First transmitted in the UK on the 3rd January 1990.
This episode is not based on any of Colin Dexter’s novels.
This is episode 1 in series 4. Chronologically this is episode 12.
Colin Dexter appears in the church funeral scene at 46m10s and at 46m51s.
Directed by John Madden: He also directed the following episodes; Promised Land (the fifth episode of series 5), Dead on Time (the first episode of the sixth series) and The Way Through the Woods one of the Morse ‘specials’.
Written by Alma Cullen: She also wrote the following episodes of Morse: The Secret of Bay 5B, Fat Chance, and Death of the Self. She also wrote an episode, ‘Fun Times for Swingers’ (1996) for the TV series A Touch of Frost. She now writes mainly for the theatre.
Episode Jag Rating (out of 10):
SYNOPSIS
The death of a senior fellow outside his Oxford college of Beaufort, during an apparent mugging, while on the way to give a controversial speech, leads Morse to suspect the prominent environmentalist was killed because of his beliefs. The death appears to have been a heart attack and Morse is just about to give up on the case, which is what his superior wants him to do, but feels that Master Matthew Copley-Barnes (Geoffrey Palmer) and his family, including a well-known reporter, Sylvie Maxton (Cheryl Campbell) who lived with the family when she was young, are not telling him everything about some mysterious packages the Master is receiving. (The title is from Paradise Lost by John Milton.)
REVIEW.
(Some spoilers will be contained within the review)
This is not one of my favourite episodes but I think this is a lot to do with one of the subject matters, incest and child abuse, which can make for uncomfortable watching. However, all the cast are very good in this episode, especially Geoffrey Palmer as Master Matthew Copley-Barnes.
It isn’t often we see actor Geoffrey Palmer playing such a horrid character as most British people will associate him with the loveable characters of Ben Parkinson in ‘Butterflies’, Jimmy Anderson in The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin and one of my favourites as Lionel Hardcastle in As Time Goes By.
As I said above one of the subject matters, the other being environmental issues, is a difficult subject to watch but I suppose the writer and the production team were very brave to tackle such a subject in 1990 as unlike now the subjects of incest and child abuse were barely in the news never mind mainstream TV.
Great to see the wonderful actor Tom Wilkinson in the episode.
Co-incidently his character, Jake Normington, who runs off to America when the situation in Oxford becomes too uncomfortable for him is emulated by Tom himself who left for America to seek work there in films and achieved that with some great success. His films include, Shakespeare in Love, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Michael Clayton to name but a few.
I love actors who can react facially to convey an emotional. So many actors are incapable of doing this properly and always end up gurning. This is one reason why I love John Thaw as an actor, his ability to convey so much facially without having to say a word.
I love this reaction from Mrs Copley Barnes (Barbara Leigh-Hunt) when Lewis mentions to a woman who plays on a Steinway piano that he bought an electronic keyboard for his kids. Lewis’s reaction is also worthwhile.
What makes this episode better is the wonderful music especially during the scene that introduces Tom Wilkinson’s character. I think the music is Gregorio Alligri’s, Miserere. I’m afraid my knowledge of Choral music is very basic. I must do something about that.
My score of 6 out of 10 is probably, on reflection, an unfair score and should probably be a seven but I don’t believe any higher than that.
Music
00h00m00s
The piece of music at the beginning is I believe Piano Sonata No. 25 by Beethoven (1770 – 1827) or at least the middle section of the piece. I am not completely certain.
00h11m15s
The music is being played as Sylvia arrives to find Mrs Copley Barnes giving a lesson to one of her pupils. The piece is by Mozart and is called Piano Sonata in A, K.331:1 Andante Grazioso.
00h13m47s
This piece is being sung by the college Choir and being conducted by a friend of Morse. It is by Gregorio Alligri (1582 – 1652). The piece is called Miserere mei, Deus.
00h47m00s
This piece is played during the break in and arson attack on Mick McGovern’s house. It is by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 – 1750) and the piece is called Prelude and Fugue in C Minor BWV 546. BWV relates to Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis which is the best known and most widely used catalogue of Bach’s compositions.
00h57m40s
The next piece is being played by Imogen and Sylvia. It is by Georges Bizet and is called Bizet: La Poupée (The doll) N°3 from Jeux d’enfants op.22.
