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Rumpole of the Bailey

Rumpole and the Blind Tasting

  • Episode aired Jan 26, 1987
  • 52m
IMDb RATING
8.3/10
66
YOUR RATING
S4.E2
  • S4
  • E2
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  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Samantha Bond, Denis Lill, and Leo McKern in Rumpole of the Bailey (1978)
Rumpole Of The Bailey: Rumpole And The Blind Tasting
Play trailer1:16
1 Video
1 Photo
  • Crime
  • Drama
  • Mystery

Rumpole defends career criminal Hugh Timson for receiving a garageful full of stolen wine.Rumpole defends career criminal Hugh Timson for receiving a garageful full of stolen wine.Rumpole defends career criminal Hugh Timson for receiving a garageful full of stolen wine.

IMDb RATING
8.3/10
66
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Roger Bamford
  • Writer
    • John Mortimer(by)
  • Stars
    • Leo McKern
    • Marion Mathie
    • Peter Blythe
Top credits
  • Director
    • Roger Bamford
  • Writer
    • John Mortimer(by)
  • Stars
    • Leo McKern
    • Marion Mathie
    • Peter Blythe
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 1User review
    • 1Critic review
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Rumpole Of The Bailey: Rumpole And The Blind Tasting
    Trailer 1:16
    Rumpole Of The Bailey: Rumpole And The Blind Tasting

    Photos

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    Top cast

    Edit
    Leo McKern
    Leo McKern
    • Horace Rumpoleas Horace Rumpole
    Marion Mathie
    • Hilda Rumpoleas Hilda Rumpole
    Peter Blythe
    Peter Blythe
    • Samuel Ballard Q.C.as Samuel Ballard Q.C.
    Julian Curry
    • Claude Erskine-Brownas Claude Erskine-Brown
    Samantha Bond
    Samantha Bond
    • Liz Probertas Liz Probert
    Denis Lill
    Denis Lill
    • Mr. Bernardas Mr. Bernard
    Jonathan Coy
    Jonathan Coy
    • Henryas Henry
    Richard Murdoch
    Richard Murdoch
    • Uncle Tomas Uncle Tom
    Denys Graham
    Denys Graham
    • Hoskinsas Hoskins
    Maureen Darbyshire
    • Dianneas Dianne
    Robin Bailey
    Robin Bailey
    • Judge Gravesas Judge Graves
    Dave King
    Dave King
    • Monty Mantisas Monty Mantis
    Phyllida Law
    Phyllida Law
    • Honoria Birdas Honoria Bird
    Stephen Greif
    Stephen Greif
    • Martyn Vanberryas Martyn Vanberry
    Phillip Reader
    • Ken Easthamas Ken Eastham
    Ann Way
    Ann Way
    • Dodo Mackintoshas Dodo Mackintosh
    Mark Kingston
    Mark Kingston
    • Ron Probertas Ron Probert
    Marc Sinden
    Marc Sinden
    • Tristram Paulettas Tristram Paulett
    • Director
      • Roger Bamford
    • Writer
      • John Mortimer(by)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

    Storyline

    Edit
    Once again, Rumpole finds himself defending a member of the Timson clan, this time Hugh Timson on a charge of possession of stolen goods. Specifically, he is found to have a garage full of expensive wine. Rumpole is concerned that his story, to the effect that he purchased the wine from some unknown individual he met in a pub, will not wash with Mr. Justice Graves who has heard this story before. Rumpole also takes on a new pupil, Ms Liz Probert and even tricks Ballard into thinking that she is the daughter of a well-known clergyman, when in fact her father is the well-known left-wing councilman 'Red' Ron Probert. —garykmcd
    • wine
    • wine tasting
    • wine snob
    • stolen goods
    • career criminal
    • 4 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Genres
      • Crime
      • Drama
      • Mystery
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Phyllida Law makes a second guest appearance almost ten years after starring in the first series episode Rumpole and the Married Lady (1978).
    • Goofs
      In the court case, the proceedings constantly refers to the fake wine in question as a Cheval Blanc. Blanc is white but the tasting samples passed round the court for tasting were all red wine. However "Cheval Blanc" is named after the white horse (cheval blanc) in the chateau's name, and the "blanc" does not refer to the colour of the wine.
    • Quotes

      Hilda Rumpole: Is that you Rumpole?

      Horace Rumpole: No, it's the man come to tune the harp.

    User reviews1

    Review
    Top review
    5/10
    Rumpole and the Blind Tasting
    Look carefully, writer John Mortimer makes a Hitchcock type of cameo at a canteen scene.

    The police find criminal Hugh Timson hiding stolen silver items in bags of frozen peas. Rumpole luckily gets him off as none of the people whose items were stolen came forward to identify it. They were happy with the insurance money.

    Timson might be running out of luck. The police find cases of wine in his garage and he is charged with the theft of vintage wine.

    Rumpole has to defend him again. Luckily for Timson, Rumpole recently visited a blind wine tasting contest with Claude Erskine-Brown and happened to have come across the man who had his wine stolen by Timson.

    A far from vintage episode. I find it hard to believe that the poetic Rumpole would not know how to do a wine tasting. There is I feel a slight decline in quality and writing.

    Also after using some cunning to get a female pupil accepted by the chambers. He has to do the same again for another female pupil.

    I assume Rosalyn Landor did not reprise her role as Fiona Allways. Samantha Bond plays Liz Probert, a daughter of a left wing council leader. The head of chambers, Ballard thinks that she is the daughter of a well known clergyman.
    helpful•2
    2
    • Prismark10
    • Feb 15, 2020

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 26, 1987 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Production company
      • Thames Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      52 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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