As an avid P.D. James fan and reader, I find myself critical of "The Murder Room" and Martin Shaw's performance in it. Unlike other comments, I feel that the movie must at least be true to the writer's creation of the character's personality. "Judge Deed" is NOT "Adam Dagliesh", but the portrayal by Shaw is similar. Adam Dagliesh is a classy, private, remote, creative intelligent, sensitive character, not the "Bull In a China Shop" personality that Martin Shaw portrays in Murder Room. Don't get me wrong, I love "Judge Deed" and Shaw's portrayal of him, but his performance simply doesn't fit as James's "Dagliesh" character. Let's dredge Mr. Roy Marsden out of his theater environment for these wonderful new productions of P.D. James excellent novels and enjoy his accurate and creative interpretation of the Dagliesh character. In closing I must say that the film itself was well written, well directed, and true to the novel.
Review of The Murder Room
The Murder Room
(2004–2005)
Martin Shaw's performance is that of Judge Deed, not Dagliesh.
2 June 2007