Customer Reviews

Dorothy L. Sayers Mysteries - Have His Carcase (The Lord Peter Wimsey-Harriet Vane Collection)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Having had her life saved by Lord Peter Wimsey has been a mixed blessing for Harriet Vane. Not eager to cope with his obvious affection for her, she opts for a walking tour of England. On her way to Wilvercombe, a vacation spot for the slightly doddering, Harriet stops on the beach for a picnic lunch and a quick nap. She wakens to discover the tide coming in and a recently dead body with its throat cut on the nearby rocks. Fortunately, Miss Vane, like all good tourists, has brought her camera, and so is able to take pictures of the scene before the tide washes everything away.

Once Harriet has reported to the police, she succumbs to a writer's need for publicity, and leaks an exclusive to the London press. The resulting todo brings Lord Peter to the scene, prepared, with his usual combination of good manners and light-hearted banter to save the day if it needs saving. The police believe the death (of a local dancer) is suicide, but Lord Peter suspects murder. Various plot twists ensue and before long Vane and Wimsey have teamed up to solve what is a particularly devious and repellent crime.

As books, I prefer 'Have His Carcase' to 'Strong Poison,' and the same thing is true to of the BBC productions. This, the second novel in the developing romance between Harriet and Peter, is a much livelier story, from both a plot and a character standpoint. Sayers goes to a great deal of trouble to invent an archetypical British coastal town and people it with an entire cast of remarkable characters. The video manages to bring much of this to life without large quantities of ornate scenery or excess production. This is in contrast to 'Strong Poison' where we are constantly distracted by a historically correct 1930's London. This is a much cleaner performance.

In addition, both Edward Petherbridge and Harriet Walter have settled into their parts and deliver smoothly over a range of contexts. I still do not feel that Richard Morant's Bunter is quite right, but at least I have grown used to it. Good work comes from all, especially the actors who play the Weldon's, Jeremy Sindon and Rowena Cooper. Once again, however, director Christopher Hodson has given in to the need to muck with the ending to provide a romantic segue into the next in the series, 'Gaudy Night.' Sayers developed the Wimsey/Vane relationship in a very controlled fashion and I greatly dislike Hodson's unnecessary tinkering for little purpose. So this video also receives four stars where it should have risen to five.

I never thought I'd see this series again, but miracle of miracles, The Powers That Be have released it and on DVD, no less! I first saw these episodes on PBS in the late eighties when I was entering junior high school. I've been watching those Friday night mystery programs on PBS for as long as I can remember, and no one can top these three adaptations of Dorothy L. Sayer's three most popular Wimsey novels: Strong Poison, Have His Carcass, and Gaudy Night. Absolutely brilliant performances by Edward Petherbridge as my quintessential Lord Peter and Harriet Walter as Harriet Vane. I hope that now this much-loved series will receive the long-awaited praise and recognition it richly deserves.

Edward Petherbridge is brilliant!!

I recently acquired these DVD's (Strong Poison/Have His Carcass/Gaudy Night) and they are now my most treasured set. The performances by Edward Petherbridge and Harriet Walter are flawless!

This series is a MUST HAVE for all mystery buffs (especially Dorothy Sayer's fans!) For those who were disappointed in the Ian Carmichael series produced 10 years earlier, take heart--you have now found the answer to your prayers!

My only criticism is that there were no more titles produced in this series. I can't understand why they did not continue to make more of these wonderful productions. And furthermore, I can't understand why the BBC took so long to release this series onto Video/DVD. If I had known of the existance of this series sooner, I would have launched a campaign to demand that they make more episodes. Oh well...I guess we will just have to make do with the three gems that were made. (In fact you should probably buy two sets of these, as you may wear out your original DVD's from watching them over and over and over and ...ahem...oh yes back to the review...)

The first two films, Strong Poison and Have His Carcass, are faithful to the books and each is truly a pleasure to watch. The third, Gaudy Night (or "Gaudy Lite" as I have seen it referred to) skimps a bit in comparison to the novel. However, the extraordinary acting on the part of Edward Petherbridge and Harriet Walter more than makes up for this, ensuring that this version of Gaudy Night is a highly entertaining one. This series should have segued into "Busman's Honeymoon." However BBC dropped the ball on obtaining the rites and left us all hanging.

Perhaps it isn't too late for a continuation of this series after all. It has ONLY been 16 years since the last episode. Surely if Ian Carmichael could have the audacity to play Lord Peter Wimsey at his age, Edward Petherbridge could pull it off for at least another 20 years or so (and do it brilliantly I might add!)

Needless to say, I have become an instant fan of Mr. Petherbridge and can only hope I may find more of his work on film. (This is a daunting task since this distinguished stage performer seems to shy away from the camera. Something about acting for the love of the thing and not the money. Oh these serious actors!! By the way, isn't he WAY OVERDUE for some sort of Knighthood or something ...hmm??!!)

WARNING: Ordinary television will seem even more unsatisfactory after viewing these DVD's.

As I said before, you'd better get at least two copies of each of these DVD's (or to be on the safe side, you'd better make it three!!)

(NOTE: It seems that the UK version of the DVD's contain an interview with Edward Petherbridge as a bonus feature. Unfortunately for me, the American version does not. You lucky Brits!!)

Enjoy!

I never thought I'd see this series again, but miracle of miracles, The Powers That Be have released it and on DVD, no less! I first saw these episodes on PBS in the late eighties when I was entering junior high school. I've been watching those Friday night mystery programs on PBS for as long as I can remember, and no one can top these three adaptations of Dorothy L. Sayer's three most popular Wimsey novels: Strong Poison, Have His Carcass, and Gaudy Night. Absolutely brilliant performances by Edward Petherbridge as my quintessential Lord Peter and Harriet Walter as Harriet Vane. I hope that now this much-loved series will receive the long-awaited praise and recognition it richly deserves.

