Die Kinder

We are out of country, living outside of the comforts of language, and were trying to find great series to re-watch on Surf the Channel. Die Kinder came up in conversation as one of the very GREATS, right up there with The Wire, the best of Prime Suspect, A Very British Coup, etc. Why is this series not available? We would nearly kill ourselves to get to the opening scene, to make sure that we were tuned in on time. The quality of this series--from the inventive narrative-expanding, plot-thickening opening credits, to the writing and acting, to its very end--was consistently thrilling. Back in 1990 we were telling everyone to watch and felt like it was a private treasure trove; twenty years later, I am still perplexed about its apparent un-availability and the small audience of fans for the series. Its relevance continues: terrorism--both renegade and state-sponsored, political fanaticism across the ideological spectrum, political resistance and refusal, it all matters. The recent Baader-Meinhoff film was good and gripping; this series is formidable, smart and superlative.

This one turned me on to both Paule Milne, the author whose work I now look for on BBC productions, and Miranda Richardson, who is a wonder as a mother terrified after her children are kidnapped. And I've always like Frederick Forrest. A bit more background on the plot: What happens when old comrades in a violent (the bombing) radical 60's group (think Beider-Meinhof or Weather Underground) come back into your life as a now contented middle class mother whose radical youth is way in the past (or so she thinks). To keep her silent because one of them is running for a high political seat, or is it because one of them is a powerful industrial force, or is it because the government hasn't forgotten about your activities and wants some information--anyway, off go her kids and people close to her get killed. Time to panic? I'd say so. Her ex-husband isn't much help. Along comes alcoholic, disillusioned Fredrick Forrest. Can he save the day? What the h is going on? The plot keeps you involved the whole time.

I've missed taping the first episode but have the last four or five. Even now I like watching it once in a while. Why it's not on DVD is beyond me.

Die Kinder is the show that made me truly appreciate the considerable talent of Frederic Forrest, who plays a jaded private detective (Lomax) hired by a British woman (Miranda Richardson), whose young children are abducted by their German father. Forrest plays this role with amazing range - he is cynical, pragmatic, romantic, protective, devious, heroic. You name it, he does it with this character, and he is completely believable in each nuance that was written into the role. I cannot imagine anyone else playing the part.

All praise for Forrest aside, Milne's script is simply terrific. Lots of plot twists, and each one believable. The characters find themselves caught in an invisible web of bad guys, underground radicals, and betrayed ideals. The final scene left me speechless for several minutes. Interestingly the short novel that was based upon the screenplay presents just one of the many endings that you must develop in your own imagination when you watch the series. This is one story where I DON'T recommend reading the book first.

The down side of all this is that WGBH has no plans to re-broadcast this mini-series, nor do they plan to release it on video. At least that was what they told me the last time I wrote to them. I write every few years with the same request. Perhaps fans of this series should start a letter campaign so they know it's worth releasing for sale. There are several of us out here who have Die Kinder at the top of our all-time favorites list - I cannot imagine there aren't lots more anonymous fans who would love to see it again. My worn out VHS is a precious possession.

This is the ONLY program shown on "Mystery!" (PBS) that I remember with enough affection that I want to find a copy of it to own. I have watched "Mystery!" for many years, but no other offering has grabbed me in quite the way "Die Kinder" ("The Children", in German -not "Perish More Nicely"). I recall that at first the action seemed to move more slowly than I wanted, but I hung in there- it was WORTH IT! The fact that the program was historically accurate in the setting used for the story only added to my enjoyment.

Another aspect of the program was that every episode (chapter?) started with a flashback to the original bombing from the '60s. I haven't seen it since it showed on PBS, but it seemed to me that the flashback made more sense to me as the episodes progressed. I'm not sure whether this was due to increased understanding from information given in previous episodes, or whether there were subtle changes in the flashback as the program progressed. That is ONE (but not the only) reason I want to own a copy of this program for myself.

I won't spoil the program or ending for those who haven't seen it or who don't remember it, but I must say that this program is a MUST SEE (in my humble opinion) for anyone who likes "Mystery!" or suspense films.