An Unsuitable Job for a Woman (1982)

A rather loose adaptation of the P. D. James novel. Cordelia Gray, the survivor of a partnership in a detective agency, is asked by the assistant of James Calendar to investigate the ... See full summary »

Director:

Christopher Petit

Writers:

P.D. James (novel), Elizabeth McKay (screenplay),

Stars:

Billie Whitelaw, Paul Freeman, Pippa Guard

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Billie Whitelaw	...	Elizabeth Leaming
Paul Freeman	...	James Calendar
Pippa Guard	...	Cordelia Gray
Dominic Guard	...	Andrew Lunn
Elizabeth Spriggs	...	Miss Markland
David Horovitch	...	Sergeant Maskell
Dawn Archibald	...	Isobel
Bernadette Shortt	...	Temp
James Gilbey	...	Boy
Kelda Holmes	...	Girl
Margaret Wade	...	Secretary
Alex Guard	...	Mark Callender

Storyline

A rather loose adaptation of the P. D. James novel. Cordelia Gray, the survivor of a partnership in a detective agency, is asked by the assistant of James Calendar to investigate the suicide of his son, Mark. About the same age as Mark, Cordelia is resourceful in her investigation, but smitten with the dead son and becomes obsessed with his memory and his increasingly suspicious death. She interviews his friend, Andrew, and his girlfriend, Isobel. She is also interested in James Calendar's assistant, Elizabeth Leaming, who seems to have a more than natural interest in Mark. She is thrown down an abandoned well and later chases her assailant, Andrew...

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Plot Keywords:

suicide | death | detective | well | investigation | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 April 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ett opassande jobb för en kvinna

Company Credits

Production Co:

Boyd's Company, Carolina Bank, Goldcrest Films International

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Gevacolor)

User Reviews

One of the films of the year in the Virgin Film Yearbook

Saw it when it came out and no sign of it since. With the release of Radio On by the BFI I hoped it would find its way (look at some of the crap that gets put out) to the shelves. Network, BFI, Optimum, Eureka. Anybody - as long as it's a good transfer.

The TV version with Helen Baxendale was enjoyable but I recall that this film was a more downbeat with a very British film feel, like The long Good Friday.

I don't understand why some films disappear without trace whilst others are shown over and over (Film 4, I'm looking at you)without regard for quality.