Monday 1 April 2019

Inspector Morse: The Wench Is Dead (1998 Robert Knights)

Colin Dexter's 8th 1989 novel provides an innovative tale; Morse, hospitalised, starts looking into an 1860 Oxford murder trial, based on a true and very similar (1839) murder case. Dexter is present at a presentation on the History of Oxford crime, given by visiting American author Lisa Eichhorn (King of the Hill), who gives Morse the book. As Lewis is away doing his detective course, he is helped by fast track graduate Matthew Finney (one of only two screen appearances).

Malcolm Bradbury wrote it (The History Man, Blott on the Landscape, Porterhouse Blue, The Green Man) and it was photographed by Chris O'Dell. Strange (James Grout) wants Morse to retire; pathologist Clare Holman helps with Victorian underwear.

It's upsetting seeing Morse in hospital, but in fact Thaw had quit booze in 1995 and his cancer wasn't diagnosed until after the end of the series in 2001.

Strange has just presented him with the novel 'Hands All Over Me'!
Michael Culkin is familiar as the Victorian prosecutor, as is judge Jeff Nuttall.

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