abbey, reflecting the war’s enduring human cost.
Nurse Edith Cavell Themes
Discover the main themes in Nurse Edith Cavell (1939). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.
🎗️
Courage
Edith Cavell’s risk-laden acts of shelter and support for escapees reveal a steadfast moral courage. The plot centers on personal sacrifice in the face of brutal occupation. Her resolve inspires others to act despite the danger.
🕊️
Humanity
The narrative foregrounds compassion amid cruelty, showing hospital workers and civilians extending mercy to prisoners and wounded soldiers. It underscores how everyday kindness persists even when the system seeks to crush it. The hospital setting becomes a sanctuary in a war-torn city.
⚖️
Justice
The courtroom and execution depict the harsh, instrumental use of military justice during war. The charges of espionage reflect political aims shaping legal outcomes. The story weighs mercy against punitive, state-driven measures and the propaganda surrounding them.
Nurse Edith Cavell Spoiler-Free Summary
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In the winter‑shadowed streets of German‑occupied Brussels, the city hums with the uneasy rhythm of war. Hospitals become reluctant sanctuaries, where the clatter of medical instruments mixes with the distant echo of marching boots and whispered orders. The occupation casts a pall over everyday life, yet within the stone walls of the local infirmary a different kind of battle unfolds—one fought with compassion, quiet resolve, and the careful choreography of those who refuse to stay passive.
Edith Cavell is a British nurse whose steady hands tend to wounded soldiers of every nation, even those of the occupying forces. Beneath her calm bedside manner lies a fierce moral compass that cannot ignore the suffering of those trapped behind enemy lines. When the son of a former patient, a young Frenchman named Jean Rappard, manages to break free from a German prisoner‑of‑war camp, Edith faces a pivotal choice: to shelter the fugitive and guide him toward the safety of Holland, or to stay within the confines of her official duties. Her decision to act sets the tone for a story steeped in quiet bravery and the ever‑present danger of being discovered.
Soon, Edith finds herself woven into a discreet network of like‑minded sympathizers—civilians and medical staff who share her belief that mercy must transcend the iron rules of occupation. Their covert operations require constant vigilance, secret passages, and the delicate balance of presenting a façade of compliance while orchestrating daring escapes. The atmosphere is thick with tension, as every whispered plan could be the thin line between hope and catastrophe. Within this world of shadows, Edith’s compassion becomes both her greatest strength and her most precarious secret, hinting at a relentless moral struggle that will test the limits of courage, loyalty, and the very definition of heroism.
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