Two star

CHURCHILL told his spies to 'set Europe ablaze'.

Unfortunately, this wartime drama fails to set the screen on fire.

Based on Sebastian Faulks' bestseller, it is the story of a young Scottish woman working with the Resistance in Nazi-occupied France in the hope of rescuing her lover, a downed RAF pilot.

In the title role, Cate Blanchett is bland and fails to portray the passions of love and patriotism needed to explain her dangerous exploits.

Her Scottish brogue also slips all over the place, even into her native Aussie Strine at times.

The romantic sub-plot is betrayed as there is no sexual chemistry between Blanchett and her airman (Rupert Penry-Jones) and later between her and the dashing Communist Resistance fighter (Billy Crudup).

Michael Gambon steals the show as Crudup's father, giving a relaxed and confident performance as a grumpy cynic with a soft centre.

Although visually a treat and with great attention to period detail and costume, Gillian Armstrong's direction does not really engender the suspense, fear and tension of living under the jackboot.

The film works best when dealing with the uncomfortable issues of Collaboration that still haunt France, including the rounding up of Jews in the 'Free Zone' to fulfil the quota for the death camps in the east.

PGW