Customer Reviews

Foyle's War - Set 3

5 star:		(52)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Series 3 of the excellent series Foyle's war was first telecast in the U.S. on PBS on 11, 18, 25 Sep. and 3 Oct. 2005 and was released on DVD on 1 Nov. 2005. However, watching the DVDs of all series is preferable if one wants to see the unexpurgated episodes. Here are the first telecast dates for series 1-4 of Foyle's war:
series 1: telecast UK Oct.-Nov. 2002, US in Feb. 2003 (on Masterpiece theater, with Russell Baker introducing)
series 2: telecast UK Nov.-Dec. 2003, US in July-Aug. 2004 (on Mystery)
series 3: telecast UK Oct.-Nov. 2004, US in Sep.-Oct. 2005 (on Mystery)
series 4: was filmed in spring 2005 and will be telecast in 2006
The PBS broadcasts in the US are edited for a 90-minute period, which includes the Mystery (or Masterpiece theater) opening-closing sequences, between-program promos, etc. This means that each episode is really only 85 minutes long at best. Region 1 DVDs (U.S., Canada), in contrast, are about 100 minutes per episode, as are the region 2 DVDs (Europe--see www.amazon.co.uk): specific values for the 4 episodes on series 2 are (for region 1) 98.5, 97.9, 98.3, 98.3 minutes. Thus in the U.S. for the proper, more nuanced episode watching Foyle's war on DVD is essential and preferable to viewing it on PBS.

Note: In a 28 Sep. 2004 interview with creator-writer Anthony Horowitz, he was asked: "Do you realise that the show is edited to pieces when it's shown on Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in the states?" Horowitz replied: "Yes we're very sorry about that. It's not something I'd choose to do. It's American networking. I'd advise all American fans to get their hands on the English DVDs to see them in full." I note here that American fans need only get the *American* DVDs to see the episodes in full. Also, if you first watch the shortened PBS telecast, you may later wonder about some lengthier scenes when you watch the DVDs.

"Foyle's War" is as much an exploration of the era in which it takes place as it is a series of murder mysteries. Writer/creator Michael Horowitz based the stories on real institutions and circumstances of World War II, as they were experienced by the 2 generations of Englishmen and women whom we see in the films. The attention to detail in dress, speech, and production design is extraordinary. Series 3 takes place in 1941 and incorporates the Women's Land Army, the early years of Special Operations Executive, and the military's pioneering burn treatment centers into the mysteries. Michael Kitchen stars as quiet, perceptive Detective Superintendent Christopher Foyle, a widower and veteran of the First World War, who feels he should be contributing more to the war effort in spite of his great success as a crime-solver. Sergeant Paul Milner (Anthony Howell), a veteran who lost one leg and perhaps his marriage, is Foyle's right-hand man. And Samantha "Sam" Stewart (Honeysuckle Weeks) is Foyle's spirited, youthful driver. "Foyle's War" is a wonderful trip back in time, where ever-popular murder mysteries are set against the intriguing background of a world at war.

The DVDs (Acorn Media 2005): PBS cut these episodes down to 85 minutes for American television. The DVDs contain the full 100-minute versions, which truly are better. There are 4 DVDs, with one episode per disc. Bonus features on Disc 1 are: "The Making of Foyle's War" (24 min) which follows one day of filming "Enemy Fire" on an RAF airstrip in Buckinghamshire, including filming the crashing spitfire. "Production Notes: Anthony Horowitz" (text) comments on history and characters. This was also on the PBS web site. "The Truth Behind `The French Drop'" (text) discusses the SOE that was created by Churchill in 1940 for purposes of sabotage and subversion. In "Cast Reflections" (text), 6 cast members comment on their characters and the series. There are also "Cast Filmographies" for 6 cast members.

"The French Drop" finds Foyle still dissatisfied with being a police detective and trying to get a transfer to Naval Intelligence. He's distracted from his discontent when a young man is found blown to bits in a book depository, apparently a suicide. The only clue to his identity is an engraved gold pocket watch, which indicates that he is William Messinger, son of Major General Giles Messinger (Ronald Pickup) of MI5 and an agent himself for the super-secret Special Operations Executive (SOE), specializing in "the arts of ungentlemanly warfare". Foyle tangles with William's commanding officer Colonel James Wintringham (Samuel West) and interdepartmental rivalries in the intelligence community to unravel this complex case in which no one seems to be who they say.

In "Enemy Fire", the Royal Air Force has requisitioned Digby Manor, the stately home of Sir Michael Waterford (John Wood), to use as a burn treatment center under the administration of the unorthodox Dr. Jamieson (Bill Paterson). Dr. Brian Wrenn (Jonathan Slinger), a surgeon at the center, has become frustrated by a rash of petty accidents that appear to be sabotage. Meanwhile, DCS Foyle's son Andrew (Juilan Ovenden), an RAF Spitfire pilot, is showing signs of battle fatigue from constant sorties and sleep deprivation, exacerbated by an incompetent mechanic, Gordon Drake (Shaun Dooley). Violent and predatory, Drake makes enemies left and right. So it's no great surprise when he's found dead. In Foyle's words, "It seems half of Hastings decided to do away with him at much the same time."

