Foyles War

[Spitfire]

I just love that TV-serie. Great stories, difficult enough mysteries, fairly accurate and true to the time. And wellplayed - especially by the leading characters. But what about the wardrobe?
I know that the Irvins has allready been discussed on WWII and got the What do you ladies and gents think about it?
I must say I enjoy it - but I am far from an expert when it comes to vintage clothing.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

his sidekick (with the leg issues) has what i am absolutely convinced is a vintage wardrobe. Foyle himself i am not so sure about.

I think Kitchen is perhaps the worst actor i've ever seen (worse than Keanu Reeves ... really). I cringe every time he opens his mouth because i know he's going to say his lines in that ruminative, every-line-a-question, pause-every-two-words way of his. And the young dame just irritates me beyond words. Very badly acted.

bk

 

[Nick Charles]

You don't like Kitchens dry delivery. IMHO if find it delightful. Sort of English Chistopher Walken without as many words.

Milener does have great clothes though.

 

[Baggers]

I like Kitchen. He's marvelously subtle. I have a great time just watching his face. His fedora, however, leaves much to be desired. In the first series I believe it was dark green, but lately they've given him one that looks purple! And could the brim be any flatter? Oh well, there is a war on after all...

I'm going through series three right now, and it still amazes me that they haven't been able to find or build a uniform tunic for Honeysuckle Weeks with a collar that will lay correctly. The one she wears always rides up at the back.

Let's see, other mistakes are the Mk VI respirator bags that the extras are always wearing backwards and their usually ill fitting battledress uniforms. Then there are the SD caps on most of the RAF fighter pilots that are probably too big for them because the peaks lay absolutely flat. And in the last episode I watched, They Fought in the Fields, the Army major was wearing a a nice service dress uniform, but at the end of the episode they hung a P37 canvas web pistol holster on his leather Sam Browne belt!

And why is Foyle's RAF pilot son always flying a Spitfire with a Polish Air Force insignia on the engine cowling? I don't recall him ever being posted to a Polish squadron. [huh]

Beyond that, a thoroughly enjoyable series. Disc 4 arrives tomorrow from Netflix.

Cheers!

 

[BegintheBeguine]

I like subtlety and understatement, so I like Kitchen's performance. As for Miss Honeysuckle, I am crazy about her. I've decided they put her in an ill-fitting uniform on purpose: it looks like something issued and she hasn't had time or wherewithal to make it right. Reminds me of the gym uniform I used to have to wear. Shudder. The son and the assistant are pretty cute, too. My dad said Foyle looked like someone who took his wardrobe out of storage so he'd have soemthing to wear to work everyday.

 

[Mojave Jack]

I have to say I really like the show, too; all of it. I guess I don't find myself paying as much attention to the wardrobe when the plot is new to me, and I haven't seen it enough for it to be particularly familiar. I think it is very well-written, and I love learning all of the little trivial things about life during the war. I guess it is that bit that makes me really like the show.

 

[BellyTank]

I liked the show too.
It was, of course, a little lame in parts and there are a few historial/gear inaccuracies.

The hats were bad- but English hats of that era were quite different from American examples.

I think Michael Kitchen's portrayal of Foyle is good- it is an understated performance but that IS Foyle's character- that's the way he is.

I say bring back some other quality, British WW2 series, like 'Secret Army' - (Belgian Resistance helping downed RAF pilots BBC '77-'79) and 'Enemy at the Door'- (German occupation of the Channel Islands ITV '79-'80).

One could say that 'Allo, Allo' was a cheezy comedy version of 'Secret Army'.

Another of my all-time favourite is 'Private Schulz'- with Ian Richardson and Michael Elphick, actually a comedy(a very dramatic one), with a great cast.

(The comic misadventures of Private Schulz, an easy-going conman who, after being drafted into the SS, instigates a plan to forge five pound notes, ostensibly to destabilise the British economy, but really to make himself rich.)

http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/1129245/index.html

Secret Army: http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/1127944/index.html

Enemy at the Door: http://www.screenonline.org.uk/tv/id/1129467/index.html

Bring them back!

B
T

 

[Flitcraft]

Wow, BT!
As usual, Sir, you are a veritable treasure trove of useful, albeit arcane, information!
I'd never heard of 'Private Schulz', but I followed the link and read the description- what a great idea for a show.
Now, the real question, is it on DVD?

 

[BellyTank]

Not even on VHS apparently...

B
T

 

[dr greg]

the heat

Kitchen no good? Well sir, he may be predictable, but by god, he's Brando compared to Keanu, and I haven't even lowered the bucket into the cesspit to drag up Antonio Banderas!
F's War was OK by me!