Customer Reviews

Rumpole & the Man of God

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Horace Rumpole, an English barrister known for his acerbic wit, his iconoclastic religious views, his straight talk, and his deference to his wife, "she who must be obeyed," is called upon to defend Rev. Mordred Skinner, a vicar accused of stealing six shirts from the haberdashery department of a local store. As one might expect, the meetings between Rumpole and his client are filled with wry humor, as Rumpole, seriously committed to defending his client while aware of the ironies of the case, shows his willingness to use every trick of the trade on behalf of his client.

With this case disposed of early in the story, author John Mortimer continues his focus on character, as Rumpole and his wife Hilda ("she who must be obeyed") entertain a fellow barrister, George Frobisher and his ditsy prospective bride, Mrs. Ida Tempest. Hilda's restrained sarcasm in the face of this clearly inappropriate bride, combined with Rumpole's attempts to keep the dinner from becoming too filled with little cooings from the lovebirds, make this scene and its aftermath a Mortimer classic.

The acting on this audiotape is outstanding, with Leo McKern personifying Rumpole, giving him just the right balance of dry wit and muted cynicism. As Rumpole revises famous quotations from Browning and other poets to illustrate his feelings, McKern's phrasing and perfect sense of pacing provide great humor and much amusement. Mortimer, an attorney himself, brings the British legal profession to life as Rumpole deals with crotchety judges, self-important fellow attorneys, and those who refuse to acknowledge that the law is supposed to bring about justice, not simply resolve cases. Filled with great characters and McKern's equally great acting, this audiotape will delight its listeners. n Mary Whipple

Nobody reads Rumpole like Leo McKern! I love John Mortimer's Rumpole and this tape was great. Even though the fun of Rumpole is in the writing and the play on words, Leo McKern makes Rumpole come alive.