Foyle's War: Series 1-5 - From Dunkirk to VE-Day Review

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(More customer reviews)"FOYLE'S WAR: Sets 1-5" presents British Home Front war-life through poignant topics, compelling suspense, and many mirthful moments. Masterpiece Theatre created a 6-year running (2002-2008) British mystery masterpiece. They outdid themselves. This "War Years" series of 19 feature-length episodes is now available as a set and thus a better price. Wow, 32 hours, of sure-to-please mystery/period drama.
It is a 1940-45 Southern England countryside experience not to be missed. It serves as a home-front view documentary of the English WWII involvement and resulting life-style of the population away from the active war front. This series begins in May, 1940 when all England expects an eminent invasion from Germany. You'll learn lots about the British WW2 home-war preparedness.
On the other hand, FOYLE'S WAR is a series of some of the best 21st century written murder mystery stories ever presented on television--or theater. An interview bonus feature with creator/writer Anthony Horowitz proves that the dual focus--mystery/period drama--was intentional from day one. The combined perfection is "jolly good show." It's hard to believe--but, 19 episodes comprising 32 hours is simply not enough of "Foyle's War." You'll want to move from #1 through to #19 without stopping to sleep. It's that good.
Christopher Foyle (Michael Kitchen) is a cop who'd rather be on the war front than investigating crime in Hastings, England. His cases, almost always murder, are quite involved, and never fail to end with a surprise--or two. I'll stick my neck out--Foyle's as good as Poirot. Foyle recruits help from an ex-soldier who lost a leg. Milner (Anthony Howell) manages to do much of Foyle's "leg-work" on an artificial limb.
Foyle is assigned a female driver, "Sam" for Samantha Stewart. She's a gorgeous red-head with a winning, million-dollar smile. Sam is as much fun watching in the series as her real name indicates--Honeysuckle Weeks (The Rag Nymph; Catherine Cookson book/movie classic, recommended!) She wins "Miss Congeniality" of the 1940s decade.
Perfect attention is given to the period details; sets, costumes, vehicles, architecture, even down to NO yellow road lines.
Both Foyle and Sam speak volumes of dialogue with nothing but facial expressions. Their performances are nothing short of superb. Perfection.
Additional guest cast members of each episode are well-known stars in their own right--following the tradition of some of the top Masterpiece Theatre productions. It is understood that Foyle will continue in a NEW post-war mystery suspense scheduled for perhaps a 2010 airing.
Closed Captioning provides for the hearing impaired and those of us who struggle with some British accents and slang. The set has cast filmographies on all the top regular and guest stars.
"FOYLE'S WAR" is to British mystery what "THE PALLISERS" is to British political drama, OR what "MONARCH OF THE GLEN" is to Scottish Highland drama. After you've experienced Foyle's War, I recommend either of the other 2 series.
Foyle's War Episodes (Remember: EACH LIKE A MOVIE IN ITSELF):
* The German Woman October27, 2002
* The White Feather November 3, 2002
* A Lesson in Murder November 10, 2002
* Eagle Day November 17, 2002
* Fifty Ships November 16, 2003
* Among the Few November 23, 2003
* War Games November 30, 2003
* The Funk Hole December 7, 2003
* The French Drop October 24, 2004
* Enemy Fire October 31, 2004
* They Fought in the Fields November 7, 2004
* A War of Nerves November 14, 2004
* Invasion January 15, 2006
* Bad Blood January 22, 2006
* Bleak Midwinter February 11, 2007
* Casualties of War February 25, 2007
* Plan of Attack January 6, 2008
* Broken Souls March 23, 2008
* All Clear March 24, 2008


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Riveting mysteries set against the backdrop of World War II history
"A triumph from start to finish" --The Wall Street Journal
"Brilliantly explores the moral gray areas of war" --San Francisco Chronicle
Combining uncompromising historical accuracy with compelling mysteries, this award-winning British series opens a unique window on a significant time and place. Michael Kitchen (Out of Africa) stars as the laconic Christopher Foyle, detective chief superintendent in the English town of Hastings. As World War II ravages the social fabric of this once quiet coastal community, Foyle investigates crimes the conflict has fostered on the home front. The 19 mysteries in this collection follow the course of the war from 1940 to 1945.
Also starring Anthony Howell and Honeysuckle Weeks. Guest stars include Julian Ovenden, Corin Redgrave, Robert Hardy, Charles Dance, Michael Jayston, Rosamund Pike, Amanda Root, James Wilby, and James McAvoy.
Includes all episodes from Foyle\'s War Sets 1–5.
DVD SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE exclusive interviews with series writer and creator Anthony Horowitz and stars Anthony Howell and Honeysuckle Weeks, making-of documentaries, production notes, historical backgrounds, cast reflections, notes on a real-life Foyle, photo gallery, and cast filmographies.

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