Customer Reviews

Inspector Morse - Absolute Conviction [VHS]

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

 

 

This entry in the Morse series is somewhat unusual, in that the events unfold largely in a prison setting; moreover, the mystery focuses attention upon punishment (or lack of same) for white collar crime. Morse and Lewis are brought to the minimum security prison following the death of Lawrence Cryer, one of a trio of crooked developers who defrauded scores of duped investors. Although death by heart attack was the initial impression, signs of trauma point to homicide. There is no shortage of potential suspects or motives given Cryer's history.
The obvious suspects include investors or their relatives who were victimized by Cryer, his own partners in crime, and his young wife and/or her boyfriend among others. Morse concludes that the three partners stashed a fortune in secret bank accounts just prior to their bankruptcy declaration and imprisonment; consequently, he is convinced that the homicide is related to avarice. An ambitious police officer (Sergeant Cheatham) shares Morse's view that the death was motivated by monetary considerations and resorts to several tactics (legal and illegal) to prove his point. Later in the episode, one of the two surviving partners is poisoned and Morse becomes even more convinced that greed is the catalyst for these events. The viewer is confronted with several factors with possible relevance to the case-- the presence of a prison guard who is related to one of the cheated investors and the presence of a soon to be released inmate who had been convicted for murder 16 years earlier. In the final analysis, Morse's penchant for solving crossword puzzles helps him solve the case and discover the real motivation behind two homicides and one attempted murder. All things considered, this installment is very satisfying. The character portrayals (particularly the role of inmate Bennett) are generally very good with one exception. The role of the socially progressive female prison governor was somewhat overplayed, as this character was scripted as a rather tiresome and deluded creature who often needed reminding that she ran a penal institution as opposed to a Summer camp for mischievous adults.

This A&E and BBC mystery is, as virtually all the close to three dozen just over 100 minute TV films, very entertaining, engaging, and thoughtful. The plot has some resemblance to the current Bernie Madoff swindle, although instead of many organizations being involved in 65 billion of dollars of money swindled from people expecting to make huge profits, there are only three individuals involved in this affair that robbed people of "only" five million pounds sterling. In both the real and the fictional account, many people believe that the crooks squirreled away a huge amount of money. The three conspirators have been caught and are spending a rather short incarceration in jail. The story begins when one of the three is murdered while in prison. His wife is having an affair with the son of another of the three conspirators. This second man has turned, or so he claims, to religion. The third thief states that he is preparing to leave jail and make another fortune. He has a man outside the jail who is doing research for him. This man is also murdered. There are other interesting characters, such as the head of the prison, a woman who wants to keep the prison where people are treated as human beings and who is afraid that the murders will prompt the government to close down her "kind" prison. There is also a man who was imprisoned for 16 years, who claims that he did not kill his wife, a man who Morse treated kindly 16 years ago when he was a sergeant. As usual with this series, although quite smart, Morse misreads the facts and personalities several times before getting the matter right.

Since I have purchased the entire Inspector Morse set you can surmise that I am a big fan. Oxford will never be the same.

It's not that Morse and Lewis aren't up to the task. The problem is that, as Morse himself puts it, it's hard to care about who's guilty and who's innocent in a world of white-collar criminals who have been imprisoned for their misdeeds and are now jockeying for position over their hidden swag. All, of course, is not quite as it seems and the plot thickens nicely as we approach the story's conclusion. The story involves the incomparable Jim Broadbent as well as the deliciously hateful Sean Bean. Look for other exceptional British character actors along the way. The story is claustrophobic because of its prison setting, but this is a prison in which the inmates are allowed to leave from time to time, a prison in which there are 'rooms' rather than 'cells', a prison presided over by a would-be reformer, with an eye for Morse. Check it out. If it's slow going, take comfort in the fact that the ending will repay your attention.

Morse and Lewis go to jail! It is a minimum security prison which also allows inmates privileges not found in other penal institutions; it's an experiment, with a female governor overseeing the operation. Our beloved pair is there to investigate the death of Lawrence Cryer who was incarcerated at the facility, along with his two cohorts in crime, for a bunko scheme from which the money has never been recovered. Cryer's two partners are obvious suspects as are those investors who lost their money to the scheme. Joining in the investigation is Detective Sergeant Cheetham who provides several opportunities for by-play with Morse and also with Lewis. During one exchange, Morse calls him Lewis, telling him a beer would be in order but he (Morse) has no money. A prison guard, another inmate and a financial analyst all become involved as well as the families of two of the three swindlers; then add in another murder and an attempted murder - the plot moves along rather well, however, as with all of Morse's cases you need to lock in to the story to the exclusion of all else in your life. This episode is from Morse's "late period" where all entries are five stars.

A perfect Morse adventure. Plenty of twists & puzzles with an unusal backdrop. A modern English prison with a female Governor; 3 partners, all in the same prison one of whom is murdered & Morse is called in. One of Colin Dexter's very best.

I love Inspector Morse and watch it everytime I get a chance. This episode of the series was the best because the story kept me guessing. Plus it had Sean Bean in it. He plays a fun charsimatic character. You will really enjoy this, I know I did.