Dying Day: Part 1: Mr. Skipling is Sentenced to Death (19 Oct. 1982)

A lonely man with punctilious habits listens to a tape cassette of ambient barroom sounds, which include the hushed tones of two men plotting to kill him; but when a policeman listens, all the sounds are there except those of the two men.

Director:

Robert Tronson

Writers:

John Bowen, Andrew Brown (deviser)

Stars:

Ian McKellen, Maurice Kaufmann, Prentis Hancock

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Ian McKellen	...	Anthony Skipling
Maurice Kaufmann	...	1st Interrogator
Prentis Hancock	...	2nd Interrogator
David Howey	...	Foster
David Ryall	...	Lane
Patrick Malahide	...	Police Sergeant
Michael Troughton	...	Police Constable
Anton Phillips	...	Roger
Joan Scott	...	Senior Samaritan
Kathleen Worth	...	Cleaning Lady

Storyline

An unassuming everyday man hears a tape recording of two men plotting to kill him, but when he plays the tape for the police the conversation is missing. He tries to unscramble the mystery of why anyone would want to kill him, and why he is the only person who can see what is happening.

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Plot Keywords:

police | motor scooter | interrogation | audio recording | talking to self in mirror | 

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Genres:

Drama | Thriller

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 October 1982 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Thames Television

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

User Reviews

This is one of the five most skillfully crafted mysteries I have ever seen.

Through the years, I have sought out uncommonly interesting mysteries, those is which it is not only uncertain WHO did it, but WHAT was done. This mystery is one of the very best of the species, I defy anyone to sort out what happened until, at the end, everything falls into place like an exquisitely crafted puzzle. My congrats to the writer. I wonder why more mysteries can't be this skillfully plotted.