A French Village: Season 1

This French television series, broadcast stateside on MHz Choice, details life in a small village during the German occupation in World War II. The pressures of war and the brutality of the German overlords take an emotional toll on the village residents, who find themselves slowly divided between those who collaborate with the occupiers (either willingly or otherwise) and those who engage in resistance (in both large and small ways). To its credit, the series is brutally honest in its exploration of the relative ease with which many French nationals found themselves working in alliance with their one-time enemy. And it also deserves praise for considering aspects of life during wartime often absent from many American productions concerning WWII, most notably in terms of food rationing and the efforts by the Germans to play their victims against each other. A French Village also boasts a handsome production design and vibrant visuals. Unfortunately, however, the series too often falls victim to soap opera-level plot devices, while the unusually large ensemble cast—which includes stars Audrey Fleurot and Thierry Godard—is variable in dramatic abilities. Compiling all six episodes from the 2009 first season, A French Village—despite its flaws—offers a compelling view of how the French see their tragic wartime history. A strong optional purchase. (P. Hall)