Island at War
Island at Warturns a little-known bit of history into an  extraordinarily rich miniseries. During World War II, the Nazi forces  occupied the Channel Islands, located between France and England.Island at Warunfolds on the fictional island of St. Gregory, where  a web of interconnected characters cope with the occupation--a politician  struggles to maintain peaceful relations, for fear of brutal reprisals; an island policeman's anger at the occupation becomes complicated  when he's forced to chauffeur the commanding Nazi officer and he discovers  the position gives his family privilege; a shopkeeper, angry about her husband's death in an  early bombing raid, finds herself sharing in profits with a Nazi official  as they bring much-wanted food and supplies to the island; a girl hiding  her Jewish identity becomes the object of a brutal lieutenant's sexual  obsession. These four stories are only a hint of the series' fullness; the  script, direction, and performances are superb, building an engrossing  portrait of how human beings cope with extremity and how the smallest of  interactions--from laying rocks on a wall to getting a photograph  developed--can lead to profound and unexpected results. The economy and  complexity of Stephen Mallatratt's script are remarkable. The forces of  money, sex, prejudice, and love run deep through every story, juxtaposing  private moments with historical scope.Island at Warmatches skill  and talent with passion and insight.--Bret Fetzer