"They Fought in the Fields" refers to the volunteers of the Women's Land Army, who kept Great Britain in meat and potatoes throughout the war in exchange for a pittance wages. Two Germans airmen bail out of their plane as it crashes in the English countryside and are picked up by Detective Foyle and Sergeant Milner. On the nearby Jackson farm, Rose (Paula Jennings) and Joan (Jenny Platt) of the Women's Land Army assist elderly Mr. Hugh Jackson (Nigel Terry), while their outspoken tenant, pole selector Barbara Hicks (Stella Gonet), takes a dim view of men. Mr. Jackson is found murdered in his home, and another German parachutist is found dangling from a tree. Sam joins Rose and Joan on the farm in search of clues to Jackson's murder. And Foyle suspects something is going on between those 3 Germans at the POW camp where they have been incarcerated.

In "A War of Nerves", Foyle's undercover investigation into stolen black market supplies is interrupted when Assistant Commissioner Rose (Corin Redgrave) insists that he investigate left-wing activist Raymond Carter (Peter Capaldi), who has come to town for a meeting of "The People's Convention". Unexploded German bombs are falling all over. When Captain Hammond (Dugald Bruce-Lockhart), Jack Archer (Samuel Oatley), and Ernest Jones (Fergus O'Donnell) of the bomb disposal unit enter an abandoned machine shop at Talbot's ship yard to diffuse one of them, they find a stash of cash and decide to keep it. But Earnest is abducted, Commissioner Rose is putting pressure on everyone everywhere to incriminate Raymond Carter, and all roads seem to lead to the shipyard and its owners, the brothers Talbot (David Westhead & Matthew Flynn).

This series just keeps getting better and better. I loved Series 1 and 2 and didn't perceive that there was anyway Series 3 could be any better. I'm pleased to say that I WAS WRONG! Series three is awesome. The characters are more intriguing maturing in a most realistic manner with the stories being even more fascinating. A fine example is "A war of Nerves" that episode truly kept me on the edge of my seat. Likewise, "A French Drop" is spectacular!
If you're into "Good" mysteries, you can't get any better than this. So buy this disc; you'll love it!

Foyle's War season 3 was a long time coming (or at least it felt like it!) and I am happy to say that it measures up in every way to the excellent standard already set.

To get the nitpicking out of the way first, the picture quality seems a little less pristine than in the previous release, with the dark scenes, and even a few of the daytime scenes, a little grainy. Minor matter. Also, the "making of" documentary on disk one was nothing of the sort, merely a roughly narrated "day on the set" coverage of the making of one scene in particular. It is interesting to watch, but a true "making-of" would be very welcome at this point in the series. Also a minor matter.

Nit-picking mode: off.

What continues to impress me about this series is the meticulous attention to detail and to historical accuracy. Each story is built around actual events, from which the mystery naturally springs. Season three finds the stories becoming more graphic (yes, that pinkish stuff all over the walls is brains), and evolving somewhat from the cozy-mystery-in-a-large-estate of season one to a grittier (dare I say more realistic?) type of mystery. And yet the show brilliantly manages to maintain that charm and humor that have made it so popular.

The best episode of the lot is the first, The French Drop, guest starring the wonderful Ronald Pickup and the equally wonderful Samuel West (Hornblower fans will recognize both). A fantastic episode with an expertly maintained sense of tension. Has to be watched again to be appreciated! And there is plenty of humor, with Sam doing a bit of sleuthing on the side, and Sgt. Rivers selling raffle tickets for an onion.

Of the remaining three episodes, the fourth, A War of Nerves, is the most unique - there is no murder until nearly two-thirds into it, and there is never any question of whodunit, or why. But in its own way, this episode might be one of the most brilliant, exploring a vast range of human emotion, from the terror and futility of those who have the job of disarming unexploded bombs, to the love and fear of a girl anxious to marry her beau before the war takes his life, to the desperation of a father willing to do anything to protect his daughter. And underneath it all is the ugliness of greed.

Through each new challenge, DCS Foyle remains his enigmatic self, and Michael Kitchen maintains his character with perfection, allowing us to see more and more of him at every turn, and yet still shrouding Foyle in mystery. Acting simply doesn't get any better.

The DVDs offer more extras than the previous two seasons, all of which are welcome. The "story behind the story" is really the meat and potatoes of the series, and crucial to fully appreciating each episode. Also, cast reflections (all text) are entertaining and sometimes insightful reading.

I could wish for more special features, a true "making-of" or an interview with Michael Kitchen would be a good start, but their lack in no way affects the greatness of this set. I am amazed at the quality of this series, absolutely unmatched in television today.

Now...looking forward to Season Four!

