Cheap Foyle's War - Set 1 (DVD) (Michael Kitchen) Price

Related Products

Customer Reviews of Foyle's War - Set 1

I especially like its Britain -- no London / manorial ambience: Hitler lurks 30 miles across the Channel washing at our feet, the Battle of Britain has yet to be won, the Yanks not yet "overpaid, oversexed, and over here." At any time, a storm of Nazi bombs, naval gunfire, and assault troops could smash into the deceptively tranquil seaside setting, making the visit from William the Conqueror 874 years earlier seem like a romp in the meadow.

Foyle is recently widowed, and must also solve cases not only amid the chaos of the Dunkirk rescue and attempts to set up coastal defenses, but also knowing that his son is one of the outnumbered pilots keeping the Nazi storm offshore, even falsely accused by a dishonest superior in one episode. Foyle is human, doesn't drive(!) and is not delighted that his driver Sam turns out to be a Samantha -- until she conks a felon escaping him. Kitchen and Weeks are perfect, with Weeks's heroic status multiplied by learning from the DVD extras that she DID OVER ONE HUNDRED TAKES of eating the same sandwich and still made it look like her first bite. Too bad we so seldom find actors as uniformly marvelous as in British productions.

I will expand no more on the excellent reviews by others who appreciated this series, except to agree most enthusiastically. This is not only a superb mystery series, but an excellent reminder, in a setting not well-known in the US, of the courage and determination that the ordinary Brits found among their sometimes lovable quirks at a time when they stood alone as others caved in to Hitler.

The technological quality of the DVD's is superb. These great British TV series are reason enough to stay with the 4:3 format and leave wide screens to those whose taste has sunk to (or never rose above) Hollywood.

Intriguing and timely period mystery
I happened to catch the end of "The White Feather" on Masterpiece Theater recently, and eagerly came back for the following two episodes. This extremely impressive series is set in 1940 England, and the atmosphere is immaculate to the last detail.

Michael Kitchen is simply suberb as Detective Chief Superintendant Christopher Foyle, who longs to do his part for the war but is "too valuable" to the police force - and so he is stuck at home, fighting his own personal war against crime. And yet WWII plays a major role in each episode, and is a fantastic backdrop for this mystery/drama.

The plots are complex, some better than others, and the characters extremely well developed. While Foyle is curiously quiet, he is a deeply engrossing character whose silent strength inspires great loyalty in those around him. Though he often says little, the power of Michael Kitchen's sublime performance is in the expressiveness of his eyes - which speak much louder than words.

Ironically, the episode that drew me in (The White Feather) has ended up being my least favorite. Although the mystery is well plotted and the characters very intriguing, the subject matter (fascism) is very ugly. It was, however, a painful reality of life at the time.

The best mystery among the lot is episode three, A Lesson in Murder, and perhaps my favorite episode is the fourth, Eagle Day. I love the relationship between Foyle and his son Andrew, which is portrayed with perfect restraint. They love each other deeply, but maintain that distant, British politeness that we Americans often mistake for coldness. This is superbly done, and Andrew (Julian Ovenden) is very charming. Eagle Day sees this relationship at its ironic best. Honeysuckle Weeks is spot-on perfect as Sam Stewart, and is the character the viewer (at least the female viewer) most easily identifies with - and therefore is crucially important. Well done, to all!

I was very pleased with the widescreen presentation on the DVD, as well as the two-part interview with writer/creator Anthony Horowitz, which is well worth watching. The only real disappointment is that the production notes are identical for all four DVDs, but this is a small complaint in light of the overall suberb quality of this series.

Eagerly looking forward to Season Two...

A Good Plot... A Likeable Protagonist
It's rare to find those two things together. They come together beautifully in this series. Various issues facing the British population of 1940 are well illustrated such as the treatment of conscientious objectors, Nazi sympathizers, anti-semitism. Now combine these factors with class distinction, family disputes and the abuse of power and a powerful recipe for a great story emerges. Cheers to actor Michael Kitchens for a top-notch performance! The casting was excellent in this series. If this series interests you, I highly recommend the series "The Enemy at the Door" about the invasion of the Channel Islands by the Nazis. This series shows what life was like for the citizens of the islands under German control as well as what life was like for the German officers and soldiers.