01h12m50s
Morse is talking to Sylvia who then plays the piano remarking that the piece was exercise for the fingering. It is by Mozart and is Sonata No. 11 in A Major for Piano, K331:1 Tema Andante Grazioso
01h36m48s
I’m afraid I am unable to identify the choral piece when Mrs Copley Barnes decides to kill herself.
Literary Quotes
Literary References
00h05m50s
The Master Copley Barnes remarks that Dr. Julian Dear’s attacker had “wild eyes”. The Master goes on to say that it reminded him of a young Wittgenstein, if that meant anything to Morse or Lewis. Morse replies by asking if the Master was referring to Wittengenstein before or after his Norwegian period.
Ludwig Josef Johann Wittgenstein (1889 – 1951) was an Austrian-British philosopher who worked primarily in logic, the philosophy of mathematics, the philosophy of mind, and the philosophy of language. From 1929 to 1947, Wittgenstein taught at the University of Cambridge.
Wittgenstein came to feel that he could not get to the heart of his most fundamental questions while surrounded by other academics, and so in 1913 he retreated to the village of Skjolden in Norway, where he rented the second floor of a house for the winter. He later saw this as one of the most productive periods of his life, writing Logik (Notes on Logic), the predecessor of much of the Tractatus.
00h32m30s
While visiting Imogen’s stables Sylvia talks to her husband Ron. Sylvia mentions that she used to be called ‘commendeble sylvia’. This is a reference to a song in Shakespeare’s Two Gentlemen of Verona.
Song: “Who is Silvia? what is she”
BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
(from Two Gentlemen of Verona)
Who is Silvia? what is she,
That all our swains commend her?
Holy, fair, and wise is she;
The heaven such grace did lend her,
That she might admirèd be.
Is she kind as she is fair?
For beauty lives with kindness.
Love doth to her eyes repair,
To help him of his blindness;
And, being helped, inhabits there.
Then to Silvia let us sing,
That Silvia is excelling;
She excels each mortal thing
Upon the dull earth dwelling;
To her let us garlands bring.
At the end of the episode, Morse quotes from Milton’s Paradise Lost;
“Th’ infernal Serpent; he it was, whose guile
Stird up with Envy and Revenge, deceiv’d
The Mother of Mankind”
ART
At seven and seven seconds we see a painting behind Morse as he is about to leave the Master’s lodgings.
The painting is by John Turnbull and is called The Declaration of Independence. The original is in Washington DC.
There was very little art to be seen in this episode and those that were seen briefly I couldn’t identify.
LOCATIONS.
The college that Copley Barnes is Master is referred to as the fictional Beaufort College.
The episode starts with shots of Merton College and then the master Copley Barnes and Dr Julian Dear walk through Merton College at the beginning of the episode.
The stairs are the entrance to the T.S. Eliot Theatre and the Mure Room.
The above is St Alban’s Quadrangle.
Dr Dear and the Master are leaving St Alban’s Quad and heading toward the Front Quad.
Morse and Lewis walk and talk after speaking to the Master. They are walking from St Alban’s Quad to the Front Quad.
8m –
The day after the killing of Dr Dear we get this overhead view of Merton College Front Quad.
10m –
Sylvie Maxton arrives at the Master’s Lodgings.
This is in actuality the Master’s Lodgings University College on Logic Lane, Oxford.
Below is the door Sylvie enters on Logic Lane.
The above is the Master’s Lodgings, University College, Logic Lane.
13m –
Morse and Lewis discuss Dr Dear and music is playing.
They are standing in St Alban’s Quad.
21m –
Lewis is looking through Dr Dear’s things in his college rooms.
It is written on IMDB that this is Brasenose College but I don’t believe it is. If you look at the roof in the background it is nothing like any roof in Brasenose.
I believe it is Merton College.
24m –
The Copley Barnes have a family photograph in Merton College Fellows Garden.
29m –
Morse and Lewis interview Mrs Copley Barnes about the unwanted parcels.
44m –
Morse and Lewis discuss the case and Morse asks if Lewis saw a young man come out of the building.
They are standing between the Front Quad and St Alban’s Quad.
45m –
The mourners entering Merton College Hall.
46m –
Dr Dear’s funeral.
This is University College Chapel.
© Cathedral Music Trust.
1h31m –
Phil Hopkirk walks through first Merton College Fellows’ Gardens and then St Alban’s Quad.
1h34m –
Mrs Copley Barnes is in the University College Chapel.
1h41m –
Morse and Lewis stand at the entrance/exit to Merton College which leads on to Merton Street.
