Island at War
- TV Mini Series
- 2004
- 1h 6m
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
2.2K
YOUR RATING
During the Second World War, a quiet channel island community is thrown into turmoil by the invasion forces of Nazi Germany.During the Second World War, a quiet channel island community is thrown into turmoil by the invasion forces of Nazi Germany.During the Second World War, a quiet channel island community is thrown into turmoil by the invasion forces of Nazi Germany.
- Awards
- 2 wins total
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Featured reviews
I can't believe how anyone can critisise this excellent drama. It has been the highlight of my year as far as the television is concerned. ITV have done themselves proud considering the rubbish and repeats they usually churn out! The cast was superb with acclaimed actors such as Philip Glenister of 'Vanity Fair' and 'The other bolyn girl', Joanne Frogatt who has come along way since Coronation Street and Edward Fox's nephew Laurence Fox.
The settings, the backing music and the story lines all fitted together perfectly, i just hope ITV take on board the great amount of praise they have received for this drama and commission a second series!!
The settings, the backing music and the story lines all fitted together perfectly, i just hope ITV take on board the great amount of praise they have received for this drama and commission a second series!!
I think that many people are being very cynical about this. i think nowadays people have the misconception that everything that they watch must be original and groundbreaking. Island at war is a nice wee drama, you don't have to think about what is happening it is all there in front of you. Do people really want to be watching things that stimulate the mind NO i think is the answer to that, especially not on a Sunday night. The acting was all of a very good quality and i have to say i feel it says a lot about the story as prestigious actors such as james wilby being in it. I think it also showed a true outlook on times in the Nazi occupied channel-islands, as it didn't make it seem ridiculously awful, it didn't make all the Germans seem like extremist nazi's it showed them as humans, also as much as people may not like to believe it but British women and German men did get together it was inevitable. Over all i thought that island at war was no masterpiece but it was very nice and easy watching of a Sunday and people shouldn't be so critical of it
I'm halfway through this series on Netflix, and I am impressed. I never heard of the channel islands, and the fact that they were thoroughly English, and only 10 miles from Nazi French soil at the height of the Battle of Britain is a piece of history I have missed. This is a very unusual and interesting series.
I was pleased to see Joanna Froggart from "Downton Abbey". a very beautiful and talented actress, and the actress with the first name Saskia who plays Froggart's mother, is one of those heartbreakingly beautiful British actresses that eat cameras up.
Historically, the Nazis were SO bad, so incredibly evil and arrogant that it will never be politically incorrect to diss them anywhere, anytime, until, of course, American liberals decide to make it a sin to keep on dissing them. The Nazis in this series are chillingly demonic.
I liked the fact that CGI ME-109s and Stukas were shown in flybys, but as usual, the CGI boys know nothing of aircraft flight characteristics, and thus, the planes came in way too low and way too slow. Most of the explosions from the Stuka bombs were super chinzy, nowhere near as huge and destructive as a 500 lb bomb would be. This is a problem with CGI when they show combat flying and destruction---the planes look good--they just are not flying right---the flying parts are cartooney.
The Brits make great WWII movies---watch and enjoy---just admire the look of the aircraft depicted, and the look of the ladies in a great cast.
I was pleased to see Joanna Froggart from "Downton Abbey". a very beautiful and talented actress, and the actress with the first name Saskia who plays Froggart's mother, is one of those heartbreakingly beautiful British actresses that eat cameras up.
Historically, the Nazis were SO bad, so incredibly evil and arrogant that it will never be politically incorrect to diss them anywhere, anytime, until, of course, American liberals decide to make it a sin to keep on dissing them. The Nazis in this series are chillingly demonic.
I liked the fact that CGI ME-109s and Stukas were shown in flybys, but as usual, the CGI boys know nothing of aircraft flight characteristics, and thus, the planes came in way too low and way too slow. Most of the explosions from the Stuka bombs were super chinzy, nowhere near as huge and destructive as a 500 lb bomb would be. This is a problem with CGI when they show combat flying and destruction---the planes look good--they just are not flying right---the flying parts are cartooney.
The Brits make great WWII movies---watch and enjoy---just admire the look of the aircraft depicted, and the look of the ladies in a great cast.
A glimpse of what life may have looked like during the beginning of the German occupation of the Channel Islands. This is the third production I've watched about this subject, and I rank them in the following order, as to how they tell the stories of the occupation: ENEMY AT THE DOOR - 9 (a TV series, dated but superbly written and performed, deals with the wide variety of the war time conditions, struggles and stories, giving the more fullest understanding of the occupation); THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY - 10 (my favourite movie of 2018, fantastic cast, wonderful performances, well written and told from the point of view of a small group of islanders); ISLAND AT WAR - 7 (good cast, some favourite actors, good performances but rather rambling story telling that doesn't do full justice to the potential stories and feels as though the writer didn't know how to resolve the piece). So, I highly recommend sourcing out the first two (I found ENEMY on DVD at my Library, and GUERNSEY on Netflix) and, if you enjoy the work of Laurence Fox, Sam Heughan, Joanne Froggatt, Clare Holman and Owen Teale, I found this series on DVD at my Library, as well. {Historical Drama}
10joan-1
An excellent drama, well acted and very entertaining. The actors have avoided the usual stereotypes often found in dramas concerning with war, portraying their characters as having different sides to them and not one dimensional human being.
Although it is, in some ways, unfair to single out any one performance I have to say that Philip Glenister and James Wilby have been particularly great. Two men on opposite sides, Philip Glenister's character appears strong and James Wilby's character would appear to be the weaker of the two.
However, they are probably more alike than either would care to admit. Two very compelling performances.
Congratulations to all those involved in this production, hope to see another series.
Although it is, in some ways, unfair to single out any one performance I have to say that Philip Glenister and James Wilby have been particularly great. Two men on opposite sides, Philip Glenister's character appears strong and James Wilby's character would appear to be the weaker of the two.
However, they are probably more alike than either would care to admit. Two very compelling performances.
Congratulations to all those involved in this production, hope to see another series.
Did you know
- TriviaNot renewed after 6 episodes. The final episode leaves many plot elements unresolved.
- GoofsOne of the daughters sings in the nightclub at the beginning "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree." It wasn't written then, and not until 1942. Further, its entire message is from an American girl to her American GI during the war. That apple tree is somewhere in rural America. Not in the Channel Islands. This scene takes places a year or two prior to America even entering the war.
- Quotes
[Leutnant Walker has invited Zelda to have a drink with him in a pub]
Zelda Kay: You think I'm friendly?
Leutnant Walker: Well, you're drinking with me.
Zelda Kay: And you're paying. I'm merely observing an alien species - much as one goes to the zoo.
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