Dateline Europe (aka Foreign Intrigue) - Volume 1

Early 1950s television saw a number of Cold War and foreign intrigue series like "Dangerous Assignment," "Passport to Danger," "Secret File, USA" and this series, from producer Sheldon Reynolds ("Sherlock Holmes" with Ronald Howard). I purchased this as a "blind buy" and immediately was hooked. Like "Secret File, USA," "Dateline Europe" makes excellent use of English-speaking European casts (mostly Swedish and French) and location filming, and the stories are well handled. The first three episodes in Volume 1 feature Jerome Thor and/or his real-life wife Sydna Scott, while the last episode features the better known James Daly (shown on the front cover of the DVD).

The downside to this release is the relatively poor condition of the episodes, especially the Thor/Scott episodes. They're watchable, to be sure, but are not restored and those who are accustomed to pristine prints found on most modern day DVDs will be disappointed. But, remember, "Dateline Europe" remains a difficult find on home video, so you're really getting the opportunity to see episodes of a series that's not been seen in decades at a very modest price.

As is the case with many of its "Classic TV Series," one has to give Alpha Video much credit for finding these old gems and releasing them. Alpha remains the best company for releasing these vintage television shows of the Cold War era.