–—————————————-
I have been reliably informed by Colin Wellings that the hospital scenes were filmed at Hill End Hospital, Harpenden.
The hospital closed in 1995 as it made way for housing.
Thank you to Colin for supplying the information.
——————————————————
In the second part of my posts on pub locations used in the Inspector Morse series, I wrote about having determined that I believed The Old Barge Pub was the pub used in the episode, The Infernal Serpent. I am happy to report that I have heard from the manager of the afore-mentioned pub that it was indeed used in the Infernal Serpent episode.
The manager went on to tell that the industrial like buildings seen behind Lewis are in fact a Tesco and flats. So also picture below and the buildings on the right.
The Old Barge, 2 The Folly, Hertford
So, a big thank you to the manager of The Old Barge for not only taking the time to write to me but to confirm The Old Barge as a Morse location.
Interesting Facts
The character of Matthew Copley Barnes appears as his younger self in an episode of Endeavour, ‘Trove’, season two episode one. He is played by Jamie Parker in the Endeavour episode.
We also glimpse in this episode Dr. Matthew Copley Barnes’s daughter, Imogen and his wife, Blanche.
Imogen Copley Barnes, his daughter and his wife Blanche. (The actors are not credited).
Cast
Geoffrey Palmer as Matthew Copley-Barnes (Born: June 4, 1927 – )
David Neal as Dr. Julian Dear ( February 13, 1932 – Died: June 27, 2000)
Barbara Leigh-Hunt as Blanche Copley-Barnes (Born: December 14, 1935 – ) She was married to Richard Pasco until he died in 2014. Richard is known for having appeared in the Morse episdoe, ‘Dead on Time as William Bryce-Morgan.
Pearce Quigley as Mick McGovern (No info)
Michael Attwell as Parsons (Born: January 16, 1943, – Died: March 18, 2006)
Cheryl Campbell as Sylvie Maxton (Born: May 22, 1949 – )
John Joyce as Mr. Gray (Born June 4, 1939 – Died November 2009)
Ian Brimble as Phil Hopkirk (Born: 1948 – )
Tom Wilkinson as Jake Normington (Born: February 5, 1948 – )
Irene Richard as Imogen Garrett (No info)
George Costigan as Ron Garrett (Born: 1947 – )
Denys Hawthorne as Chief Superintendent Rennie (Born: August 9, 1932 – Died: October 16, 2009)
Sydnee Blake as Mrs. McGovern (No Info)
Isn’t Cheryl Campbell such a wonderful actress! I love her as the German woman in the Lewis episode, Music To Die For. I agree with you that this is such a hard episode. Just terrible. On a note of levity, I mentioned Frenzy in another comment, and the wife in this Morse is the killee ;<) in that movie, and was in As Time Goes By as the registrar who married Lionel and Jean.
Yes, Cheryl is very good and as you write she is good in that great Lewis episode. I love ‘As Time Goes By’.
The Miserere sung in this episode is the one composed by Byrd, not Allegri. “Jeux d’enfants” is by Bizet (Labèque is a pianist).
PS There are a number of classical pieces not cited in the Music sections of some episodes, but I leave it to other followers of this fantastic blog to identify them -;)
I had never heard the Miserere until I saw the episode (Old School Ties) with Hathaway playing it with his ‘new age’ group. I’ve since bought it on iTunes in two versions – one, the Acoustic Triangle which was Hathaway’s group, and two, a beautiful version on an album by John Rutter and the Cambridge (wish it were Oxford!) Singers called Stillness and Sweet Harmony, which I would recommend heartily.
Perhaps the Miserere in this _Lewis_ episode is an allusion to the one used in the _Morse_ episode “Cherubim and Seraphim”, where it also occurs in an “new age” version?
Amongst many other things in this blog, the actor pictures are so useful. I’ve just realized that it’s Pearce Quigley that played Bottom and Jamie Parker that performed both Henry IV and Henry V at the Globe. Thanks, Chris!
Thanks A.B. I’m glad you are enjoying my blog. I hope it continues to entertain. 🙂
The final choral piece at the end of this episode where Mrs. Copley-Barnes intends to jump from the Church rafters is “Justorum animæ” by Orlande de Lassus.
You can find it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvhhbSOQz8o
The last music sample is the same one you identified earlier. Sylvie did play a few bars of it, but then she went on to play a different tune when she made reference to learning “fingering”. (I didn’t understand her comment about learning much later what it really meant. Was that a sexual reference? Surprisingly crude, if it was.) This was the tune that caused the gardener to come running in and yell at her to stop. I was hoping to find out what the piece was. Any ideas?
