Customer Reviews

The Murdoch Mysteries Movie Collection

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I watched all 3 of these made for TV movies when they first appeared on Canadian TV. Since then, things have moved on to Season 1 of the Murdoch Mysteries TV series and now Season 11.
I absolutely love these original 3 made for TV movies though and highly recommend them especially now they are available as a package - each one is a full length movie in its own right and each is individually based on one of Maureen Jennings' earlier books in the Murdoch series.
Set in turn of the century Canada, they also feature a fine English and Canadian cast and some stunning period costumes.

These three adaptations of Except the Dying, Poor Tom Is Cold, and Under the Dragons Tail were so popular on Canadian Television, they spawned a new series entitled The Murdoch Mysteries, which was recently nominated for 14 Gemini Awards for its first season of 13 episodes.
I highly recommend these three movies of the week with a stellar cast of Colm Meaney, Peter Outerbridge, Keely Hawes (MI5, Ashes to Ashes) and Flora Montgomery.

Maureen Jennings is a fine writer of mysteries. She develops complex plots, creates interesting characters and shows us a world -- Toronto in the 1880's -- that can be pleasant for the well-to-do with their over-stuffed morality and desperately dangerous for the poverty stricken. Those dangers not only come from hunger, cold, sickness and filth, but often from the doings of those who go to church often, dine well and move in upper-class society or middle-class respectability. In the middle of this humanity is Detective William Murdoch. He's on the Toronto police force. Murdoch is a good Irish Catholic, which means he doesn't fit in comfortably most places. He's a hard-worker, ambitious but not pushy, convinced that scientific methods are better at catching criminals than simply pounding confessions out of suspects. He tends to be sympathetic to those with whom the better off want nothing to do. He's rather shy, especially with women, and has had the tragic experience of the death of a woman he was engaged to and loved dearly. Jennings' mysteries, in other words, are first-rate.

That brings us to The Murdoch Mysteries Movie Collection, three 90-minute television programs based on Jennings' first three books. Except the Dying is the story of a young woman's corpse found tossed on a cobblestone street in the middle of Toronto's red light district. Murdoch discovers she was not a prostitute, but a chambermaid from a respectable household. Poor Tom Is Cold begins with the apparent suicide of a young Toronto policeman Murdoch knew. Murdoch doesn't accept this and finds himself confronted with venality, madness and the stark cruelty of a hospital for the mentally ill. Under the Dragon's Tail starts with the death of a grubby abortionist and soon leads to blackmail, respectable wives and the murder of a young boy.

At best, if you've read Jennings' books, these three programs are variable. At their worst, they seriously mess about with Murdoch. The programs feature fine production values. There is a good sense of the 1880's, all cobblestone streets, gaslights, filthy runnels, dignified homes, and characters that range from smudged tykes and raucous prostitutes to mutton-whiskered inspectors and choleric judges. Peter Outerbridge, who plays Murdoch, to my taste looks too well-bred, but he's a good actor and conveys Murdoch's shyness and persistence very well. The three programs stick closely to the plots in the books, which means the stories keep us guessing and keep us interested. On the downside, the production team brings in romantic interest for Murdoch, first with Toronto's first female coroner, Dr. Julia Ogden (way off the mark with the character from the books), and then, bizarrely and over-lapping, with a lower-class, tattered prostitute we first encounter working the streets. By the end of the third program, Dr. Ogden has disappeared and Detective Murdoch and his cleaned up, respectable doxie, now with much less of a lower-class accent, seem to have found love and appear to be accepted as a couple by Murdoch's boss and fellow cops. Well, this is fiction. Except the Dying was interesting. Poor Tom Is Cold was very good. Under the Dragon's Tail had a first class story but wound up putting Murdoch in a personal television melodrama so unlike the character as to be silly. These special movies were cancelled after this last, third program. Murdoch was resurrected four years later, minus the doxie and with Ogden back, with a new cast. It's now a regular television series.

My recommendation if you haven't read Jennings' Murdoch mysteries before...rent this set before you buy and read one or two of the books before you watch. As I mentioned, the plots are well done. If you like the Murdoch books, see if you can find the three mysteries Mark Graham wrote featuring Detective Wilton McCleary. They're set in 1870's Philadelphia. Graham (which may be a pseudonym) only wrote these three, which were released in standard paperback editions. As far as I can tell, he never wrote anything else. If anyone knows what happened to him, post a comment. I'd like to know. The three books are The Killing Breed, The Resurrectionist (Old Philadelphia Mystery Series) and The Black Maria (Mystery of Old Philadelphia).

