Customer Reviews

Inspector Morse - The Remorseful Day

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1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is probably one of the best (if not *the* best) Inspector Morse television episode. I admit to alot of that bias *not* going toward it for being the final installment of the series, but more for it being such a WELL-DONE final installment of the series.

The obligatory murder plot/premise has to do with the re-opening of a case involving the death of a middle-aged temptress/nurse named Yvonne Harrison. Lewis and Morse tackle the case, with the latter acting particularly strange concerning many aspects of the matter. There are a plethora of suspects, one of whom is Morse's own doctor, which conveniently leads to scenes showing how the great Chief Inspector's health is deteriorating rapidly. The Harrison case, while definitely being worked-through carefully, isn't the real focus of the story.

Morse's plight is the prime meaning behind "The Remorseful Day". Never before has the character been rendered so human, and so pathetic. His lady-friend (appearing in recent TV adaptations) has apparently left him, and so Morse is utterly alone. There are poignant scenes between he and Lewis, of him making final preparations, and of him sitting alone in his home listening to profoundly sad classical music. John Thaw as Morse gives a veritable tour-de-force, in the most subtle and gracious way possible, of the great detective in his declining days.

Special note should be given to all involved in the television adaptation, for they have, in my opinion, surpassed the novel. Colin Dexter's book was fine, but it dealt more heavily with the actual murder case, and the illness of Morse was left for small parts, usually at the end of each day. Here, with the version made for the small screen, we have the situation of Morse's closing life brought to the forefront. It is done well, and an experience to watch.

The last scene is terribly moving. I always make it a point to realize that when I sit down to watch a movie or television show, NOT to get too emotional, because there are only actors upon the screen - nothing is real. I thought I would be able to hold forth with said beliefs while watching "The Remorseful Day". But the very last scene, involving just Lewis and Morse, brought tears to my eyes. The swelling music and the starkness of the scene was a wonderful way to end the series.

The impression left is one not easily forgotten.

Here's my little addition to my previous review. THE REMORSEFUL DAY video also includes another tape, a 55min. little documentary called THE LAST MORSE. We get interviews of John Thaw and Kevin Whatley, Colin Dexter as well as from some interesting ones of Daniel Boyle and others. Like the other Morse documentary THE MAKING OF INSPECTOR MORSE, THE LAST MORSE retraces the popularity of the Morse series by examining Morse as a character and seeing what aspects of the series make the films so compelling. Although this documentary makes no attempt at being different in form from THE MAKING OF INSPECTOR MORSE, it is nonetheless a worthwhile 55 minutes. I only wished that they had included an interview with JAMES GROUT, or even perhaps JACK GOLD (director of THE REMORSEFUL DAY) or others involved in the making of the last Morse film. Even with those criticisms, THE LAST MORSE is a nice surprise in the REMORSEFUL DAY video package, and it is a nice to watch right after THE REMORSEFUL DAY so as to help one fully digest what he/she has just viewed--that is, the last Morse film. A nice touch. And very appropriate.

Sad to see that the great actor, John Thaw has passed away from esophageal cancer.

This episode is on par with all of the other great episodes of this outstanding series. Thaw's portrayal of an intellectual, world-weary British detective who confronts often complex and involved cases of murder and other crimes.

Now episode to this point really brought home to me how much I loved Inspector Morse. I was actually quite angry to see the great Inspector face such health problems (an understatement), but in light of John Thaw's actual illness, I guess it is to be expected.

My only regret is that there are not 100 more episodes hidden away somewhere. Inspector Morse and John Thaw will be sorely missed.

The final episode of the long-running (33 in all) British ITV series shown on PBS ("Mystery!") and A&E ("Mysteries") in the U.S. based on the works by Colin Dexter. Included on this DVD (region 1; suitable for allN. American DVD players) is the last episode, "The Remorseful Day," adapted for the screen from the novel of the same name; as well as a documentary aptly titled "The Last Morse," which features interviews by, among others, John Thaw ("Morse"); Kevin Whately ("Lewis"); and the creator of Inspector Morse, Colin Dexter, OBE. Although the DVD itself doesn't have any extra features, unless you count chapter search, the picture and sound are of amazing quality - as opposed to the more primitive analog VHS format. Just a bit of trivia: there is one thing whoever did the credits on the back of the DVD case got wrong (as have many others, presumably): the director of 2 Morse films Danny Boyle ("The Beach" and "Trainspotting") is not the same person as the script writer of 5 Morse films Daniel Boyle, whom they miscredit for the 2 aforementioned works on the back of the case. Be warned, you may need to have a tissue on hand during the end of this episode. Television of this quality (in all facets) comes along very rarely. "Good-bye, sir."

