The Last Enemy (11 Jan. 1989)

A headless, armless, footless body of a murdered academic is found in Oxford Canal and his investigation leads to petty hatred and jealousy among the local academia.

Director:

James Scott

Writers:

Colin Dexter (story), Peter Buckman (screenplay)

Stars:

John Thaw, Kevin Whately, Amanda Hillwood

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
John Thaw	...	Chief Inspector Morse
Kevin Whately	...	Detective Sergeant Lewis
Amanda Hillwood	...	Dr. Grayling Russell - Pathologist
Barry Foster	...	Sir Alexander Reece
Michael Aldridge	...	Arthur Drysdale
Tenniel Evans	...	Dr. David Kerridge
Beatie Edney	...	Deborah Burns
Sian Thomas	...	Carol Sharp
James Grout	...	Chief Superintendent Strange
Lana Morris	...	Miss Tree
Bert Parnaby	...	Ben
Mark Tandy	...	Mr. Collins
Pauline Munro	...	Dentist
Albert Welling	...	Chris Stoneley
Kevin McMonagle	...	Geoff

Storyline

When a decapitated body is found in the canal, the police must first identify the victim. The Master of an Oxford college, Sir Alexander Reece, contacts his old friend Morse to obtain assistance in locating the Deputy Master, David Kerridge, who is now four days overdue from his planned return to college. Kerridge is found battered to death in his London flat but oddly, it's also determined that the body in the canal was wearing one of Kerridge's suits. Morse and Lewis conclude that the headless body is that of Nicholas Balarat, a member of Reece's college and a senior civil servant who may have denied Reece an important appointment. However, another murder at the college sends the detectives in an altogether different direction.

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Plot Keywords:

canal | academia | jealousy | economist | biblical quote | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 January 1989 (UK)

Filming Locations:

Archery Tavern pub, Bathurst Street, Westminster, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Zenith Entertainment, Central Independent Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Michael Aldridge and Barry Foster, who both appear in this episode, also both played the head of the Le Carré's "circus: the former Percy Alleline in "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy", the latter Saul Enderby in the sequel, "Smiley's People". There is an interesting symmetry to their respective positions; in "Smiley's People" the Foster character replaces the Aldridge character, who is fired, while in the Morse episode the Aldridge character kills the one played by Foster.

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Quotes

Sir Alexander Reece: [to Carol] I'll get some more champagne. It's a great persuador.

User Reviews

The Riddle of the Third Mile

This is a reworking of Colin Dexter's novel - "The Riddle of the Third Mile".The plot line keeps well with the book though character names are changed and the other alterations were principally to remove a London Strip Club.Visually with a canal plenty of Oxford scenery and an exceptionally strong supporting cast in particular involving Tenniel Evans,Michael Aldridge and Barry Foster.Morse's conversations with Sian Thomas and Amanda Hillwood in their way show how much he seems to miss a possible opportunity for happiness and with Beatie Edney the female support whilst less experienced is no less strong.I must wonder if Oxford University can approve of academics being portrayed as double crossers and jealous schemers but then it makes life more interesting.