I have read the Murdoch series and found these to be excellent adaptations. They give you a feel for the period, the people, and the atmosphere. Peter Outerbridge does an superb job as Murdoch, and portrays his Catholicism and being in the minority religion very well. The entire cast of each episode come together to bring the books to life.

I've enjoyed reading Maureen Jennings' books about William Murdoch in Victorian era Canada. I was unhappy that I could not see these movies based on the books since they were made for Canadian TV. Now, happily, they are available for those of us in the U.S. These are quality movies.

The acting, the sense of place, the mysteries, the atmosphere of the era are all well done. I really enjoyed watching the movies and I will watch them again.

Murdoch uses scientific methods to solve the crimes. His co-workers and boss are skeptical of his use of fingerprints and other clues. William Murdoch works in spite of all obstacles (social, cultural, religious) to find justice.

Never having heard of the series or the books I gambled and bought this set. What a treat! A decent, intelligent detective who is actually believable and plots that are classic in nature. A really good period piece even down to the grimy brothels and beer halls.

My husband and I had just finished viewing The Murder Room,a series that deals with a young Arthur Conan Doyle and his teacher, and were looking for another series in a similar vein. This video series was recommended by Amazon and so we bought it. We are glad we did. The episodes in this series are good mysteries that are further enhanced by good character development. The atmosphere of the time permeates each episode and seem to be historically accurate. One feature of each episode is how the scientific method of crime solving was just beginning and it is interesting to see how the main character tries to use 'finger marks' to solve a case. If you like mysteries in historical settings that combine with good character development and require you to pay attention then you will really like this series.

I had never seen nor heard of the Murdock Mysteries until recently and just reading about it made me do something unusual - I ordered this DVD set with the three movies in it. These films are absolutely fabulous! The details that were taken to make these movies seem to be authentic are incredible. You feel like you are there in the 1890's. The only other series I can even begin to compare them too would be the Sherlock Holmes series that were shown in the late 1980's with the late great Jeremy Brett playing Sherlock Holmes. I cannot begin to praise it enough. The actors, the period it's suppose to be taking place in, the dialog... it is all above and beyond anything you can see today. If you loved Sherlock Holmes, if you ever saw the series "Hec Ramsey" in the 1970's... you will absolutely love these movies. I did and I can hardly wait to get the series on dvd.

Absolutely loved it. Interesting characters, intriguing mysteries and the beginnings of forensic science. Entertaining and intelligent

Det. Murdoch crosses himself upon entering the presence of every dead victim. That's as religious as this Victorian low-life crime show gets.
It's off to nude bodies, rape, abortionist, prostitutes, pub dancers, drugs, murdered cop, romantic vengeance, blood, and other sordid filth.

Details of the Victorian police investigations of Murdoch (Peter Outerbridge), like handcuffs restraining like screw C-clamps, are fascinating. Stories are riveting. The 'NEW' techniques Murdoch employs ,such as forensic facts, finger marks, crime scene Kodak Moments, fiber & writing analysis, and autopsy findings (to name a few) help him solve the unsolvable. Murdoch is mentor to George Crabtree (Matthew MacFadzean), teaching him the cutting-edge evidence techniques. Yes, there's a beautiful woman: Ettie (Flora Montgomery).

The 3 feature-length stories inspired a TV series (Murdoch Mysteries), 2 seasons now also available on DVD. The TV series is recast but astonishingly the characters appear similar as cast mimic the mini-series (MM Movie Collection) cast in speech and actions. Both old and new casts are excellent. Murdoch flirts with subtle Victorian-correct romance in the MM TV series which adds 26 new episodes to enjoy.

Murdoch is like a cop of the 21st century but allows us a beautiful look at the Victorian Era even if it is a bit on the seedy side of the track at times. The proper and sophisticated Murdoch makes viewers want to return to life in 1890 (with modern conveniences, of course.)

Unrated, but this is obvious 'ADULT' crime mystery drama. NO SUBTITLES nor CC. Adapted from Maureen Jennings novels.