We'll Meet Again Review

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(More customer reviews)Compelling war drama about a USA Air Base in England. Struggling B-17 crews find solace among British ladies. The Yank's money is appreciated but not always their ways with alcohol and women. This is a story of the small village of Market Wetherby and it's war-weary locals, and how they cope with the new arrivals, American bomber soldiers who freshly join the war, and expect to win overnight.
The British TV has always been excellent in period television series, war dramatizations, and this is no exception. War nostalgia. It is surpurb, with added interest of half a cast of Americans joining British actors. Brits have the preserved buildings to pull off a period series. They use that to advantage. Beautiful 1943 scenery, costumes, props. This show was actually filmed in the 80s but because of the historical setting, it is a timeless DVD set; classic. Perfect for those with war interest, awesome for those interested in what it was like living in a country waiting to be invaded by Hitler's army. It is something of a cousin series to the more recent homeland war drama of "Foyles War" (a must for all British Drama fans) and "Enemy at the Door" (also good).
WE'LL MEET AGAIN cleverly mixes in actual bomber air strip and bombing raid footage. But much of the action takes place in the village homes and the local pub. Dr. Helen Dereham (by Susannah York) and Maj. Jim Kiley (Michael Shannon) are only two that show the extraordinary work that war leaders had to complete, as well as the struggles romantically of working so closely in life/death living. There's is not the only romance. Plenty of hardship and lives lost. Very believable, although I'm too young to know first-hand, being a Baby Boomer.
The series ends well; but with a potential for another season, which, alas, never came. This set has no subtitles or CC. It's box warning of partial nudity refers to one breast exposed for 3 seconds.
My wife and I both enjoyed this, both sorry there were no additional episodes after the 13 provided in this set.
Episode details (each about 53 min.):
1 ALL DAY AND EVERY DAY-Market Wetherby, Suffolk, April 1943. American Air Force arrives in England ungraciously.
2 HANDS ACROSS THE SEA-Cocky American crews fail to perform well in the air & on the local ground.
3 THE MILK RUN-Letty's Uncle Sid arrives with contraband booze while she falls for a Yank on a 'milk run'-safe mission.
4 ONE STEP FORWARD,TWO STEPS BACK-Some romance buds but overall relations remain tense.
5 THE BIG ONE-Market Wetherby & the American Base find some agreeable relationships. 'The Big One' mission heads over Germany.
6 UP THE SMOKE-Some Yanks get London R&R while Dr. Dereham ponders her feelings between her injured husband & US Maj Kylie.
7 FIGHTING MEN-2 men in English woman's lives seems to become a minor epidemic, plus secrets are found out.
8 A WING AND A PRAYER-Yank marries a local just prior to a dangerous raid.
9 YOU'LL NEVER KNOW-2 Brit wives contemplate continued relations with Yanks. 3 sec. of female nudity.
10 OLD ENOUGH TO FIGHT-Maj Kiley halts his romantic relationship causing poor results at work.
11 ONE DAY AT A TIME-Maj Kiley gets more active in the air & personally as death touches others lives.
12 EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES-Dr. Dereham adds more bedside time to her manner dealing with Maj Kiley's injuries.
13 THE END OF THE BEGINNING-It's love & war and time to choose permanent sides on romance issues.

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Cadfael - One Corpse Too Many Review

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(More customer reviews)I enjoy a good murder mystery of the classical type, and the Brother Cadfael series is particularly good. The author Ellis Peters (Edith Pargiter, 1913-1995), like Agatha Christie, Nagio Marsh and Dorothy Sayers, was popular during the mid-20th Century and wrote prolifically during that time. There are some 20 Cadfael books. The film One Corpse Too Many, based upon the book of the same name, was the first one I saw on Public TV. It hooked me irrevocably. The setting is incredibly authentic and colorful. The different orders of society: nobleman, servant, military man, tradesman, artisan, abbott, monk, and priest are carefully wrought to produce a period piece with more detail and clearer dialogue than a Shakespearean play. It would be a wonderful way of introducing young people to history.
The setting of the story is 12th Century England, a period of particular turmoil. Henry I had died without a legitimate male heir, and he had designated his daughter Matilda as his successor, binding his nobles by oath to support her. Although many of them did, including her very able half brother, an illegitimate son of Henry made an Earl by his father, many of them threw their support behind her cousin, Steven. Matilda, or Maud as she is referred to, was a granddaughter of William the Conqueror and no push over herself. She fought her cousin from a base in coastal France, where the family held land in fief of the King of France and where marriage alliances had placed her as wife of Geoffery, the Duke of Anjou. With her Norman support in France and her loyal factions in England, she made enough of a threat to Steven's rule to ultimately obtain a guarantee of succession to the English throne for her son Henry, ultimately Henry II. Until that time, warfare turned most of England into a battle ground and life for everyone a matter of ceaseless uncertainty. Added to this was the rancour still apparent in the social divisions between the largely Saxon population and their Norman rulers. The fall of the Saxon monarchy was only a hundred years previous and hostility still existed.
Cadfael, the central character of the series, is a Dominican monk and herbalist, and Dereck Jacobi is the perfect personification of him. He has a presence which suggests strength, wisdom, and compassion. Unlike most of the other brothers, Cadfael had spent most of his life in the secular world where he participated in the crusades, had adventures, fell in and out of love, and took his order after finding the ways of the world wanting. He comes from a different culture, that of Wales, and sees that of England through an outsider's more objective eyes. His experience with life and the motives of men and his keen awareness of detail makes him the perfect sleuth, and when murder is committed, the civil authorities are more than willing to have him clear things up for them.
In One Corpse Too Many, probably the best of the series, the forces of Queen Maude and those of Steven clash. The castle and Maude's supporters are captured, but not until the leaders of the rebellion make their escape. Steven vows to have them, and puts the castle's owner to torture to extract the information from him. When he refuses, Steven puts all the defenders to death. The monks of the Abbey having asked the king's leave to bury the victims, request Cadfael, who has "experience in these matters" to take over the detail of returning the bodies to the families. He agrees but discovers that there is "one corpse too many." Once Steven is convinced that a murder unpunished will reflect badly upon the king's justice, he commissions Cadfael to discover the villain. This is the first time that the character of the nobleman Hugh Beringer (Eorin McCarthy) is introduced. In his attempt to win the trust of Steven, he is given a mission which places him athwart Cadfael. The two match wits with interesting outcomes. The end of the film is a fine display of trial by combat. A thoroughly real and well researched visit to the Middle Ages.

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ONE CORPSE TOO MANY - DVD Movie

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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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