Foyle's War, Series 1, Ep. 1 "The German Woman"

 

Foyle's War, Series 1, Ep. 1 "The German Woman"

 

Product Details

• Episode 1, "The German Woman"
• Synopsis: At a time when German nationals are being interned in British camps, the beautiful Austrian wife of a local magistrate is resented by locals. When she is found murdered, a swastika painted on a nearby tree, Foyle realizes the seemingly peaceful Sussex town harbors any number of suspects.
• Original air date: October 27, 2002
• Runtime: 1 hour 39 minutes
• ASIN: B0036DCJMA

Product Description

At a time when German nationals are becoming interned in British camps, the attractive Austrian wife of a local magistrate is resented by locals. When she is located murdered, a swastika painted on a nearby tree, Foyle realizes the seemingly peaceful Sussex town harbors any quantity of suspects.

• Runtime: 1 hour 39 minutes
• Original air date: October 27, 2002
• Network: Acorn Media

Customer Reviews

"The German Woman" is the first episode of the first year of the British TV series "Foyle's War". The plot focuses on the wife of a wealthy, influential official. The woman of German extraction is getting preferential treatment because of her husband's position and power. Germans living in Britain were classified as aliens, and if they lived within five miles of the coast, they were supposed to be evacuated and interned because they were deemed to be a threat. The wife was permitted to stay in the family mansion and carry on her regular activities which included energetic horseback riding. The excuse for her being allowed to stay was that the family doctor had certified that she wasn't well enough to be moved.
Police Detective Chief Inspector, Christopher Foyle (subtly delineated by Michael Kitchen) wants to serve in the forces, but his commander says that ordinary crime such as murder will continue despite the war and must be investigated. In the series many of the murders that take place are motivated by wartime events and the upheavals brought about by a nation under siege. It starts in England in 1940 during World War II. Anti-German sentiment ran high during the war, and this hatred percolated into murder. Thus we have Foyle, the civilian cop, doing his necessary job to solve a crime.
This episode has a complicated but easy-to-follow plot with many nooks and crannies. We see Foyle's first meeting with his perky and inquisitive female military driver, Samantha, called Sam (played by Honeysuckle Weeks). She turns out to be a good detective. He also hires on Sergeant Milner who has lost a leg in the war. Foyle's university son is headed for RAF service.
It's a neat plot with a good helping of suspects and two murders. The episode has beautiful views of the bucolic countryside and outstanding acting. Edward Fox plays a cameo role. The series hallmark is authenticity. People carry their gas mask bags; we see the vintage vehicles, clothes, railroad trains, and see the importance of radio in a pre-TV period.

After years of wanting to see this series, I finally began with the first episode of the first season. The Amazon preview ruined the suspense, since it describes what happens, how many people die, etc. It was still agonizingly taut, well acted, and deeply moving. I will be watching more.

 

Foyle's War, Series 1, Ep. 1 "The German Woman"

 

Rating: 4.5