The Ardrossan estate in Villanova, made famous from “The Philadelphia Story” is now the backdrop for a new film from Haverford native Sarah Megan Thomas, writes, writes J.F. Pirro for mainlinetoday.com.

In a review of “A Call to Spy”, The Guardian talked about “the considerable effort that has clearly gone into re-creating period interiors and ephemera.”

”Funny how they believe the interiors were re-created,” said Joanie Mackie, a family liaison for Villanova’s Ardrossan estate.

For the first time, the iconic home became an actual movie set.

“We used every single room on the first floor,” Thomas said.  “Every room was France, London and Scotland.”

People assumed “The Philadelphia Story” was filmed at the estate, but it wasn’t.

Thomas wrote, produced and plays the lead role in “A Call to Spy”.

The story is based on Winston Churchill’s Secret Operations Executive which recruited and trained women as spies in World War II. The women conducted sabotage and built a resistance in France.

Thomas’ mother hit on the idea to use the estate in the movie. She knew Mackie and had seen a copy of David Nelson Wren’s Ardrossan: The Last Great Estate”.

Read more “A Call to Spy” and the Ardrossan Estate, at mainlinetoday.com.