I have said
it before and I will say it again, nobody makes better historical television series than
the British. The combination of attention for period details, great actors and
good stories is irresistible.
Home fires begins in November 1939 in the village of
Great Paxton. WWII just began and people are unsure of what the future holds.
The very British Women’s Institute is divided in what road to follow.
Joyce
Cameron wants to shut the doors of the WI for the duration of the war, and
another group of women, with Frances Barden in the lead, wants to keep the WI
open. This because the war will not just be a struggle for the men who go to
fight, but also for the women who stay behind and keep the home fires burning.
In six
episodes we follow a couple of these women and their families and what happens
to them in these first months of the war. Women who have to go on alone because their husbands joined up, or
women who try to prevent their sons from joining the army.
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| The WI selling home made jam. |
New regulations
for farms, war marriages, handing in metal, houses commanded for the army, a
conscientious postman and the building of an air raid shelter are all
situations that have to be dealt with. Insecurity and fear for the future also
play a part, and nobody knows how long the war will last.
 |
| Waiting in the shelter for an air raid to end |
Home fires is a beautiful series, and all the different
components of life in those days are brought to the screen very well. The
attention to clothing and props is amazing.
Ruth Gemmell (Waking the dead, Silent Witness), Samantha Bond (Downton Abbey) Clare Calbraith (Downton Abbey, Vera)
and Fenella Woolgar (Cheerful
weather for the wedding, Bright young things) are all excellent actresses and
these are just a few names I mention, almost the entire cast are excellent
actors and actresses.
 |
| Picking berries to make jam |
The focus
in Home fires is on the women, but
the men and the parts they played are certainly not forgotten. The series is based on the book Jambusters by Julie Summers, about the role of the WI during WWII.
I really
recommend Home fires, it is a great
series and I was very glad to hear a second series will be filmed this Summer.
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