"Ruth Rendell Mysteries" A Guilty Thing Surprised: Part One (1988)

Director:

Mary McMurray

Writers:

Clive Exton (dramatisation)
Ruth Rendell (novel)

TV Series:

"Ruth Rendell Mysteries" (1988)

Original Air Date:

19 June 1988 (Season 2, Episode 1)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel

Cast

George Baker	...	Chief Insp. Wexford
Christopher Ravenscroft	...	Inspector Burden
Michael Jayston	...	Quentin Nightingale
Catherine Neilson	...	Elizabeth Nightingale
Nigel Terry	...	Denys Villiers
Karen Meagher	...	Georgina Villiers
Ellis Van Maarseveen	...	Katje Doorn
Padraig O'Loinsigh	...	Sean Lovell
David Swift	...	Lionel Marriott
Sandra Voe	...	Mrs. Myrtle Cantrip
Kate David	...	Mrs. Lovell
John Burgess	...	Dr. Len Crocker
Louie Ramsay	...	Dora Wexford
Ann Penfold	...	Jean Burden
Noah Huntley	...	John Burden

Runtime:

60 min (3 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Romsey, Hampshire, England, UK

Company:

TVS Television

Trivia:

The title is taken from a line in Wordsworth's 'Ode to Immortality': "High instincts, before which our mortal nature, Did tremble like a guilty thing surprised."

Movie Connections:

Follows "Ruth Rendell Mysteries: Shake Hands Forever: Part One (#2.4)" (1988)

Of some value but will bore CSI fans to death

In a small country manor estate a small staff live and work together servicing the needs of the Nightingale family. Denys Villiers is there to work as a writer and tends to stay away from everyone else, while his sister doesn't get on with him and his wife tends to not see him that much either. When Elizabeth Nightingale is found dead in a shed in the forest, DCI Reg Wexford and his men are called in to investigate. They don't need to ask too many questions before they realise that the relationships and secrets within the small community are not as clear as they first appear.

Although I'm not a massive fan of the Wexford series I must admit that if you can take the rather downbeat pace, they generally do unfold reasonably well and make for an interesting TV detective show. The plot here is solid enough and although it never set me on fire, it was just about enough to keep me interested. The gradual picking at the case worked pretty well and the audience learn the facts and lies at the same time as Wexford and his men do. Of course to many viewers the straight-down-the-middle delivery will be actually pretty dull and, as time goes by, it looks duller and duller as TV cop shows generally require more style and gimmicks to hook the audience. Personally I did find it a bit dull and lacking in entertainment value but it was solid enough to distract.

The cast don't really help that much either. Baker's Wexford is hardly Columbo and he is hardly the most memorable TV detective I've ever seen. I'm sure it is being loyal to the books etc but you have to wonder if he didn't occasionally want to inject an bit of life into his character. Ravenscroft is much the same and doesn't have much energy even if he is a bit more interesting than Baker. Support from Terry, Jayston, Meagher and others is all much of a muchness although again I suppose it is the fault of the material that it is all a bit lifeless and serious but nobody does anything to make it better.

Overall then a solid detective story but one that id delivered without any sense of fun or flair. The story is interesting enough which is just as well because it isn't that entertaining otherwise, certainly those raised on CSI and the like will be bored to tears by this even if it is of some value.