Hi Paula. That piece you refer, when the gardener runs into the room, is the one I mentioned in my post, Mozart’s Piano Sonata in A, K.331:1 Andante Grazioso. Hope this helps.
Hi, thanks for the response. Yes, she did start playing it, but then turned the pages and played something that sounded entirely different. Are you saying she was playing a different part of the same piece?
After she flips the pages, I believe she starts playing from a bit later in the same movement, variation III. It’s the same piece, just a later part.
Yes, in the recording above, it occurs about 5 minutes in.
The doll
Oh, another comment… What happened with Parsons? (I didn’t realize he had a name.) He’s the guy who burned the apartment. They didn’t catch him, or even find out who he was. How could they have let that slip through the cracks? Or did I miss something?
Morse and Lewis were taken off that case by Chief Superintendent Rennie. So, we have to assume that the case was left open or passed to a more junior officer to deal with.
True, but when does Morse ever drop a case he’s started? (And he didn’t really drop it, did he? I mean, they did get to the bottom of why everything happened.) If that’s really what the writers had in mind as a “resolution”, it seems like they would have been more conclusive about it. It seemed like an uncharacteristic omission.
I’m watching this episode, as I often do, with IMDb open on my laptop so I can look up actors who catch my eye. It turns out Pearce Quigley, who played the young perpetrator, played Russell in “Detectorists.” If the name “Russell” doesn’t ring a bell, he was the bearded and bespectacled club member, the one who looked for all the world like a sheepdog. (He was very funny, too.) I can’t imagine anybody looking more different between stages of life than Quigley did in “Inspector Morse” in 1990 and than he did recently in “Detectorists”!
The Miserere sung in this episode is the one composed by Byrd, you can listen to it on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlpjSkKVnDk
One of my favourite episodes because it is brilliant in almost every regards. It is though the hardest Morse to watch because the core subject is so sensitively handled.
Difficult to watch the episode without being moved to tears, particularly the final choral piece.
Does Chief Supt Rennie appear in any other episodes?
Morse is required to do some running in this episode, puts one in mind of Endeavour episodes where he also has to do some pursuing!
The music throughout is great.
No it’s the only one he appears in. The only constant chief super was Strange, and in the earlier series he wasn’t consistently in them. Why this was I don’t know, other than if the actor – James Grout – had other projects.
I love it that Morse isn’t even slightly winded after that chase. 🙂
Nora, Morse doesn’t seem to get wet in the rain, either. 🙂
I enjoyed the conversation about holidays, where Rennie asks Morse if he’s has ever been to Austria. He replies that he’s been to Salzburg for the festival and Rennie says ‘what festival is that then?’ You can imagine the reply Morse really wants to give to that one…
Lewis’s obsession with the crime scene vomit and the inopportune time he chooses to mention it to Morse is noteworthy also.
Does anyone know what Morse says to Quigley (the young man who would not reveal his name during questioning after being picked up at the funeral). I fear the word used is a slur or an attempt at a slur for the closeted homosexual Dons. Morse says something like, “I’m sure it won’t be difficult to find one or two of the old _______.” Sounds like em-patt-een-us. Does anyone know what word he uses here? It’s not in the CCTV on prime video it says mumbled or something in place of the word. I couldn’t find anything on Google. Its not that important but it’s niggling me as I try to watch the rest of the episode. Thought I’d try the experts! Love the blog!
I’m binge watching the show during the quarantine and was intrigued by your question and finally found the word: “importuners” as in importune: to beg, urge, or solicit persistently or troublesomely; but also approach (someone) to request or offer sexual services, especially as a prostitute.
The latter seems to be the way it is still used as a criminal charge which fits in with why Morse would use it.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/importune
https://www.nealdavislaw.com/blog/sex-crimes/importuning-what-to-do
Thanks so much! I think the writers have used that that word before because I recall looking it up in relation to either Morse, Lewis, or Endeavour. Thanks so much for taking the time to hunt it down!
Cheers!
Anne
The word is “importuners”, ie someone who importunes, which means broadly to pester someone constantly to do something, though in this specific context refers to approaching an individual to ask for homosexual sex. Unlike the verb, which is reasonably common, I am not sure the noun is much or even ever used; perhaps Morse just made it up.
