Prime Suspect (1991) (TV)

Director:

Christopher Menaul

Writer:

Lynda La Plante (written by)

Release Date:

23 January 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

A female police detective investigates a series of serial murders while dealing with sexist hostility from her male comrades.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Investigation | Suspect | Prime Suspect | Murder Investigation

Awards:

11 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Helen Mirren	...	DCI Jane Tennison
Tom Bell	...	DS Bill Otley
John Benfield	...	DCS Michael Kernan
John Bowe	...	George Marlow
Zoë Wanamaker	...	Moyra Henson
Bryan Pringle	...	Felix Norman
Tom Wilkinson	...	Peter Rawlins
John Forgeham	...	DCI John Shefford
Gary Whelan	...	DS Terry Amson
Jack Ellis	...	DI Tony Muddyman
Craig Fairbrass	...	D.I. Frank Burkin
Ian Fitzgibbon	...	DC Jones
Mossie Smith	...	WPC Maureen Havers
Philip Wright	...	DC Lillie
Andrew Tiernan	...	DC Rosper

Also Known As:

Mobil Masterpiece Theatre: Prime Suspect (USA) (pre-release title)
Prime Suspect 1
Prime Suspect 1: A Price to Pay (Europe) (DVD title)

Runtime:

207 min (2 parts)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M | UK:18 | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-15

Filming Locations:

Covent Garden, London, England, UK

Company:

Granada Television

Trivia:

Lynda La Plante made this film after watching reality-TV crime shows. After calling Scotland Yard and learning that there were only four female DCIs, she interviewed one of them (Jackie Malton), who impressed her so much that La Plante decided to base the plot on Malton's experiences during her career.

Quotes:

[talking about a murdered woman in a reconstruction on the TV]
Pam: She was a pretty girl.
Mrs. Tennison: That's not the real girl. That's someone dressed up to look like her.
Mr. Tennison: They can't have the real girl, woman, because she's dead!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Drama Connections: Prime Suspect (#1.6)" (2005)

Marvelous Near to Life Cold Blooded British Cop Film

What is excellant about this TV-Movie is that there are so many loose ends. We Do Not know if the Prime Suspect is guilty or not. This Happens in true life situations. We have Police Harassment and many Realistic Human situations. Enjoyable and Interesting. I watched DVD Version. Even DCI Jane Tennison is not perfect and makes human errors! Sam C.