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"Inspector Morse" Happy Families (1992)
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Overview
User Rating:
TV Series:
"Inspector Morse" (1987)Original Air Date:
11 March 1992 (Season 6, Episode 2)Plot:
Morse and Lewis investigate the murder of wealthy industrialist Sir John Balcombe. There is little love... more | add synopsisUser Comments:
One of the more complex Morse episodes, and a fine one it is too. moreCast
(Episode Cast overview, first billed only)| John Thaw | ... | Chief Inspector Morse | |
| Kevin Whately | ... | Detective Sergeant Lewis | |
| Sukie Smith | ... | Lorraine | |
| Gwen Taylor | ... | Margaret Cliff | |
| Martin Clunes | ... | James Balcombe | |
| George Raistrick | ... | Sir John Balcombe | |
| Jonathan Coy | ... | Harry Balcombe | |
| Andrew Ray | ... | Alfred Rydale | |
| Anna Massey | ... | Lady Emily Balcombe | |
| Mark Draper | ... | Constable | |
| Rupert Graves | ... | Billy | |
| Jamie Foreman | ... | Chas | |
| Liz Kettle | ... | WPC (as Elizabeth Kettle) | |
| Alun Armstrong | ... | Superintendent Holdsby | |
| Tony Guilfoyle | ... | Journalist One |
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Trivia:
During the filming of Colin Dexter's cameo role as a tramp, filmed from the top of the Carfax tower, a real down-and-out approached him, grabbed his bottle of "meths" and ran off - only to find that it contained just water. moreQuotes:
[the pathologist is examining a second body, found with a chisel embedded in it The first body was murdered with a stone mason's hammer]Pathologist: Bring in any more and we'll soon have a full kit of tools.
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Happy Families is a wonderful entry of the much-loved detective series, and actually one of my favourites. John Thaw and Kevin Whately maintain their usual standard of acting, which is nothing short of perfection, particularly Thaw. I know Thaw wasn't the typical Hollywood looker, but his amazing acting ability was what touched people most, and when he died, Britain did lose a great actor, and even that word doesn't do justice to the talent the man had. The script and the plot are excellent, full of complex issues, like Morse's persecution with the press. The camera-work is very slick, and the final solution, while not the most ingenious of the Morse episodes was still clever and entirely unpredictable. I also liked the supporting actors, especially Martin Clunes, in definitely one of his better and more understated performances, but the performances of Anna Massey, Allun Armstrong and Gwen Taylor also impress, and Rupert Graves seems to be enjoying himself as the ruthless newspaper man. All in all, a very complex mystery, developed into a very well-done and intelligent episode. 10/10 Bethany Cox.