Replying to Anne Evans about Morse’s interview with Quigley, the line is: “How many cruising dons have picked you up off the street? It wouIdn’t be difficuIt to bring in one or two of the oId famiIiar importuners”.
Read more: https://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/view_episode_scripts.php?tv-show=inspector-morse-1987&episode=s04e01
When Sylvie is leaving the Copley-Barnes, she comes down the stairs carrying her bag. The props department has failed again by giving her an empty bag.
Generally I mark the episodes DOWN from your grading, this time I feel compelled to mark it up, from 6 Jags to 9. The reason is that, unlike many other episodes, there are no logical mistakes in this one. It is written and directed very well. The subject matter is very difficult to digest , incest+pedophilia , the master is an “infernal snake” but the story has to be told. My wife observed that there is a lot of such stories in the British TV, she was wondering if it is representative of the day to day reality.
I wouldn’t say there were NO logical mistakes in this one. OK, maybe there aren’t any true logical mistakes, but there are ambiguities. It’s not even made really clear who killed the Master. Yes, we know it’s the wife, but that was not clear to me or other posters on this forum. Why did Parsons burn down Mcgovern’s house? And why was the arson just dropped? In the end, what was the significance of the umbrella? Why drag a show out to something like an hour and 40 minutes and not wrap it up properly? Way too long a show. However, the sets, characters, acting, music, etc. still make for an enjoyable show, albeit not one with a very well written story line.
Hi Adrian. Thanks for sharing your interesting thoughts on each Morse episode, as you are working your way through watching them, in chronological order. I just wondered, did I miss your views, on the previous Morse episode, The Secret of Bay 5B, last week, because I can’t remember reading those opinions. Naturally, there is no need to comment on every Morse episode, so perhaps you didn’t write, any fascinating remarks, last week. Anyway, that is all for now, thank you, and goodbye.
Hi James,
I did not write anything on “The Secret of Bay 5B” because I felt that I could not add anything new. I did like Morse’s quick thinking in doing the Jaguar keys “switcheroo” (American term) 🙂 that helped unravel the case in the absence of other material proof.
I had to give some consideration as to how Morse could swap his keys with the other Jaguar ring and still be able to drive his own car home. This is explained by the Jaguars of the day having a door key that was separate from the ignition key. Providing Morse reminded Lewis not to lock the car, He would still have been able to swap the door key and retain his own car’s ignition key.
Thanks for replying so quickly, Adrian. That is very understandable, if you have nothing new to add, there is no need to post a comment. I like that American term, “switcheroo”, I haven’t heard it before, and it sounds almost Australian, as in “kangaroo”! By the way, in the next few days, I will be writing a response to your interesting remarks about the Morse episode, “Deceived by Flight”. I have really enjoyed that episode in the past, but I will admit, to perhaps being, slightly biased, as cricket is one of my favourite sports. Anyway, thanks very much, and goodbye for now.
i love murder mysteries, and i love classical music. and in inspector morse i have the best of both worlds.
of course i can’t always put a name to the tune, and there’s so much classical music, especially piano forte.
so thank you very much for making a list of episodes and their music.
Hello and welcome to my website. You are very welcome regarding the music lists.
I do like this episode. I have a question. When Copley Barnes comes in unexpectedly while his wife is playing the piano, she has an terrified look on her face. As the story unfolded it seems that the little girls playing the piano in that room were targets for Copley-Barnes. So, did she know then what he was doing and ignored it? If she did know, surely she would not have been puzzled by the hints sent in the mail. I don’t believe she makes that clear even at the end. Does anyone have an opinion on this?
Kathleen,
I think she is terrified because she DOES remember (it is all tied to the vacation to the seaside) and because she DOES know what happened and she DOES know that it is STILL happening. She is frightened by what is to come because her husband is not stopping. My 2 (American) cents.
Adrian, I think you are right but that begs the question why did she not put a stop to it when it was happening especially when she knew Amanda now was most likely involved? I guess I’ll offer an answer to my own question – because she was so dominated by her husband and as a master’s wife would never go against him? If so, she took a long time to get rid of him. (Another American’s 2 cents 🙂
Yes, she appears cowed by him at the beginning of the episode (how else could she have put up with the incest?). Took her a long time to work up her courage. There is one slight problem with the episode: why did not the gardener try again once he realized he got the wrong man? He had plenty of time and was a lot more resourceful than the wife. To confuse us a little longer? Kathleen? James? Bert? Help!
