User reviews

This second episode presents the sickness underlying movements to make the British acquiesce to the wishes of the German invaders during World War II. Free speech is certainly precious, but when the underlying reason for it is anti-semitism and rolling over for a despot, one can easily see why someone like Foyle had a significant job to do.. The people who are holding meetings and welcoming such horrors are the lowest of the low. There is a wonderful sophistication to this show. Foyle is a man of great empathy who is able to look with great compassion at people who would be disenfranchised otherwise. The show avoids the simplistic. One of the major characters is a man who has lost his legs in Norway. There is a subplot where his wife seems to blame him for his infirmities. She is an ugly, spoiled woman, treating him like he is a little child, demeaning his work with Foyle. Another focus is a man who owns a fishing boat who, along with his son (a tragic figure), cross the sea to rescue British soldiers who have been maimed or abandoned in battle.

"Foyle's war" is, in my opinion, one of the best detective shows. It proves the talent of Jeremy Silberston, Anthony Horowitz and Jim Parker, who are also the authors of the fantastically wonderful Midsomer Murders. The show started with a fairly solid, if overly predictable "The German Woman", and "White Feather" is even better than the pilot, perfectly continues and complements it and is one of the best, darkest and chicest episodes of the show. The only drawback, in my opinion, is the motive, which was not sufficiently serious and weighty, or at least did not convince me. But otherwise, this episode of the show is just great. The plot is exciting, intriguing and very interesting, with one of the most unexpected endings of the show. Charles Dance brilliantly plays the most disgusting Guy Spencer, all the other guest actors are also good. But the main advantage of the episode is the smart, brilliant performance of Anthony Howell and I was very touched and impressed by Milner's line in this episode. In conclusion, a great episode and even better than the previous one. 10/10

Fifth Columnist movements allowed Nazis to take over entire countries in a matter of days. Internal agents worked hard to undermine any resistance to might of the German War Machine, always under the guise of "patriotism".

This dry historical fact was true in central Europe, Britain and also America (with the America First movement). This story nicely shows the human cost of war and treason.

Looking back from the safety of our suburban life we forget how difficult World War was. Throughout this episode there is the danger of immanent German invasion of Britain. In the lead character's case this would have meant that he and all his co-workers would have been summarily shot.

This story shows how it was the bravery of common people and citizen soldiers and common folk willing to risk all in a personally costly fight against evil that, somehow, miraculously defeated the great evil of Nazism. This particular episode very nicely shows that personal cost against great evil.

There is an analogy going on in Britain today -- and America, the schools of Beslan, Iraq and the streets of the suburbs of Paris.

Is your car burning?

The consistency and quality of Foyle's War episodes never ceases to amaze me, having re-watched the series I was struck in particular by the quality of this episode. What an interesting story, one which many like myself, have never contemplated. A group of English people, sympathisers of the Nazis plan, and prepare for the arrival of the invading German Army.

Hard to contemplate anyone enthusiastically anticipating invasion, but this story deals with exactly that, and the murder of a sympathiser. The performances are fantastic throughout, of the guest cast, Charles Dance gives a superb performance, loaded with charisma and presence, he adds so much, his scenes with Kitchen are brilliant. Huge praise also for Maggie Steed, for making her character so utterly detestable.

Quality writing from Anthony Horowitz, superb acting, what's not to utterly love about this episode.

Loved 'Foyle's War' and was immediately hooked when first getting into it. Love it even more now, on re-watches things that didn't quite make sense at first are clearer and things that were not noticed or appreciated before are and much admired. Everything that came over as brilliant on first viewings still are brilliant on re-watches.

After a wonderful first episode "The German Woman", 'Foyle's War' continues to go strong with the every bit as good "The White Feather". As said in my review for "The German Woman", there was the thought that it was hard to get into at first. Again, on re-watch there was much more appreciation had for how well established the character development, tone and themes are for so early on. The story is a complicated one but also a very compelling and clever one where the surprises keep coming, the ending is a surprising one and somewhat sad, try not to have sympathy with murders but sort of did here especially with a victim so detestable.

