Тайная армия: Бельгийское сопротивление во Второй мировой войне.

British TV drama series

Secret Army is a British television drama made by the BBC and the Belgian national broadcaster BRT (now VRT) created by Gerard Glaister. It tells the story of a fictional Belgian resistance movement in German occupied Belgium during the Second World War, an escape line dedicated to returning Allied airmen, usually shot down by the Luftwaffe, to Great Britain. It was made in the UK and Belgium and three series were broadcast on BBC1 between 7 September 1977 and 15 December 1979. Fay Weldon said of the series: "There is, in the making of such programmes, a level of professionalism, and sheer patient, largely unacclaimed, hard work from producer to script editor to writer to designer to vision mixer to editor by way of sound and lighting engineers that is probably equalled only in a heart transplant theatre".

Albert has sold the Cafe Candide and owns an upper class black market restaurant, called the Restaurant Candide, which is prominently located in the Grand Place. This venture is 60% clandestinely owned and financed by London, so as to enable the members of Lifeline to cater for senior German officers, allowing them to overhear indiscretions and to provide better cover for their activities. Albert takes over running Lifeline when Lisa is killed (in the first episode) by Allied bombing, whilst travelling in occupied France. The German officers frequent the new establishment regularly, allowing the principal characters to interact and increasing the dramatic tension. To capitalise on actress Angela Richards's singing talent, Monique performs regularly for the diners, and this becomes a feature of the series. These scenes transform the character of Monique from a dowdy waitress to a sultry chanteuse, and contrast with their stressful undercover activities. Secondary storylines include Kessler's developing romance with lonely Belgian 'society woman' Madeleine Duclos, whom he meets while dining alone at Le Candide, and Brandt being asked to join a conspiracy to assassinate Hitler. Although he declines, he comes to be seen as guilty by association. This, and the death of his family in a British air raid on Berlin, results in his suicide to avoid a court martial, on the same day as the Normandy landings. The series also introduces a new character, restaurant pianist and forger Max Brocard, a Communist infiltrator of Lifeline who wishes for the Belgian Communist Resistance to take over Lifeline, in order to use its money and political influence from London to establish a Communist takeover of Belgium at the end of the war. At the same time Kessler's mistress Madeleine bribes Staff Sergeant Dexter to allow her lover's freedom and the couple escape together. For the members of the evasion line, their happiness is tinged with sadness as they all say goodbye to a tearful Monique, who says her final goodbyes to the Candide and to Albert before starting a new life with her husband.

The final episode in the series, "What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? ", was set in 1969 and was never broadcast. It looked at how the characters had fared after the war. The reasons for its non broadcast are unknown. It is possible it was because of the episode's anti Communist message. The main themes of the episode were subsequently incorporated into a sequel, Kessler, a series which was transmitted in 1981 and explored Kessler's fate.

Secret Army was created by Gerard Glaister as a follow up to his drama series Colditz. Glaister was a former RAF pilot and his experiences provided the inspiration for the series. Secret Army loosely portrays the operations of WW II escape and evasion lines especially the Belgian created Comet line. The character of John Curtis was influenced by the experiences of the series's technical consultant, Group Captain William Randle, who escaped from occupied Europe in 1942 and was later Keeper of the Battle of Britain Museum. The series followed the timeline of the war to show how it affected Belgium. Filming took place in Belgium, with the assistance of BRT. Other locations were in London and Norfolk. The aircraft type that featured throughout the series was the Westland Lysander. The title sequence was created by Alan Jeapes, whose credits include EastEnders. The theme music was by Robert Farnon. The series was later parodied in the BBC comedy series 'Allo 'Allo!, with some cast members appearing in both series.

Character Series 1 Series 2 Series 3 Albert Foiret Bernard Hepton Lisa "Yvette" Colbert Jan Francis Flight Lt. John Curtis Christopher Neame Monique Duchamps Angela Richards Ludwig Kessler Clifford Rose Maj. Erwin Brandt Michael Culver Natalie Chantrens Juliet Hammond Hill Dr Pascal Keldermans Valentine Dyall Alain Muny Ron Pember Andrée Foiret Eileen Page Cpl. Veit Rennert Robin Langford Jacques Bol Timothy Morand Gaston Colbert James Bree Louise Colbert Maria Charles Hans van Broecken Gunnar Möller Lena van Broecken Marianne Stone Yvonne Henrietta Baynes Max Brocard Stephen Yardley Insp. Paul Delon John D. Collins Madeleine Duclos Hazel McBride François Nigel Williams Maj. Nick Bradley Paul Shelley Wullner Neil Daglish Geneviève Trisha Clarke Jelinek David Neilson Maj. Hans Dietrich Reinhardt Terrence Hardiman Paul Vercors Michael Byrne Ralph Bates Capt. Stephen Durnford Stephan Chase Hauptmann Müller Hilary Minster Paul Ken Moule (uncredited)

In 1991 the retailer WHSmith released an exclusive double tape compilation of seven selected episodes between – and including – the first and last of Series Two, running to 326 minutes in total.

The complete three series set of Secret Army is available on DVD (Region 2, UK) from DD Home Entertainment. This also carries interviews with cast members Angela Richards, Clifford Rose, Juliet Hammond Hill, Terrence Hardiman and Hazel McBride. It does not include the final unbroadcast episode (see above).

The songs performed by Angela Richards and pianist Ken Moule proved so popular with audiences that a BBC soundtrack album entitled Au Café Candide was released. Long since deleted, the songs are now available on a new CD recorded some 25 years after the first, entitled An Evening at Le Candide. Tracks include Richards's own compositions "Memories Come Gently" and "If This Is The Last Time I See You", together with popular Forties numbers such as "Lilli Marlene" and "J'attendrai".