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66 out of 71 people found the following review useful: Much more than a detective drama..., 13 August 2004 Author: ANeary from UK
Foyle's War follows the life of a detective and his team based in Hastings in the south of England during the Second World War. Although he is obviously called on to investigate crimes, the programme deals with so much more - there is a real feel for what it must have been like to be in Britain when it stood alone against Hitler, when the outcome was not just uncertain, but may well have meant invasion and persecution. The period is therefore much more than a "backdrop". For instance, Foyle's son is in the RAF, and his sergeant was seriously wounded in Norway.The scripts are intelligent, the plots engrossing and, with casts drawn from the cream of British actors, the performances are impeccable.
43 out of 44 people found the following review useful: Intelligent, original and brave, 2 August 2005 Author: sacha_brady from Poland
Foyle's War tackles a great many of perceived truths of World War 2 head on, attempting to show a view of wartime Britain in a new light. These are dealt with against the backdrop of a murder which the considered, but burdened detective is called to.Michael Kitchen is absolutely superb as Christopher Foyle. He plays him with a subtle mix of determination and humanity; each performance is multi-layered, giving the viewer the opportunity to see something new each time. The support cast is also extremely good, with each character given appropriate depth and screen time.Overall, this is one to get if you like to watch well-crafted, intelligent drama.
48 out of 54 people found the following review useful: Excellent Period Piece, 15 January 2005 Author: the_real_berserker2 from United States
These shows do a great job of creating an image of the British Home Front that is very different from the one romanticized in the history books. We get a very real feeling that the British public "knew" the war was lost in the darkest hour, yet still kept a stiff upper lip. This tension, combined with wartime secrecy, energizes the drama. The war is like the weather is in other mysteries; criminals often use it as cover for their activities (blackmarket petrol, draft dodging, burglary, blackmail, and the like hidden by blackouts, bombing raids, and official secrets) and it's the job of the police to uncover all of the layers. In doing so, Chief Inspector Foyle asks hard moral questions - even in wartime, when thousands are being killed every day, is murder murder? The "bigger picture" is often cited as justification by the criminals, and, through association, this paints the leaders of the war with the same brush. A great show for children - this can spark interest in the period while also teaching moral lessons. Unlike some nihilistic modern fare, Foyle's War strives to show moral clarity through the confusion.
37 out of 50 people found the following review useful: This is very , very good., 1 November 2004 Author: squareeyes from Glasgow, Scotland
I'm constantly amazed by Michael Kitchen's ability to be intense and agonised but still seem laid back to the point of being almost comatose at times . Very well written and directed apart from the odd driving through the countryside scene with Foyle's and Sam's dialogue being obviously overdubbed . Speaking of Sam , I'm not sure if the fragrant Miss Weeks (Honeysuckle , flowers , oh forget it!) is being slightly tongue in cheek with her Dame Anna Neagle/Celia Johnson " frightfully super " accent but hey , a woman in a uniform is a woman in a uniform ! She can talk anyway she likes . Always very excellent guest actors like Bill Paterson and John Wood so all in all , a quality show .
24 out of 29 people found the following review useful: What an eye-opener, 1 November 2004 Author: Tracey England from Winchester, England
What a great series {so far}. Well done to the cast & all the many others associated/involved with this series. Both my parents were caught up in the war: My Dad was in the RAF, & my mum being nine years younger was evacuated from Portsmouth to an Aunt who lived in the 'country'. I never knew what a 'funk hole' was until watching this series, & when I mentioned it to my Mum, she quite calmly said 'oh yes we all knew about them'. I'm sure others may think that some things are not accurate, but books don't always tell the truth: if ever in doubt ask someone who lived through this time period. Let's hope series three lives up to the other two.
24 out of 30 people found the following review useful: Baby You Can Drive My Car, 4 March 2005 Author: cutterccbaxter from minneapolis, minnesota, on the planet Earth
This is a good idea for a mystery series and it is done well. Michael Kitchen gets a lot of acting mileage out of a slight tilt of the head or a raised eyebrow. He's definitely the master of delivering lines in a low key manner. All the episodes I saw were well constructed narratives and the WW II era was recreated very well. I hope this series continues on for it seems like the producers are capable of coming up with more intriguing stories. Credit must be given to the parents of Honeysuckle Weeks for not only producing a talented daughter but giving her such a charming name. It's a nice little touch to have her character drive Foyle around as he does not drive a car.