I loved this program and all that went with it - my daugher who is a freshman at Dordt College loved it also - worth every cent and more. The stories intriguing, the film work is gorgeous - and the characters have depth and intelligence.

FOR THE FIRST TIME I AGREE WITH EVERY REVIEW I'VE READ HERE .
I BOUGHT SET 3 AND LOVED HOW DETAILED THE SHOW IS . ON THE EXTRA FEATURES , EVERYTHING IS EXPLAINED JUST HOW PAINSTAKINGLY THE PRODUCERS , ETC. WENT TO TO MAKE YOU FEEL THAT YOU WERE REALLY VIEWING ENGLAND IN 1941 .

I TOO HAVE SEEN MANY PBS SHOWS INCLUDING THIS ONE BUT, WAS UNAWARE THAT THE DVD SET WOULD GIVE ME ANOTHER 20 MINUTES VIEWING ON EACH DVD RATHER THEN THE SLIGHTLY SHORTENED VERSION ON PBS .

I VERY MUCH ENJOY TOO, THE IDEA THAT MOST OF THESE STORIES ARE BASED IN FACT . OUTSTANDING JOB ! THIS WILL NOT BE MY LAST SET .

WELL WORTH THE MONEY TO HAVE FOUR GREAT SHOWS OF " FOYLES WAR " IN THE SET AT 100 MINUTES EACH . AND FREE S/H TOO , ANOTHER GREAT JOB BY AMAZON !!! A REAL KEEPER !

This is a superior series set during WWII. The acting is perfection and the plots are great. It is unnerving to think how close Hitler came to destroying England but the saying that England owed so much to so few (heros) was absolutely true. A lesson we need to rremember today.

The third set of Foyle's War is just as marvelous as the first two. The characters' backstories continue to develop as Foyle and Co. solve more crimes relating to the Second World War in England.

If you haven't yet watched FW, do start at the beginning (unlike some other mystery series, FW emphasizes the chronology of its time (WWII), and also several characters go through events that could be called "spoilers" if I mentioned them). If you have seen Foyle's War 1 and 2 and liked them, rest assured that this set continues the high quality of the series.

This is the last set available to purchase in the US (as of this review), but I have read that four more episodes will be released in 2007, so there is more Foyle to come! I suspect the series will come to a close when WWII ends.

All three sets of Foyle's War have been an excellent view of life under true war conditions. Mr. Foyle's vulnerability and nobility are evident in each and every episode. We hope that the few episodes not now in a boxed set will be so rendered shortly.

It's now 1941 and Detective Chief Inspector Christopher Foyle (Michael Kitchen) is in the third season of Foyle's War. The series remains as well-written and gripping as the first two seasons were. Foyle is a British cop based in the southern part of England. Britain, woefully unprepared, is at war with Germany. Foyle is a taciturn man, even sad. He has lost his wife and his son is a fighter pilot in the RAF. In 1939 Foyle desperately wanted to join up, too, but was told by his superiors that his talents are far better utilized where he is. Foyle is a dedicated, no-nonsense cop. He's respectful to authority and the rich, but he isn't intimidated. If a person has committed a crime, especially one which could damage Britain's war effort, Foyle will never let up until the crime is solved and justice -- by the book -- is done.

This series is effective for several reasons. The production values are high. A great deal of effort has been placed in evoking the look and style of England at the start of WWII. The cast which backs up Kitchen is first rate. These include the ongoing characters of Samantha Stewart played by Honeysuckle Weeks (a great name) as Foyle's driver. Stewart is an energetic, curious young woman, brave when she needs to be, who has earned Foyle's respect. Paul Milner is played by Anthony Howell. Milner, who lost a leg in the Norway campaign, was assigned to Foyle as his detective sergeant. Milner had to build back his confidence and Foyle wasn't able to give him much time to do so. Milner now has become an integral part of Foyle's team. Showing up in one-time roles in this third season are such accomplished actors as Ronald Pickup, John Wood, Bill Paterson, James Wilby and Peter Capaldi.

Most of all, the series works so well because of Michael Kitchen and the mysteries themselves, all of which are drawn from issues of the early war period. Kitchen is an excellent, subtle, versatile actor whose long career includes the amusing and reprehensibly egoistic doctor in Reckless, the well-intentioned but naive king utterly outmaneuvered by Francis Urquhart in To Play the King and the unprincipled charlatan who finds himself facing Inspector Morse. Inspector Foyle is a serious, thoughtful man of high principles, who keeps most of his deepest feelings to himself but who is not without a sense of wry humor. Kitchen captures the man perfectly. The mysteries this season involve German POWs and assassinations, a hospital for RAF burn victims and the unconventional head surgeon, a murder which may involve rival spy agencies, the doings of a Communist agitator and a crime racket involving a shipyard.

Also out are Seasons 1 and 2, with 4 on its way. Each of the four stories is approximately 1' 40" long. The four DVDs in the set have excellent pictures and audio. Extras include "making of" footage, cast comments and cast filmographies.