I am sorry to have missed the BFI show mentioned here but luckily had the opportunity to see the entire series recently.(no I can't get you a copy!) The material does exist so it's really a question of letting the BBC know that there is an audience waiting to see this gem of a series and hoping they can navigate the rights issues to put it out on DVD. If you are familiar with the original books you will know that it spans the years leading up to the outbreak of war and the occupation of Paris following the interlinked lives of a group of people centred around the character of Mathieu a lecturer at the Sorbonne. The TV series condenses and omits some of the incidents in the book, most notably the ending which gives the book a very different slant to the TV series. Some of the adaptation is due to the budget which is obviously limited but also the decision to concentrate on certain characters. The series manages to give a very convincing feeling of the time and location. The real strengths however are the original material and the casting and performances which are note perfect. Others have mentioned the haunting theme delivered beautifully by Georgia Brown which never palls even watching 13 episodes in a row.
Review of The Roads to Freedom