A good question, Adrian. Perhaps he was so distraught by what he had done he couldn’t bring himself to try again? I think it took all he had to muster up the courage the first time so he had nothing left. And so the only thing he could do was take his anger and frustration out on the flower display. Also maybe when Sylvie approached him they had planned to go to the police and deal with it that way.
Possible, I would have definitely tried it again. Those brits….
Ha ha ha! Proper and reserved, they are! Now if he were from NY or NJ…
I think she had a suspicion, but I don’t believe she really knew or was even present when it happened. She pushed the terrible thought away and didn’t investigate, people tend to do so. But it kept creeping up on her, for example when he entered while she was playing the piano. In the end she realizes that it was all true, that she could have prevented the abuse of Amanda, and what her daughter and Sylvie have been through in all these years. That’s why she feels guilty although she wasn’t his accomplice in the crimes.
I am enjoying reading your interesting discussion, Adrian and Kathleen. My attempt at answering Adrian’s question above, would be, that the gardener didn’t try to kill the Master, a second time, after failing the first time, and mistakenly killing Dr. Julian Dear, because, that would have revealed to the police, the exact target, the gardener was aiming for. He was thus hoping, Morse and Lewis would remain convinced, that whoever attacked Dr Dear, had meant to do that. As a consquence, the police would be looking at the wrong target for the attack, and the wrong motives, which of course, they did, for a fair period of this episode.
In addition, I can understand your other point, Adrian. Given that the gardener must be apoplectic with rage, over what the Master had been doing, namely the abuse of the gardener’s daughter, it is a wonder, that a second attack on Matthew Copley-Barnes, never happened. I also agree with you Kathleen, it takes a lot, to attempt to harm or kill once, let alone twice, even if you failed the first time. Anway, this is my brief explanation, and I hope it helps, in some way, Adrian and Kathleen.
That is a very interesting take on it, James. Perhaps that was the case.
The gardener was completely drunk when he killed Dear, hence the vomit. In spite of his rage at Copley-Barnes he was probably appalled by what he’d done, killing an innocent person. I think it’s fair to assume that he is rather the soft type of person and he never made an elaborate plan to murder C-B. Also consider that Amanda doesn’t seem to have a mother to care for her in case he is imprisoned.
I am certain the Miserere sung in this episode is not by Allegri. I think is is by Joaquin de Prez.
It is by Byrd in this episode.
So the gardener (Hopkirk) attacked Dear by mistake. He intended to hurt or kill Copley-Barnes for abusing his daughter. You would think that somebody with vengeance in mind would make sure he had identified the right victim, not just attacking any man in a suit carrying an umbrella so that his face could not be seen. Mick McGovern stumbled upon the body (not yet dead) and was assumed to be a mugger. Can anybody explain what Parsons wanted McGovern to do inside the college? What hold did Parsons have over McGovern? [My guess is that Parsons knew that McGovern was a homosexual – but wasn’t this legal in 1987? But he wouldn’t want his mother to know, perhaps.] The police found only one umbrella, the one belonging to Copley-Barnes. This seemed to take on an unwarranted importance. Parsons and his man set fire to McGovern’s house/apartment. Why? Isn’t it amazing how one tiny, but important, piece of paper (in this case a photograph) doesn’t get burnt whenever there is a fire? Wasn’t there another episode where documents were burned in a fireplace, but a bit was left, enough to help solve the case?
Hopkirk was drunk and angry. It was dark, raining heavily and Dear was under the Master’s umbrella. Hopkirk may have recognised the Master’s umbrella. Homosexuality may have been legal but that didn’t and doesn’t mean that one feels comfortable making it public. If my memory serves me right about the episode, McGovern was a whistleblower and removed documents from the company he worked for. If the company found that out out, they could have prosecuted him and so had the means to blackmail him. McGovern was going to retrieve the information that Dear had regarding the company’s (Soilscan?) poor practices. Remember the tape Jake Normington played to Morse after he ran off to America, that information was what McGovern was going to retrieve. Hope this helps Al.
When Lewis backtracks the “pie” to Hopkirk he finds the second umbrella, why would Hopkirk have it? The whole umbrella story is a sideshow that doesn’t make any sense.
He was absolutely drunk and may have taken it so he won’t get wetter than he already was. The better question is why did he keep it after sobering up?
