The White Feather (3 Nov. 2002)

With the English army trapped in France and a German invasion imminent, a Nazi sympathizer is murdered during a pro-Facist meeting at a country hotel.

Director:

Jeremy Silberston

Writer:

Anthony Horowitz (written and created by)

Stars:

Lisa Ellis, Anthony Howell, Charles Dance

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Lisa Ellis	...	Edith Johnstone
Anthony Howell	...	Paul Milner
Charles Dance	...	Guy Spencer
Colin Tierney	...	Alan Fleming
Andres Williams	...	Isaac Woolton
Michael Kitchen	...	Christopher Foyle
Michael Simkins	...	Hugh Reid
Honeysuckle Weeks	...	Samantha Stewart
Maggie Steed	...	Margaret Ellis
Paul Brooke	...	Arthur Ellis
Rebekah Manning	...	Dorothy
Patrick Godfrey	...	Ernest Bannerman
Amanda Walker	...	Lady Bannerman
Rebecca Charles	...	Rosemary Harwood
Bernard Kay	...	Robert Woolton

Storyline

It's May 1940 and the war news is grim. The Germans are rolling across Europe and invasion fears are affecting everyone. Sgt. Paul Milner, who has been invalided out of the army, settles into his new job at the station. His wife is having difficulty accepting his disability, however. Foyle investigates the activities of Edith Johnson, a maid at the White Feather hotel, who was caught cutting telephone wires. When the owner of the White Feather, Margaret Ellis, is shot Foyle finds himself investigating a murder. The actual target was likely Guy Spencer, the leader of a fascist pro-Nazi movement known as the Friday Club. The case takes a particular twist when Foyle learns that Spenser may be in possession of a letter stolen from the Foreign Office and that Military Intelligence is actively monitoring Spencer and his group.

---

Plot Keywords:

hotel | military intelligence | fascist | pro nazi | murder investigation | 

---

Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | War

---

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 November 2002 (UK)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paddock Productions, Greenlit Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Goofs

The uniformed Superintendent is seen wearing the ribbon of the Police Exemplary Service Medal. This medal was not instituted until 14 June 1951, eleven years after the events portrayed.

---

Quotes

Det. Supt. Christopher Foyle: I would like you to read these reports.
Sgt. Paul Milner: [glances through the pages] Did you type these yourself?
Det. Supt. Christopher Foyle: As I said, I'm short-staffed at the moment.

User Reviews

Nazi sympathizers make plans for after the German invasion of Britain

Fifth Columnist movements allowed Nazis to take over entire countries in a matter of days. Internal agents worked hard to undermine any resistance to might of the German War Machine, always under the guise of "patriotism".

This dry historical fact was true in central Europe, Britain and also America (with the America First movement). This story nicely shows the human cost of war and treason.

Looking back from the safety of our suburban life we forget how difficult World War was. Throughout this episode there is the danger of immanent German invasion of Britain. In the lead character's case this would have meant that he and all his co-workers would have been summarily shot.

This story shows how it was the bravery of common people and citizen soldiers and common folk willing to risk all in a personally costly fight against evil that, somehow, miraculously defeated the great evil of Nazism. This particular episode very nicely shows that personal cost against great evil.

There is an analogy going on in Britain today -- and America, the schools of Beslan, Iraq and the streets of the suburbs of Paris.

Is your car burning?