acnmorrison Reviews

Inspector Morse: The Last Enemy (1989) Season 3, Episode 2

The Riddle of the Third Mile

[10/10 · 26 January 2007]

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.

Hancock's Half Hour: The Great Detective (1957) Season 3, Episode 2

Much appreciated by Audience

[8/10 · 7 January 2007]

This was the very first situation comedy episode I ever saw on Television and having heard only radio comedies until that time what struck me was that the audience seemed far more involved so there was advantage in seeing people acting and supported by scenery instead of reading from scripts.My memory is that it was some play on "And Then There Was None" and everyone was able to play a ruse by pretending to be dead to get Hancock and James to go away.I wonder if Paul Merton should have had a go at this one when he was reworking old Galton and Simpson scripts.It was with sadness that I learned that the film had not survived. Galton and Simpson were working with a new medium and I hope their scripts will be re-examined.

The River (1988)

Romantic Comedy by a River

[10/10 · 13 May 2006]

This one off series of 6 half hour programmes at last comes to DVD.David Essex plays a cockney young man,Davey, who has taken a job as a lock keeper in deep countryside (he enjoys watching wildlife) following a short period in prison for being involved innocently in his colour blind brothers crime of forgery.Unexpectedly thanks partly due to an error by his assistant lock keeper(pet loving),Tom (Shaun Scott) a barge owner Sarah Murphy escaping her part criminal family (her father calls her Bill) the barge is damaged and Sarah is stuck by the lock.Sarah has attitude from her past experiences and the chemistry between her and Davey is engaging.Davey has an aunt living with him who is determined Sarah does not replace her occupancy,Betty (Vilma Hollingbery).She wears a beret and is a political "Citizen Smith",she even manages to lace Davey's drink with Bromide to prevent a "Romantic Moment".Colonel Danvers (David Ryall) completes the main cast and his presence help the conversations move the plot forward.The outside scenes filmed in summer sunshine is a snapshot of an England many of us love.It is a pity a second series did not take place as the first was popular.Davey's easy goingness,Sarah's lack of confidence causing her to get the wrong end of the stick,Tom's part time naivety,the Colonel's and the Aunt's scheming all made an excellent whole.

The Love Letter (1998 TV Movie)

A Great Film for Romantics

[10/10 · 25 June 2004]

This film requires you to accept that letters can move through time.If you will just accept this and your romantic,you like New England in autumn then just sit back and enjoy. The male lead is already engaged at the start but in the correspondence crossings back over 130 years he sees that there is something missing which is the same that his correspondent yearns for.The correspondence is started by his encountering a secret letter written in 1863 put in a bureau he bought which once belonged to a 29 year old lady who wrote the letter and hid it dreaming of a lover she longed to exist and come into her life.He replies using contemporary writing paper,ink and stamps the post box being a long surviving one.The letter reaches the writer who following the shock replies by leaving replies in the drawer.Falling in love he encourages her to continue her poetry.The story involves tragedy in the civil war but in the end the ending is in the present.Watchers may miss the last words with the music but it only confirms the situation.Now where can I find a bureau such as the one used. The scenes are brilliantly dove tailed,the screenplay writer did a brilliant job and must have taken a lot of care with this short story by Jack Finney.

Nicholas Morrison

Prudence and the Pill (1968)

Full of Spirit.

[10/10 · 23 November 2003]

In the 1960's films often had opening credits where the painters type/artists could present an attractive package(Intolerable Cruelty{2003} reminded me of this).This was one and with good set designs this film gave a picture of background colour and warmth. This film is unreasonably remembered as poor but golden moments are Edith Evans walking across a motor racing track during a race.Then there was David Niven purchasing Aspirin at Timothy Whites as if purchasing something evil.The number of couples at the end gave the story depth only Deborah Kerr is disappointing but her part is not sympathetic.A welcome increase in the birth rate ended the film.

Donnie Darko (2001)

A film that entertainingly makes you think.

[9/10 · 1 June 2003]

A time travel story that also examines the hypocrisy of some Self Improvement types,school teachers with their own agenda and the problems of growing up around adults with their own struggles.The DVD adds a lot of useful information(Do watch the commentary as well) and the film does much credit to all those involved as it was made because they believed in it rather than for money.Well worth watching again as a disturbed boy much affected by external forces than from within shows a great resource when showing that he does have empathy.