MYSTERY!: INSPECTOR MORSE, SERIES 4: DECEIVED BY FLIGHT {PART 1 OF 2} (TV)
Summary
Part one of two. One in this mystery anthology series. Host Diana Rigg introduces this program about a crotchety, middle-aged, ale-drinking British police inspector. In part one, several of Morse’s old schoolmates return to Oxford University for a reunion and a cricket match. However, one of the men, Peter Foster, spies on the others with binoculars, and another, Anthony Donn, considers a gun he has brought along. Donn then calls Morse, who is listening to the radio at his office, and invites him for supper that night. Morse is surprised, not having heard from Donn for many years, but he agrees, then heading off to handle a case in which a gay-friendly bookstore was bombed, killing two, and vandalized with slurs. Later, he meets with Donn, who asks him about his bachelorhood and if he regrets not marrying, and then tells him a parable from a book on Zen Buddhism that he borrowed from his wife. Morse then goes to interrogate suspects in the bombing case, but he is interrupted by a phone call from Donn, which he dismisses. Donn’s wife, Kate, is at her job at a radio station when the news comes in that he, Anthony, has been found dead in his bed at Oxford. Morse arrives at the scene of the crime with Lewis and he is disturbed to learn that it appears as though Donn electrocuted himself using leads attached to the radio. Morse wonders if he had “help” and consults a photo of their class, pointing out another man, Roland Marshall, an inventor now confined to a wheelchair. Russell arrives and Morse asks her about methods of suicide, and she agrees that it looks as though Donn killed himself. Morse then talks with Kate, who is overwhelmed by the sudden death. Elsewhere, Marshall meets up with Cranston, another classmate, and tells him about Donn. They have an awkward run-in with Kate and Morse, whom they call by his school nickname, “Pagan,” seemingly surprised at Morse’s choice of career. Kate then tells Morse that her husband could not have killed himself and hated guns, and soon faints from apparent grief. Morse talks with Marshall and states that he thinks Donn may have been murdered, and likely by an acquaintance, making a total of eleven suspects, all former classmates and Clarets, members of the cricket team, including Marshall himself, despite his handicap. Morse then recruits Lewis to go undercover as Donn’s replacement on the cricket team, as Marshall insists that the game must go on despite the shock. Kate wonders why anyone would have murdered her husband but admits that he was “difficult” and possibly resented her career, and she questions if he may have been unhappy enough to kill himself after all. When Morse asks about the Zen book, she recalls it, but says that she cannot remember its title. At the same time, Lewis begins to suspect Foster, especially when he borrows keys to presumably sneak around Donn’s room, where he died. He also theorizes that the woman with whom Foster is staying, Philippa, is not really his wife, despite their claims. Morse seems unconvinced by his evidence, but he goes to Philippa and questions her, noticing an “anomaly” in her phone numbers as told to the police. She states that she did not know Donn and requests to attend the next day’s cricket match with Morse, as her own husband is unlikely to attend, and he agrees. That night, Marshall’s wealthy young nephew Jamie arrives to watch the match and meets with his uncle and Lewis. Lewis, getting an idea, borrows Marshall’s car and returns to Donn’s room, planning to catch Foster in the act of snooping, but he is hit from behind with a cricket bat by an unknown assailant. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: ITV
- DATE: January 18, 1989
- RUNNING TIME: 1:00:00
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:29982
- GENRE: Drama, mystery/suspense
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, mystery/suspense
- SERIES RUN: ITV - TV series, 1987-2000
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Ted Childs … Executive Producer
- Chris Burt … Producer
- Ray Frift … Associate Producer
- Anthony Minghella … Writer
- Anthony Simmons … Director
- Kenny McBain … Original Series Developed By
- Colin Dexter … Based on an idea by
- Barrington Pheloung … Music by
- Diana Rigg … Host
- John Thaw … Cast, Chief Inspector Moore
- Kevin Whately … Cast, Detective Sergeant Lewis
- Amanda Hillwood … Cast, Doctor Grayling Russell
- Norman Rodway … Cast, Roland Marshall
- Sharon Maughan … Cast, Kate Donn
- Daniel Massey … Cast, Anthony Donn
- Geoffrey Beevers … Cast, Peter Foster
- Jane Booker … Cast, Philippa Foster
- Nicky Henson … Cast, Vince Cranston
- Bryan Pringle … Cast, Barker
- Nat Parker … Cast, Jamie Jasper
- Stephen Moore … Cast, Radio Producer
- Peter Amory … Cast, DC Hilaire
- Martin Chamberlain … Cast, Captain (Clarets)
- Adam Tomlinson … Cast, Batsman (Clarets)
- Kit Jackson … Cast, Player (Clarets)
- Charles Collingwood … Cast, Fast Bowler (Clarets)
- Andrew Paul … Cast, Suspect
- Ann Bryson … Cast, Radio Producer's PA
- Elin Jenkins … Cast, WPC
- David Shaw-Parker … Cast, Forensic Sergeant
- John Patrick … Cast, Patrol Officer
- Brian Johnston … Cast, Cricket Commentary by