Dorothy L. Sayers (1893-1957) wrote relatively few novels, but their quality was sufficient to rank her among the best mystery novelists of her era, and she remains a standard bearer to this day. In the novel STRONG POISON, her detective, Lord Peter Wimsey, fell in love with mystery novelist Harriet Vane, and Sayers allowed the relationship to play out over the course of three more works: HAVE HIS CARCASE, GAUDY NIGHT, and BUSMAN'S HONEYMOON. In the 1987, the BBC filmed the first three works in the series (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer owns the rights to BUSMAN'S HONEYMOON, which was filmed in 1940) as a mixture of 1930s mystery and romance. The result was often amusing, but also extremely problematic.

In this title, novelist Harriet Vane (Harriet Walter) has gone on a walking tour of the seashore--and while strolling the beach she finds an outcropping of rock with a dead body on it. With the tide coming in, she documents the death as best she can with her camera and then sets off toward the nearest telephone. When the story breaks in the newspaper it draws her would-be lover Lord Peter Wimsey (Edward Petherbridge), and although the police are convinced that the death was suicide, Harriet and Lord Peter are soon investigating the incident as murder. As a writer, Sayers was sometimes prone to what I call incessant clutter, and two of her novels show this in a very unfortunate way: FIVE RED HERRINGS and HAVE HIS CARCASE, both of which are dominated by train schedules and the length of time it takes to travel from point A to point B. HAVE HIS CARCASE also deals with concealed identity, and to an almost absurd degree. These effects are tiresome in novel form, but nothing short of silly in this film. In any case, the result is a lot of detail that doesn't seem to go anywhere in particular and a very gimmicky conclusion that seems more than a little deus ex machina.

This aside, Petherbride and Walter seem less ideal in casting than simply serviceable, the adaptation (presented in four episodes), the filming style is unattractively dated, and the whole thing misses Sayers' wicked sense of humor. As in the other titles in the series, the whole thing fees like an overdose of British stiff upper lip. Even so, fans of the novels should find it passably amusing.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Yes, Ian Carmichael created an inimitable Lord Peter. Petherbridge is wise enough not to attempt an imitation. He creates a somewhat different but fully acceptable version of the Master Amateur Sleuth. Harriet Walters pairs quite well with him, as Harriet Vane, showing us an attractively interesting face and superior acting skills. Together, the pair make the somewhat complicated plot of Have his Carcase, easy to live with. The UK production people and feature players are, as usual, first rate. The period flavor is a visual and musical delight, as it almost always is in these series. (See if you catch one of Al Jolson's hit place name songs from the dance orchestra.)

Over-all, a leisurely four episode feature that should give fans of British TV mysteries pleasure.

Just when you think that it doesn't get any better, it does. The portrayals of Peter and Harriet continue to evolve with startling honesty and vivid emotion.

When the credits roll, you'll be hungry for more...

I wish BBC would discover the Walsh novels with Peter & Harriet. These three novels-DVDs that are in Amazon were very enjoyable. Edward Petherbridge is excellent as Peter. His trials and tribulations in trying to court Harriet wonderfully illustrated Whimsey's humanity. He can fail. But in the end he triumphs.

I cant say enough of Harriet Walters portrayal of err.. Harriet. The stolidness that Harriet developed after her trial to withstand all, including Whimsey, was wonderfully done. She also, illustrated humanity, in the end.

The world that was shown for the 20's attempted to delve into the real culture of the time. "Launch the Lagonda, Bunter". The Guiness adds on the sides of the double deckers. Did you notice the paving gang in "Strong Poison". The gold cigarette case in "Gaudy Night" was "pukah". To future generations, who don't smoke, will see "chain smoking" illustrated. "So that's how a pipe is used". I loved it. All of it.

The world shown in the three DVDs is so very different from now. Although I'm sure it wasn't, life seemed simpler, then.

Ian Carmichael was too old to be Whimsey. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed his portraiyal also, but it wasn't as human as that done by Petherbridge.

Please BBC, do "Thrones and Dominations" and "A Presumption of Death"", and if it works, with Edward and Harriet.

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This is the second in a series of television movies based on Dorothy L. Sayers's famous mystery series featuring Harriet vein and amateur sleuth Lord Peter Wimsey.

The characters are now smoother and fuller than they were in "Strong Poison" Which was the first in the series and had no guide to go by.

One of the strengths of the BBC production is that they do not try to dramatize so much that the story does not match the book. One of the advantages of this series is that it is long enough that most of the pertinent information is shown. They made an excellent choice when deciding to use Edward Petherbridge as Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Walter as Harriet Vane. They match the book character descriptions perfectly. In fact if you see this program before you read the book their images will be in your mind.

You may recognize Edward Petherbridge as France King Lear (1984). And many of the other character actors from The BBC Agatha Christie "Miss Marple" series.

In the opening scenes we notice that Harriet on holiday, recovering from being on trial for murder. She is on the beach and hears something that startles her. Realizing it is getting late she tarts down the beach and finds (you guessed it) a body. Naturally there are only two sets of footprints hers and the deceased. Once again she is mixed up in a mystery and reluctantly with the help of Lord Peter Wimsey attempts to find out if it was murder, suicide or a Bolshevik plot.

Watch every scene and listen to every word from the beginning as this movie is peppered with clues. You will have to see the second time to recognize the clues that you missed.

No offense to Mr Petherbridge, but I grew up watching Mr Carmichael and he is so much better then his successor. IC is supposed to,play an older Wimsey and does a great job in "Five Red Herrings", and "Clouds of Witness"

Harriet Walters is great as Harriet Vane.

My only complaint is, why weren't there any other LPW/HV mysteries made