20 out of 23 people found the following review useful: Just watched Season 3-, 7 November 2005 Author: paristeri from United States
My sister who lives in Minnesota, told me about this series after she started getting at the library.. I got Season 1 & 2 for her birthday, watched them and pre-ordered Season 3.. Everyone in my family now is watching it-that would be Minn, Washington state, and Florida. My Dad was a B-17 pilot during WWII, both he and my mother really enjoy this story. One really bonds with the characters and the added plus of learning about wartime Britain is fascinating. I highly recommend this series-really good stories and history too. Each DVD seems to have an extra about the actual events that take place in the story. More and more I find I am looking towards the UK, for quality entertainment both in movies and TV..Hope they keep it coming!
15 out of 15 people found the following review useful: Father knows best, 8 August 2007 Author: ddelamaide from United States
This is a compelling and oddly comforting drama. There is the setting and the time -- Hastings, on the southern coast of England during World War II. Hastings of course was the site of the last successful invasion of England, in 1066, and that threat seems real in the early days of the war. In the series, it is a provincial town where Deputy Chief Superintendent Foyle tries to solve local crimes of theft and murder, while dealing with wartime problems of black markets, sabotage and espionage. In addition to meddling from police superiors with their own agendas, Foyle must contend with bureaucratic and military interference from London as the war creates situations that lets criminals go free.Then there are the scripts and the actors, not to mention the overall quality of the production -- lucid photography, theme music with echoes of Brideshead Revisited, period clothing, vehicles, etc. The writing is measured, intelligent, no wasted words. Honeysuckle Weeks and Anthony Howell in the supporting roles of Samantha Stewart and Paul Milner are excellent and play off each other well.But the show belongs to Michael Kitchen and you wonder why you've never seen this actor before and when you will see him again. He conveys the competence and integrity you want in your hero, but the real attraction, I think, is that he is the ultimate father figure. He is concerned about people without wearing it on his sleeve; gruff, even curt, but letting us glimpse the tenderness behind it; and he is wise, not only a clever detective but wise in the ways of the human heart. He is a father not only to his son, Andrew, an RAF pilot, but also to Sam and Milner and to any number of characters in the various episodes, including his goddaughter in the last (final?) episode. Invariably, this father knows best. While he conveys a sense of vulnerability, you never have the feeling Foyle has really made a mistake. This is why I think the films are comforting. With all the chaos of war, and darkness of human behavior, Foyle moves through it all, self-possessed, caring, and ultimately, even when circumstances beyond his control keep him from actually incarcerating the wrongdoer, successful in protecting his charges from evil.
19 out of 24 people found the following review useful: Excellent Historical Mystery, 4 January 2005 Author: 5860backup from VA
I have never been one for the sort of "crime drama" which is popular in the US. But I am a big fan of mysteries. In the past few years I have really become involved with historical mysteries and this seems to be one of the best. Notice history comes first - mystery second. Solving the crime though central to the plot of the Foyle's War stories it is not the key. The important part revealing how people "back then" felt about and reacted to what was going on. I think Foyle's War does an excellent job. You can feel the tension and weariness about the war. I also liked that though the various characters try to justify their actions because "there's a war on" you can tell that internally they know what they are dong is wrong or right. Though Kitchen and cast do an excellent job bringing out these feelings and ideas without words and without over acting, I think we also have to give credit to the Director and the cinematographers.
16 out of 20 people found the following review useful: First Episode, so far, so good, 28 October 2002 Author: Rosusa (unimatrixzero) from United Kingdom
I watched the first episode the other night and I think it is going to be very good. Foyle is a Chief Superintendent in 1940's Hastings. As the war goes on about him, he is forced to deal with the knock on effect of life in War Torn Britain. There is rationing, his superior officer played excellently by Edward Fox is blocking his desire to leave the force and do something useful for the war effort and his only son is about to join the Air-Force. Add to this he hasn't had a Sargent for several months to help with his workload and his new driver, is a Vicar's daughter called Sam played by the delightful Honeysuckle Weeks!The first episode is titled "The German Woman" and deals with the murder of the German wife of a wealthy village Magistrate. Add to this a good dose of small minded village mentality, (it is war after all and the Germans ARE the enemy), black marketing, draft dodging, corruption in high places and the controversial issues concerning the internment of British based Germans plus some excellent acting from a crackingly good cast and you have the potential for a really good series. And I mean really good! Excellent!
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