Released
by DD Video. 4 Disc Box Set. Available to buy now.
DD
Video follow up their release of
season one of the superlative
Secret Army with another
sumptuously packaged box set
containing all thirteen episodes
of season two.
Secret
Army, made between 1977 and 79,
focused on the exploits of a
resistance oranisation called
Lifeline operating in
Belgium
during world war II. Working out
of a café called Le Candide,
Lifeline specialised in helping
trapped Allied servicemen get
home, key personnel in the
organisation were café owner
Albert Foiret (Bernard Hepton),
Lisa Colbert (played by Jan
Francis, a mainstay of season
one); Foiret’s mistress
Monique Duchamps (Angela
Richards) and waitress Natalie
(Juliet-Hammond Hill) were also
heavily involved. The Germans of
course maintained a large
presence throughout the series,
chief amongst them were
Sturmbahnfuhrer Kessler
(Clifford Rose) and Major Erwin
Brandt (Michael Culver).
Series
one of Secret Army was very
popular and and this second
series was looked forward to by
much of the population. Carrying
on in much the same vein as
before Season Two did have a
couple of notable changes, the
café location of season one
changed to an exclusive
restaurant (still called Le
Candide), mainly to introduce
more German characters into the
series and there was also the
departure of Lisa Colbert who
dies in shocking fashion at the
close of Season One.
Incredibly
tense and nerve jangling Secret
Army is a classic series, very
very watchable, Lifeline always
trying to stay one step ahead of
the Nazis. Allo Allo has a
lot to answer for when it comes
to diluting our nostalgic
memories of this show but it is
fair to say Secret Army is one
of the finest BBC Drama
series of all time, containing
as it does all the classic
elements, tension, intrigue,
romance and suspense to keep you
coming back for more. Essential
EXTRAS:
Main
extra is a 50 minute documentary
called Resistance! This profiles
the work of the real Secret Army
but the whole set is wonderfully
put together and includes and
awesome 36 page booklet,
incredibly detailed and full of
fascinating info and trivia. One
of the best such booklets
we’ve yet seen.
