"Foyle's War" Topic

So watching this on netflix.
And I keep feeling Foyle is miss placed. He seems like a modern 2000 era man in 1940.

He doesn't seem to have any prejudices again Germans.
And he doesn't seem to be homophobic etc etc. He simply seems to be a liberal post war man. Not a man born on the late 19th century

A very common failing in historical drama and fiction, I'm afraid.

I believe the character may have born in the early 20th C. to be in his 40s in the 1940s.

Be that as it may, I was raised by parents of that age and they never expressed prejudices against any nationality. They may have disagreed with policies, etc. or behavior of individuals or groups but never spoke against a nationality or a race as a whole.

I never once heard a homophobic expression or view.

I guess liberalism and progressive views had to start somewhere and it was way before before WW2 even if they were not as common as today.

The Foyle character is a bit nuanced in that he is soft spoken and mostly controlled in his actions but will flare if and when the situation requires – appearing irresolute on the outside but determined on the inside.

Anyway, that's my take.

I'm just reading about the Royal Flying Corps in WW1, many of the pilots did not hate the hun, but in many instances felt sorry for their victims. Yes, there are some who hated and wanted to kill as many as possible, but they seemed rare.
I really liked Foyles war. He seems typical of the time, a man of firm convictions of right and wrong, coupled with a humble British reticence.

I am a great fan of "Foyle's War" as well (and of Michael Kitchen's portrayal of Foyle. Foyle is described in the series as a WW1 Western Front veteran of the British Army, which would have likely placed his birth somewhere in the 1890's.

Soft-spoken? Yes.

Imperturbable? Yes.

Polite? Unfailingly so.

But I always look forward to the climax of each episode when he ruthlessly undresses some pompous egotistical snob with a flurry of deadly clear and indisputable logic to solve the case.

The writing and characterization are superb. 100 years from now, "Foyle's War" will IMO be considered classic drama. If only Hollywood could produce something remotely akin to it for American TV.

B

"…a man of firm convictions of right and wrong, coupled with a humble British reticence."

Expressed much better Thomas.

"Foyle is described in the series as a WW1 Western Front veteran of the British Army, which would have likely placed his birth somewhere in the 1890's."

Yes, you are correct B.

Not to say that there weren't instances of 21st C. views voiced in the series but I don't believe that the premise of the Foyle character itself was entirely post war.

One reviewer of historical film went so far as to say that they often reflected the time in which they were filmed more than the time portrayed.

Oh I do like the series.
Especially those episodes were Nazis/fascist gets their just deserts.

Foyle is an excellent portrayal. The secret to his level headed "out of his era"manner is probably because he is very intelligent. That is the whole hinge of the series, his intelligence. Many intelligent people do not harbour petty hatreds ,be it Germans or other. People who do not follow the herd are rare in every age. Look at poor old Copernicus!

"You're guilty and you will hang" said in a very matter of fact voice. I love Foyles war.

I've seen a number of episodes, but I have not seen the whole series. I think part of Foyle's character also has to do with his experience in WWI. Being a man of some intelligence who survived the meat grinder of the Western Front, he has a good sense of what is important and what is not, and responds accordingly.

Love the series! the historical hook ups. the tragedy the populace felt during the bombings. The series also shows some of the human side of what people were feeling during the war. Can't say enough. I think they could have expanded some of the episodes. there were more details that could be revealed. (besides coffins)

Such a great series and characters! I love his greeting: "My name is Foyle…I'm a policeman." Very matter of fact. It was a little into the first episode (The German Woman) when Foyle and Sam are at the pub and a Heinkel flies just overhead, dropping a bomb – I turned to my wife and said: WOW! It set the tone for just how life was turned upside down. I wish there'd been more of them made.

I think it's a superb series.

As noted above in most historical pieces the worldview of the heroes will reflect those of the writer.

Correction – just rewatched the first episode and it looks like a Do-17! Bulbous front and twin tail fin.

You also have to consider the original audience it was intended for, and the need for it to keep and, if possible, increase that audience so that advertisers would buy the slots in the ad breaks. A doom laden, pig ignorant homophobe is hardly likely to keep a Sunday evening audience glued to ITV for very long, more realistic though it might possibly be of some 1940s police officers.

Every generation believes that it alone holds the keys to "the good, the true and the beautiful".

B

It's a good show and well made but the main characters are all too perfect. It's not just historical shows that do this, but we notice it more starkly.