THE REMORSEFUL DAY is as advertised the final entry in the hugely successful and highly entertaining Inspector Morse series. So, as a reviewer, I STRONGLY DISCOURAGE ANYONE WHO HAS YET TO SEE AN INSPECTOR MORSE EPISODE TO WATCH THIS ONE FIRST. For those of you, however, who have seen the Oxford man in action, naturally you'll be inclined to want to watch this final episode, either when it is broadcast on television or as another purchase at amazon.com. Either way, it will be a time in which you'll be watching a superbly crafted and amazingly charged drama that will surprise even the most well versed in the Morse phenomenon. I state "amazingly charged" because it surprised me upon finishing the viewing that the series was able to sustain the momentum that it did through thirty three (?) episodes, at the end of which is THE REMORSEFUL DAY. The production team on this one, however, delivers what must rank in my mind to be one of the most satisfying in this last season of Morse dramas (a season that I suppose began with THE WAY THROUGH THE WOODS, and continued on through DAUGHTERS OF CAIN and DEATH IS NOW MY NEIGHBOUR and most recently THE WENCH IS DEAD), and although the ensuing human drama between Morse and Lewis is more engaging than the acutal crime that they are investigating, this episode's plot unlike, say DEATH IS NOW MY NEIGHBOUR or even DAUGHTERS OF CAIN, does involve Inspector Morse in a very personal way. It has been this kind of personal connection between Morse as a man and the crime that he investigates that makes a Morse episode especially poignant (I think of others such as SECOND TIME AROUND, DEAD ON TIME, PROMISED LAND which also have this personal connection and which have to rank among the all time best Morse episodes). So, know straight out that THE REMORSEFUL DAY is a mystery that is as personally involving and as complex as any that Morse has investigated. With that being said, however, the real reason to watch THE REMORSEFUL DAY is of course because it is the last episode. And, the last thing I should do as a reviewer is to give away any spoilers, so I won't. Let it just be said that THE REMORSEFUL DAY provides a very touching end to a most complicated character. There are scenes throughout here that recall previous episodes, and nostalgia is a device that the production team here have put to good use. The film also makes several key improvements from the original Colin Dexter novel upon which it is based, and though the original novel is a compelling read, the film is even more so because of these improvements. I think in particular about certain improvements made to the character of Strange that were a bit unbelievable in the book but are made more streamlined and more believable in the film (readers and viewers will know what I mean, so I won't spoil it for those who don't). Also, since this is the last Morse episode, there was always the risk that the film might succumb to cheesy and unnecessary sentimentality between the characters of Morse and Lewis. Viewers know that their relationship is an interesting one, with Morse ever dependant on Lewis but never being able to admit to it. If you have an episode that ends the entire series, any lapses into sentimentality between the two characters might feel forced and even corny (and there are moments in the novel where this occurs). Even thinking back to the unsuccessful film episode THE WENCH IS DEAD, in which Lewis is absent and the relationship between Morse and Strange is too squeaky clean and nice, it is easy to understand the fear of falling into that trap. Not so, in this film. Right through to the finish, the dramatization remains true to the spirit of Morse and Lewis and Strange. And given what these characters have been through during these past thirty or so episodes, it is only fitting that the integrity of the characters remains intact for this final outing. Given all that, given that there are throwbacks to past series episodes, THE REMORSEFUL DAY is amazing in that its film style is audacious and takes chances that end up being very effective. There are new and bold uses of editing techniques (evident in the first couple minutes of the film) as well as intriguing use of sound and light, not to mention the new approach to the incidental music which is very modernistic and rich in style compared to previous efforts. And yet, all these new touches work especially well, even the music. If there were one criticism I could offer, it would be that I felt upon first viewing that the episode ended rather abruptly, but that reaction on my part might signal my general attitude towards the viewing of THE REMORSEFUL DAY: you know that this is it, that this is the end, and yet you don't want the film to stop because the world of Morse is such a familiar one; so there is that feeling in the back of your mind that you'd like this mystery to go on forever, without it having an end after which Morse's end must surely follow. And yet, all good things must come to an end, and even with that, I can't think of a more appropriate way for the Morse series to end than with THE REMORSEFUL DAY.