Regarding Soilscan: they blackmailed McGovern with information on his appearances in nude or porn magazines. This is explained in the episode. They threatened to tell his mother, which is why he is willing to speak after she died.
The subtitles gave “Byrd’s Miserere” said by Normington. I wouldn’t have thought that there would be copyright problems requiring a different Miserere in other countries, which I was going to suggest as a possible reason for the differing opinions here.
My interpretation of Phil attacking the wrong person was that he had had a skinful when eating the quiche, and he just saw someone in the dark alley and assumed it was the Master. We don’t know whether it was premeditated, opportunistic, and whether Phil meant to do any real harm to the Master. After all it was only when Sylvia came on the scene, Phil had come rushing in from the garden and then she went round to the house, I think was when Phil decided to attack the plants at the flower show.
The soil scan plot wasn’t fully explained as to what was over McGovern, other than the sexuality which would have been a scandal within the college – hence I presume Jake Normington hot-footing to the US, and McGovern didn’t want his mother to know.
I’m not sure who killed Copley-Barnes. Was it his wife? Or did his wife talk to the gardener? When she said she told “him” that she and Imogen had talked, was “he” the gardener or her husband? And then she killed him or set the gardener off, when he actually already knew. There is an implication that she didn’t know for sure until she went to talk to Imogen. Did Sylvie see the murder, or just assume it was the gardener?
The gardener attacking Dean (by mistake) doesn’t mean he intended to murder. I’m really confused, so if anyone has the answer, I would appreciate it. I guess by default I’d have to say the gardener, but I don’t think it was the most clearly set out solution.
Hi Melissa, Adrian and James are correct, the wife did kill him. But you bring out an interesting observation. I never gave much thought to Mrs. CBarnes staring at the green ribbon which might have been what finally convinced her of what was going on and force her to deal with it. I think that was the turning point for her. Before that, I’m not sure she realized what the other items sent to her in those packages meant.
So I guess we can assume that when that ribbon was found in the bed when they were younger, as Imogen said, Mrs. CBarnes didn’t want to believe it then even though she suspected. Another ambiguous scene for me was when Mr. CB comes home early while Mrs. CB is playing the piano and she has a look of terror/disgust/apprehension(? ) on her face. So she must have known but chose to close her eyes to it all because she didn’t want to ruin her idyllic, albeit fantasy “wife of the master” life.
I took it that she’s generally scared of him in general, maybe not even knowing why. Just a low grade unease.
I had to find this website because I was not certain who killed the master – the wife or sylvie. Thank you for answering my question and providing answers to my other questions!
The wife looked afraid because she knew the gardener was supposed to intercept the Master en route to the lecture. She realized the plan to murder her husband had failed.
The Master’s wife played no part in the first murder. She had no idea that her husband was the intended victim. She had no idea Phil the gardener killed Professor Dearing.
The wife killed him
As to the music for Inspector Morse’s “Internal Serpent” when Mrs Copley Barnes intends to kill herself, perhaps the choir is singing a Thomas Tallis composition. It reminded me of “Spem in Alium” played in an opening Endeavor episode.
Thank you for sharing so much detail. I enjoyed it after rewatching the Morse episode.
Never mind, another comment explained the last choir piece is “Justorum Animae.” Thank you.
Correct: To save other readers scrolling: “Justorum animæ” by Orlande de Lassus.
I didn’t think that the first rehearsal (with all the windows open so that all the College could hear) was really – ahem – up to the standards of a college choir. Bit ragged, Normington should have told them.
On the other hand, the last piece, sung when someone is just about to commit suicide showed no sign of the choir’s dry throats or worriedly looking elsewhere than the conductor. Grace under pressure indeed. Imagine one of the choir not being able to attend the practice. “Did anything happen at the rehearsal yesterday?”
Watching Inspector Morse for the first time, I almost skipped this episode because of your review and low ranking. I was surprised to find it the best episode I’ve seen so far.
The story delves into issues that are ever more pressing and realistically shows that no Inspector Morse can shield the public from the damage and deceptions carried out against it by huge corporations and complicit government and academia. Here I find a story that is more compelling than a mere murder mystery:
the privilege enjoyed by those who wield authority and power and who command the respect of their community;
the abuse of power in the service of profit and privilege;
the veneer of respectability used to hide an underbelly of exploitation, deceit, violence, and crime;
the wrath of the powerful against whistleblowers and truth-tellers;
the deference, complicity, and silence of witnesses and accomplices (including the media) who share in the privileges of the powerful;
the difficulties, threats, and sacrifices suffered by those who refuse to be complicit;
the failure of those who share in the privileges of the powerful to uphold their responsibilities to those who have no power and to the community.
