Enemy at the Door Set 1: Enemy at the Door: Movies & TV
Enemy at the Door Set 1: Enemy at the Door: Movies & TV
Product Description
It takes more courage to stay than to escape
After Nazi Germany invades the British Channel Islands in the summer of 1940, the occupiers and the occupied settle into an uneasy coexistence. But when does cooperation become collaboration for islanders just trying to survive? How tolerant can the German commandant be before falling under the suspicious eye of Berlin?
This gripping British drama series tells of the stresses and strains, loyalties and loves of civilians and soldiers alike, in a world where shades of gray blur the hard line between black and white. Passion battles against restraint. Pragmatism struggles with principle. And internal conflicts rage as fiercely as those on the battlefield. Ultimately, both sides find they are compromised as much by the actions of their compatriots as they are by the enemy that is always at the door.
Alfred Burke (Public Eye) and Bernard Horsfall (On Her Majesty’s Secret Service) star, with guest stars including John Nettles (Midsomer Murders) and Anthony Stewart Head (TV’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer).
DVD SPECIAL FEATURE INCLUDES historical background on the Channel Islands.
Historical drama that gets to the heart of civilians caught up in war.,
By Harold Wolf “Doc” (Wells, IN United States) - See all my reviews
“Enemy at the Door” begins in June, 1940, as the English Channel island, Guernsey, received the undesired but expected arrival of German soldiers. The occupying force was established as a doorway into England. It was a political and psychological ploy to gain advantage over the British, who as yet were victorious with the air war over the Channel.
The first few episodes well establish the main characters, the struggle between the nationalities, as well as the sentiments of the individuals involved. Many island locals have mixed feelings about the need for assisting in any way with the occupation force. Some must walk the fine line between helping the Nazi command and looking out for the needs of the island’s inhabitants during the occupation. A young rich local, Peter Porteous (Richard Heffer), leans on the defiant side of the line. Island doctor, Philip Martel (Branard Horsfall), reluctantly takes a role on the local committee to work with the enemy command in hopes it will advance fair treatment for the Guernsey population. His daughter, Clair (Emily Richard) is much less sympathetic and agreeable. Leading the German officers is Maj. Richter (Alfred Burke), who desires compliance but hopes it to be a less than combative existence for both sides. But he must follow orders. The complications of both sides trying to make an unwanted situation work is what makes this series so compelling.
Each episode is like a stand-alone story about living on this occupied island, amidst the fears of war, yet having to learn to live with and under an enemy force. Stories surrounding the lives of local persons, such as the librarian, young girls swayed by even enemy uniforms, a barber, and others, creates both exciting and heartbreaking plots about the loves, interaction, hateful attacks, plus attempts at normalcy in a time when “normal” has no lasting definition.
This series is a real eye-opener to those of us who have never had to experience war, let alone living under the occupation of an enemy force. This is definitely not your normal WWII drama. It can leave you hating the German force in one episode and feeling some compassion for the Nazi officers in the next. There is enough connection by main characters to tie together all of the episodes, but viewers are not compelled to force the watching of all 13 at one sitting. Fear not, there is no need to study-up on the British/German WWII activity prior to watching. This set of episodes has more to do with local living, and interaction between people during war, than it does with the military war itself.
Some captioning to assist with the British accents would have been occasionally helpful but is not a lasting problem. My wife and I were surprised to find this historical drama quite addicting. Very believable situations and human reaction make “Enemy at the Door” a recommended viewing.
A Good Addition to the Shelf,
By Stephanie DePue (Carolina Beach, NC USA) - See all my reviews
“Enemy at the Door,” a British television series, was made in the late 1970’s, once again for Britain’s independent - privately owned - television stations (ITV). It ran for two seasons on ITV, from 1978-1980, and was broadcast in the U.S. on public television. It combines two highly popular genres, period drama and World War II history. Its series 1 now reaches us in a four DVD box set, comprising 13 episodes, running approximately 663 minutes, with special features including historical background. Unfortunately, it does not include subtitles that would be most welcome in a series of this nature, with such varied accents; still, it is possible to follow the action well enough. (Series 2, not yet released, comprises another 13 episodes.)
The series deals with the British Channel Islands that were invaded and occupied by the Nazi German army in June, 1940: Germany thought they would be a good jumping-off point for its planned invasion of the British Isles themselves. We now know that invasion was never to come, as, in the Battle of Britain, the Brits managed to inflict substantial enough losses on the vaunted German air force, the Luftwaffe, as to disable it from supporting such an invasion. Still, the Channel Islands, although they then became a forgotten backwater of the war, were occupied for five years, almost until the end of the war, and British and Germans had to manage to live together.
Alfred Burke (”Public Eye”) stars as Major Reichter, Commanding officer of the occupying forces; Bernard Horsfell( On Her Majesty’s Secret Service); stars as Doctor Philip Martel, who unwillingly finds himself on the committee which must liaise with the Germans. Emily Richard (Empire of the Sun), plays Clare Martel, the doctor’s daughter; Anthony Stewart Head, (TV’s Buffy The Vampire Slayer - Collector’s Set (40 discs)), makes his acting debut as Clive Martel, the doctor’s son; Antonia Pemberton plays Olive, the doctor’s wife. John Malcolm plays Oberleutnant Kluge, a German policeman from Hamburg, performing similar duties for the occupation forces; Simon Cadell plays Haupsturmfuhrer Reinecke, a sneering, villainous cad of an SS Officer. Richard Heffer plays Peter Porteous, scion of the island’s largest land-owning family. Guest stars include John Nettles (Midsomer Murders: Set 12); Alun Armstrong (New Tricks : Complete BBC Series 1 ); Joss Ackland, and James Maxwell.
The overwhelming impression the series left on me is that it is surprisingly revisionist in outlook. This may be somewhat due to the fact that Burke is a more skilled actor than is Horsfall, and is more capable of giving his character an inner life; still, the German major, and the cop, come across as men struggling to do the best they can in difficult circumstances: the doctor and his wife come across as stick figures. Furthermore, the younger generation, the doctor’s son and daughter; the landowner Porteous; and a lawyer’s daughter, are portrayed as disastrously reckless and feckless. They cost lives, and among their own people, too. The script sometimes veers into melodrama, and unlikely coincidences abound. Still, the series benefits from the typically lush British production values of the period; location photography is lovely; interiors, transport and clothing are recreated with care; there are extras aplenty; and I imagine the history of one of the least-known stories of the war is as accurate as the makers could get it. For enthusiasts of either World War II, or British drama, it’s a good addition to the DVD shelf.Search Amazon.com: Enemy at the Door Set 1: Enemy at the Door: Movies & TV from AmAzon
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