the last scene of THE REMORSEFUL DAY is the most touching and heartwrenching of all the Inspector Morse telemovies. i did draw a few tears. i shall miss the great Inspector, his wit, his beer, his love of classical music and opera, his friendship + banters with lewis and superintendent strange, his love with women, his jaguar car, the wonderful locales in oxford and the UK. i would love to visit them. i will also miss the musical "Morse Code" theme that always closes a Morse flick. there's always the tapes to buy. THE REMORSEFUL DAY is classic Morse and ranks right up there w/ CHERUBIM AND SERAPHIM, THE DEAD OF JERICHO & SERVICE OF ALL THE DEAD. John Thaw played Morse to perfection and Kevin Whately wonderful as Lewis. I would love to see a spinoff involving Sargent and now I assume Chief Insp Lewis. That's if author Colin Dexter approves it. that's Dexter making the usual cameo on a wheelchair as part of a tour group.

This great closing episode of the great series by the great John Thaw has one flaw, the picture has been cropped to fit a full-frame 1:33-1 screen.

By the time this episode was produced, England had switched over to the 1:85-1 wide-screen telecast. Currently PBS is showing this in its original wide-screen format so I was able to compare the pictures. This razor sharp DVD is indeed cropped on the sides.

Fortunately the producers realized that it would be shown cropped in some markets. So nothing important is framed at the sides of the picture, the action all takes place in the center of the picture. You will not know any picture is missing unless you see the wide-screen version. It is just a shame that BFS decided not to release an anamorphic wide-screen edition!

Everything else is excellent about the disc. A sharp clean picture with solid colors, clear sound, and bonus material!

As a final good-bye to a wonderful series, I was disappointed in "The Remorseful Day." It is a sad and touching film where Chief Inspector Morse bids a fond farewell; however, the film is somewhat disjointed. Morse, more ill than ever -- due to his lack of caring for his health -- exits via a simple myocardial infarction! Couldn't it have been more dramatic or move moving than this?!!! One scene, however, prior to the last touching scene in the mortuary is excellent. It is the night before Morse's death (unbeknownst to him, of course) where he is sitting on his sofa. The look on his face is pathetic and tells the viewer everything. It is without doubt (to me) one of the best scenes in the film -- almost like the blind girl discovering that Chaplin was her benefactor in "City Lights." It is done without words -- only facial expressions.

Alas, our hero has to die and he exits rather pitifully telling Strange to "thank Lewis." I wanted something much more dramatic and much more moving; I suspect Mr. Dexter really does want to retire. The last scene -- when Lewis views Morse's body on a slab and leans over to kiss him -- is very moving and will bring a tear to the eyes of every Morse fan. Although he may have had a rich and rewarding life in his own way with his work, music, poetry and knowledge, I wanted him to go out differently, to have had a woman who really loved him, to have had something in life so very meaningful.... We will miss a very good fictional character and the actors who portrayed the detectives so well. However, thanks to the magic of the movies, we can enjoy the Inspector for years to come!

The loss of "Chief Inspector Morse" hit me just as hard in this, Thaw's, last appearance as this fictional character as the real loss of Jeremy Bret ending the greatest rendition of Sherlock Holmes since the death of Basil Rathbone. Even watching the videos of all the other "cases" is bittersweet as the memory of Lewis kissing Morses' head goodbye in the closing scene now overshadows them all. The true sign of an actors actor making a written character live so vividly. A must see for any Morse fan- just be sure to have the hanky handy and see all the other Morses- first.

Perhaps a prince of our disorder, as John Mack entitled his biography of T. E. Lawrence, but a prince nonetheless. This is his last episode and you should see 'The Wench is Dead' episode first. Morse is ill; he has been on medical leave because of his stomach ulcers. His superior has taken over a case, but Morse comes back from leave and is assigned the case. In the meantime he has been investigating it anyway, to Lewis' chagrin and barely-controlled anger. The focus of the episode is their relationship; the case barely matters, except for the fact that the victim was one of Morse's nurses, one for whom he had special feelings. It is a family story, with members of the family among the suspects in the mother's death. It is also a family story in that it focuses on Morse's relationship with Lewis. I won't spoil the ending, which is very powerful, but listen especially for Morse's final words . . . and then Lewis'.

This is exhibit A for those who seek to demonstrate that genre fiction (here, genre fiction dramatized) can sometimes rise to the level of art. In the case of Morse the art is achieved through the delineation of character and the study of human relationships. This is a beautiful body of work and a beautiful though poignant conclusion to it. It is all the more touching in that we know of John Thaw's own illness and the fact that it would be diagnosed a little over seven months after the screening of this episode.