Allo Allo!

'Allo Allo' was a BBC comedy series set in the village of Nouvion in France during the second world war. The main setting is a small café run by Rene Artois. He is in a bit of a predicament. As he says in the third episode of the first series: (Quote from series) " I have to be nice to the Germans, they are winning the war, if I am not nice to them, they will shoot me. I have to be nice to the resistance or they will shoot me for being nice to the Germans. I have to be nice to my wife because if she finds out I am having an affair with Yvette she will she will shoot me..." Every episode begins with Rene setting the scene, this usulaly ...  Read the complete review

Allo Allo is set in France (well, it is actually filmed in Thetford, Norfolk, a place I know well and it is the perfect setting after northern France itself). Rene Artois, played by the excellent Gordon Kaye, runs the local cafe which is the setting for most of the action. He runs the cafe with his wife, Edith, who thinks she has a wonderful singing voice and often serenades the customers whether they want her to or not. The period is World War Two and the costumes and props have been wonderfully researched. Rene is often to be found, usually by his wife, in compromising situations with one or other of the cute French waitresses; Edith believes ...  Read the complete review

Allo Allo was a British sitcom that ran from 1982 to 1992. Set during World War II, it told the tale of a small French village in occupied France, centering around the cafe of Rene Artois, secretly working with the French Resistance using his cafe as a front. The comedy was genius, written by David Croft and Jeremy Lloyd, the writers behind Are You Being Served?. The show was immensely popular, and 15 years after its last episode, a one off special show was made and aired in April 2007, encompassing as many of the original as possible. Cafe owner Rene Artois was played excellently by Gorden Kaye. His French accent was marvellous, as were most of the accents ...  Read the complete review

For many years through all the original series and the numerous repeats one thing about Allo Allo shines out - its funny. It tells the story of Rene Artois who is a bar keeper in occupied France during World War 2. The character of Rene is beautifully played by Gorden Kaye. Rene is married to Madame Edith (Carmen Silvera) but due to a convoluted story are no longer living as man and wife. Rene despite his apparent lack of physical attractiveness is loved by every young woman in the town. When first broadcast Allo Allo did attract some criticism for its subject as many people still considered the War, German occupation, Gestapo or the resistance as taboo ...  Read the complete review

Allo Allo was a very popular comedy which is still shown as repeats on BBC1 these days. It was a take off of a showcalled Secret Army which was a drama about the human pipeline in 1940's Belguim that allowed escaped world war two prisoners get back to England, this was a sppof based on that show however instead of Belgium the action was switched to France. Given that this show is all about charicturising the various national stereotypes and prejudices we hold it makes sense to have it in France, after all apart from Poirot what does anyone know about Belgium. Gordon Kaye plays the role of Renee, the owner of a French cafe that is frequented by the ...  Read the complete review