Always have admired the visual detail that went into 'Foyle's War' and how high quality the production values are, with beautiful costumes, the evocative way the characters are made up, the look of the houses and cars, pretty locations and authentic-looking scenery. The music is in keeping with the mood and doesn't overpower the drama while still making an impact. Schumann's "Traumerai" is used to poignant effect, if not quite as effectively as Chopin's C sharp minor Nocturne did in "The German Woman" did.

Writing is intelligent, sophisticated and thought-provoking, establishing Foyle's personality with so much depth already and providing some tense and heart-tugging moments. The story is complicated, with a lot of strands that requires full attention, but clever and from start to finish intriguing. It paces itself deliberately but with so much going on it's never once dull.

One thing that wasn't picked up by me but now is and admired hugely is the tackling of what was seen as truths but some really misconceptions and seeing British during the war in a new light. This was a bold move and dealt with with a lot of honesty and tact. The character tensions were also handled very well and added a lot of intrigue. A wonderful job is done with Milner, whose story really resonates touchingly, while the scenes between Foyle and Spencer are riveting and has degrees of tension.

Michael Kitchen is truly superb as Foyle, subtle, intensely determined, commanding and above all human. One of the most interesting television detectives there's ever been and Kitchen has rarely been better. Honeysuckle Weeks is charming and loyal and Anthony Howell is wonderful with his best scenes moving one to tears. Milner's wife's struggles to cope are handled tactfully too and are easy to relate to with such a big lifestyle change.

Charles Dance and Maggie Steed give brilliant supporting turns, Steed wrings every ounce of juice out of one of the show's most detestable characters and Dance in particular oozes charisma.

In summary, another wonderful episode. 10/10 Bethany Cox

This is truly superior television. We are all used to watching crime dramas in which the dogged investigator has to solve a complex crime with multiple suspects. Now imagine particularly excellent writing and acting, and add all the context of Germany breathing down the neck of England at Dunkirk, Nazi sympathizers in England, and English anti-semitism. The White Feather is a great whodunnit and an early 1940s/World War 2 history lesson at the same time. And, let's not forget Michael Kitchen's ability to convey so much with a raising of his eyebrows or the roll of his eyes. I'm only 2 episodes into this series, but I'm already relishing having more than two dozen episodes in the pipeline!

Anthony Horowitz who created as well as writing this episode is Jewish. He has mentioned in the past that he received anti Semitic comments at school and the subject matter of this episode would be somewhat personal to him. As this episode was first broadcast in 2002 I think Horowitz captures the growing Islamophobia in Britain at the time due to the 2001 race riots in various British towns and the aftermath of 9/11.

We are still in the early days of world war 2. Some in the south east coast think that it is only a matter of time that the Nazis invade Britain, almost as if resistance is futile.

Guy Spencer (Charles Dance) is the leader of a fascist pro-Nazi movement known as the Friday Club, not far removed from Oswald Mosley's Blackshirts. Despite his protestation that he abhors violence, his thugs are happy to dish it out. There is a scene where they make fun of Jews.

Seargent Paul Milner invalided out of the army is settling into his new job with Foyle, his wife is uncomfortable with his disability but we see early on that he might be swayed by the likes of Spencer who he meets while waiting in the rain.

A planned secret meeting in a hotel goes wrong when the vile co-owner of the hotel and Nazi sympathiser Margaret Ellis is shot dead, the likely target should had been Spencer.

Foyle already investigating the arrest of a young girl for sabotaging telephone lines finds a link with the Ellis family, whose son is vehemently against his parents mixing with the fascists. The meeting contained senior personnel from the Foreign Office, the group had also been infiltrated by military intelligence and one of the hotel guests was a Jew with a grudge against Spencer.

The episode nicely sets out the pessimism prevalent in that region of England as well as the connivance of these fascists groups operating in Britain as if they were advancing Hitler's arguments for him but cloaked in the wrapper of wanting peace.

The episode is well presented especially with the period setting. The mystery though was a bit convoluted and far fetched.