If Dogs Run Free: Part 1 (4 Apr. 2010)

Small time hood Gerry Berland, who sponsors illegal dogfighting, tries to intimidate RSPCA officer who witnessed a murder committed by his son.

Director:

Paul Harrison

Writers:

R.D. Wingfield (characters created by), Michael Russell (screenplay)

Stars:

David Jason, Bruce Alexander, John Lyons

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
David Jason	...	Insp. Jack Frost
Bruce Alexander	...	Supt Mullett
John Lyons	...	D.S. Toolan
Arthur White	...	Police Collator
Adrian Dunbar	...	Gerry Berland
Niamh Cusack	...	Sally Berland
Phyllis Logan	...	Christine Moorhead
Simon Shepherd	...	Tom Viner
Leah Bracknell	...	Carolyn Viner
Adam James	...	Gregory Salmond
George Costigan	...	Allen Moorhead
Fiona Glascott	...	Jenny Mallinger
Chris Overton	...	Sean Berland
Hasan Dixon	...	Neil Viner
James McKenna	...	Custody Sergeant (as James Mckenna)

Storyline

Frost and his men assist RSPCA officer Christine Moorhead in smashing an illegal dog fighting ring but its organizer, local gangster Gerry Berland, eludes them. One of Christine's helpers, Brian, is stabbed to death by Berland's thuggish son Sean, who believes he set the police on the ring,and Christine recognizes him and his accomplice,Neil. Berland arranges alibis for the boys and though initially appalled, his wife Sally colludes with him as he has always run her life. She persuades Neil's honest and horrified parents to go along with the lie. Having failed to warn Christine off, Berland sends a thug, Lisowski, to torch the RSPCA unit with Christine inside it with her rescued dogs. Meanwhile a mysterious criminal is duplicating unsolved crimes on Frost's books from years earlier and, as he goes to rescue Christine, Jack finds,chalked on his drive, 'You Die Next.'

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Plot Keywords:

rspca | gangster | cat | stabbed to death | alibi | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 April 2010 (UK)

Company Credits

Production Co:

ITV Studios, Excelsior, ITV Television Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min 89 min (DVD)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

When Jenny Mallinger approaches Frost's car to attack the tyres with a knife, the camera operator, boom operator, and presumably the director are visible via a reflection from the rear of the car.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Insp. Jack Frost: It's Berland, right on time. That's his van, with the star attraction of some kind. How long should we give 'em?
Christine Moorhead: Let them start. Ten minutes.
Insp. Jack Frost: Right.

User Reviews

The beginning of the end

If Dogs Run Free sees Frost having difficulty in trying to convict criminal Gerry Berland, who masquerades in drugs and illegal dog fighting. Berland's son believes a former friend of his was responsible for tipping off the police in the first place and takes matters into his own hands. However, he doesn't take into account that there is a witness to his crime. There is also the case of unsolved crimes coming back to haunt Frost, which he soon realises is putting his life at risk.

Of course there was much hype surrounding this two-part edition of A Touch of Frost, as we all know that it was finally coming to an end after nearly 18 years. David Jason, at age 70, had to come to the conclusion that this excellent series could not go on forever, and that his advancing years was becoming a major concern. Nevertheless, Part 1 of If Dogs Run Free certainly keeps the twists and turns and strong acting usually associated with the show, and should not disappoint viewers.