New BBC Series "Close to the Enemy"

Discussion in 'Books, Films, TV, Radio' started by kopite, Jun 16, 2015.

  1. kopite

    kopite Member

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  2. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    Know Your Enemy - Stephen Poliakoff in Conversation - currently on BBC Iplayer (from BBC2 - 1st December 2016)

    Know Your Enemy - Stephen Poliakoff in Conversation

    Historian and broadcaster David Reynolds talks to dramatist Stephen Poliakoff about the inspiration behind his latest work - Close to the Enemy.

    The dramatist Stephen Poliakoff has long been obsessed with the secret history of Britain in the 20th century. His latest work, Close to the Enemy, looks at the clandestine work of the secret service after the end of the Second World War.

    Historian and broadcaster David Reynolds talks to Poliakoff about the inspiration behind Close to the Enemy, as well as the always tricky relationship between history and fiction.
     
    Last edited: Dec 2, 2016
  3. smdarby

    smdarby Well-Known Member

    Gave up watching after the first episode due to the lead character being so annoying. It was almost like he was doing a comedy voice. Sounded like "Swiss Tony".
     
  4. DavidW

    DavidW Well-Known Member

    Another Poliakoff classic. Perhaps not the best, but top-notch.

    Don't switch off because of a dodgy accent. The acting & casting is, as usual quite superb!
     
  5. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    It was good to watch the interview: Know Your Enemy - Stephen Poliakoff in Conversation

    To get a better idea what they are/were after. And I'll be interested to see how it all turns out. Knowing how it did, but wondering how the fictions will play out, as I was wary too of "the always tricky relationship between history and fiction." and I'm not entirely sure about the weight of the developing premise in it, seemingly, that it could have been easy for the UK (or parties within it, almost totally on their own) to have prevented World War II - and not just started it all a whole lot earlier, when we were even less prepared. Whether this was due to naive, almost criminal, foolishness or just basically the best of intentions gone wrong, when playing the rigged hand you are dealt.

    I'd also liked to have seen far more of the aspect of the interviews with the spirited away Germans etc. to have them explain why they worked for the Reich, and whether they had any actual love for the regime or had just gone along with it all through fear, patriotism, following the crowd, or was their main motivation throughout just mostly self preservation / self gain.

    Listening to episode:
    The History of WWII Podcast - by Ray Harris Jr
    WWIIPODCAST - HISTORY
    Hitler’s sabre rattling earns him Austria (first 30 mins or so) and the Munich Agreement. (with mention of the German generals' plot)
    Episode 12-Appeasement. from The History of WWII Podcast - by Ray Harris Jr

    And...
    Britain and France are finished giving in to Hitler.
    Episode 13-The line is drawn. from The History of WWII Podcast - by Ray Harris Jr

    And scanning through... Munich Agreement - Wikipedia

    For the mentions of the Halder etc. plot...
    "However his replacement, General Franz Halder, sympathised with Beck and they both conspired with several top generals, AdmiralWilhelm Canaris (Chief of German Intelligence), and Graf von Helldorf (Berlin's Police Chief) to arrest Hitler the moment he gave the invasion order. However, the plan would only work if Britain issued a strong warning and a letter to the effect that they would fight to preserve Czechoslovakia. This would help to convince the German people that certain defeat awaited Germany. Agents were therefore sent to England to tell Chamberlain that an attack on Czechoslovakia was planned, and of their intention to overthrow Hitler if this occurred. However, the proposal was rejected by the British Cabinet and no such letter was issued. Accordingly, the proposed removal of Hitler did not go ahead.[34] On this basis it has been argued that the Munich Agreement kept Hitler in power, although whether it would have been any more successful than the 1944 plot is doubtful."

    Attempts at toppling foreign leaders from power, by instigating (or conniving in) internal coups against them, after-all, has a checkered history all of its own, and does not always endear those instigating or conniving in such, to said leaders or their followers etc.

    Plus Hitler had always been able to use even the hint of such plots against him, to further, and substantially, increase his own and his party's power.
     
    Last edited: Dec 3, 2016
  6. papiermache

    papiermache Well-Known Member

    The series seems to be about paper and cardboard files, gramophone record cutting equipment and early tape-recording, hard-wired microphones ( extra large ), and cars. Also about numerous secret units, and a London hotel. So far, quite plausible.

    The style is completely flat, as is the greater part of the photography, with a jazz band to try and cheer us up, but some improbable German bird keeps trying to shut them up. There is an emphasis on large rooms and empty spaces and we are invited to pick up a huge number of themes lacking a narrative and fill the spaces ourselves.

    Access to the room containing files is easily gained by cleaning staff but Kathy Griffiths, who wants the files ( who may have signed the Official Secrets Act, and is alleged to be a member of a War Crimes Investigation Team: who knows? ) avoids the easy approach and puts her faith in the leading male, a pianist who hits people and throws things around, which makes certain others swoon over him, only to find his little brother to be ideal plot-saving material ( Victor, played by Freddie Highmore, who upstages all the rest of the cast put together, with the sole exception of Angela Bassett, who plays the American singer, Eva. ) Eva's role is to tell everyone else that they are all wandering around in a daze and that they should give it up and just listen to the music.

    The way to dispose of secret files is to put them in dustbins to be removed by the binmen in a sweet old rubbish truck, avoiding stoking up the bonfire which is conveniently burning twenty yards away on the adjacent bomb-site, but if you, a stranger, ask the nice men at the dump, he'll let you take them away again.

    This is Poliakoff's way of saying that UK archive policy is all wrong, and, wait for it...and it took four episodes to get around to it, there was no need to go to war with Germany in the first place. But it's all in the files., if only Kew would release them. A familiar tale.

    Much better than a Scandinavian blood-fest where only the mobile-phones advance the plot, Poliakoff has a smashing range of technical equipment to keep us enthralled, but the dialogue is full of holes. Perhaps that's what he wanted.
     
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