The Murder Room (2004) (TV)

Director:

Diarmuid Lawrence

Writers:

P.D. James (novel)
Robert Jones (screenplay)

Release Date:

31 October 2004 (Australia)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

Plot:

The lease on the Dupayne Museum is almost up and under the terms of their father's will, all three of...

Plot Keywords:

Murder Mystery | Copycat Murder | Museum | Tabby Cat | Based On Novel

Cast

Martin Shaw	...	Adam Dalgliesh
Janie Dee	...	Emma Lavenham
Samantha Bond	...	Caroline Dupayne
Kerry Fox	...	Muriel Godby
Siân Phillips	...	Marie Strickland
Michael Maloney	...	Neville Dupayne
Nicholas Le Prevost	...	Marcus Dupayne (as Nicholas le Prevost)
Jack Shepherd	...	James Calder-Hale
Anita Carey	...	Tally Clutton
Tilly Blackwood	...	DI Kate Miskin
William Beck	...	DI Piers Tarrant
Sid Mitchell	...	Ryan Archer
Lisa Kay	...	Angela Faraday
Kate Alderton	...	Sara Dupayne
Lesley Vickerage	...	Clara

Runtime:

180 min (2 parts)

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Company:

BBC Drama Group

Trivia:

While on location, the school children extras were kept in a hired bus with a radiation heater because there were so few of them.

Tomcat Among The Pigeons

Famed mystery writer P.D. James spins an intricate tale of deception and murder in this classic style whodunit story, converted to TV movie, set at a spooky old museum in England. Three wealthy siblings in charge of the Dupayne Museum are at odds over its future. One wants to close it down for financial reasons; the other two want to keep it open, presumably for posterity. One of its rooms is dedicated to infamous murders that occurred between WWI and WWII. When a murder occurs at the museum, the MO closely resembles a murder described in the murder room.

The plot contains ample red herrings, and just the right number of suspects. There's some good spine-tingling suspense, especially toward the film's end, when the murderer dressed in black and concealed by darkness prowls around in the building at night. The story reminds me, in some ways, of Agatha Christie's novel "Cat Among The Pigeons"; indeed, in "The Murder Room" an old tomcat figures into the story's conclusion.

As with the best whodunits, the plot leads viewers down the garden path; what seems important is not; what's seemingly irrelevant may be very important. If there's a theme to the story, it's spoken by one of the suspects: "The past isn't so easily shaken off; old sins return".

As engaging as the film is, it's not perfect. I did not care at all for the romantic subplot of the lead detective. With a runtime of three hours, this subplot not only unnecessarily prolongs the movie, but it also intrudes into the whodunit puzzle. In addition, the film's editing at the beginning is too frantic. Viewers must endure a barrage of too many new characters and too many flashbacks. As a result, the first thirty minutes present a chaotic jumble of confusing images. All these images make sense on a repeat viewing; but I almost gave up on the film, at first. Finally, the film's ending, as regards the explanation of the killer's motive, seems rushed. A couple of key questions are never answered.

"The Murder Room" is made to order for viewers who like classic whodunit puzzles. There's plenty of time to sink your teeth into the story and get to know the suspects and their potential for being the killer. Casting and acting are quite good. And for a TV movie, production design and sets are surprisingly detailed and lavish. The only real weaknesses are an unnecessary subplot, and an intimidating thirty-minute intro. Given those constraints, this film offers some terrific whodunit entertainment.