To me this is a bombshell of a story.
I too delayed watching this because of the ‘6 Jags’ which I now feel was beyond harsh. This is a strong episode, written long before the imbalance of power between abuser and child victim became a well-known feature. The Jimmy S and Rolf H travesties were well under way when this was written with similar plain sight themes and enablers like Blanche and the BBC complicit, half knowing but silent. Even shades of Rolf’s daughter Bindi, whose childhood friend became her father’s lover.
I agree with HughieB. This is an excellent episode, treating some very difficult themes with empathy and power. Matthew Copley-Barnes is one of the true monsters of the Morse universe. I do feel that the difficult subject matter was your reason for the 6 jags in this instance, Chris, which does seem a little unfair, as the writing and performances are all top notch
The Beethoven piece is the Andante (2nd) movement of Sonata 25.
Morse must have had a very long arm to open the rear passenger side door to allow Mick McGovern to get in the back of his car while he was sitting in the driver’s seat!
If McGovern was only at the crime scene to tell Dear the fertiliser information was wrong, why did he have to climb into the college over a high wall on a rainy night? Why not just make an appointment?
Dear had the evidence to prove the fertilizer cancer connection. This evidence was given to him in the past by McGovern. Dear certainly would not want to give it up and not have this evidence to back up his assertions. Dear was going to present his findings at the debate. Dear was a man of truth and when he was on a mission nothing would stop him..McGovern new what to look for in Dear’s office. The thug who worked for the chemical company wouldn’t know what documents needed to be gottent rid of. This is assuming they did not have copy machines at this time in history.
There is an interesting note for this episode. Both Cheryl Campbell and Geoffrey Palmer appear in the same episode of John Thaw’s series “The Sweeney.” (Episode – “Feet of Clay”). They don’t share any scenes with each other in it, but both do have scenes with Thaw.
Forget Hugo De Vries, Matthew Copley-Barnes is the true personification of evil in the Morse universe. A Monstrous creation
There is a dead ringer for a young Caroline Quentin in the choir immediately before Imogen enters in the final scene. I wonder if it is her?
Caroline was 30 when the episode was broadcast and 29 when it was filmed.
The actress Irene Richards eluded you–I remember her very well as an excellent (intelligent and realistically going to make the best of things) Charlotte in the 1980 Pride and Prejudice. Excellent actors–Elizabeth Garvie, Moray Watson, David Rintoul, etc.–with to my mind the best and most faithful adaptation by Faye Weldon.
Richards was also Elinor in a stodgy tv version of Sense and Sensibility.
Saw this on ITV3 today and having never seen the final twenty minutes before, my first thought was, how did that old woman manage to climb on top of the pipe organ?
Thst old woman was only,52.
Just watched this episode yet again. Worth watching just for the expression of sheer incredulity on Mrs C-B’s face when Lewis mentions the electronic keyboard! As with much in the episode, one isn’t sure whether she can’t believe that such a thing could exist or whether it’s that she can’t believe why anyone would buy one.
I enjoy the episode and having watched it again today I find my views are unchanged. The subject matter is a tough one, it is emotional and each time you watch it you see different things of significance. For me it is top 10 episode and I can’t think of a single character who wasn’t believable.
Interest for a future episode was that in Happy Families Morse said he had never been taken off a case in his life, whereas the implication in the Infernal Serpent episode is that he has been taken off the case.
What a wonderfully detailed blog this is of the classic Morse episodes, so glad I found this.
Yes, as has been pointed out by other posts, it’s the Byrd Miserere, not the Allegri.
The organ piece that plays at 1h:33m:53s is “Le Jardin Suspendu” by French organist composer Jehan Alain. I clearly did not see this episode when it first aired because I would have definitely remembered that! Re-watching the series now, it’s marvellous to hear how much quality music (including proper organ music) was used throughout.
When I first heard the character name “Dr. Dear,” I immediately thought of ACC Clive Deare from “Endeavour.” Anyone else?
I was 14 when the series first aired on PBS in the USA, and was hooked. I developed an affection for Morse — and for Lewis, too, of course! But Morse always filled me with deep sadness and tenderness; he was so lonely and always on the fringes of existence, despite having such a bright mind and deep understanding of human nature.
I lost track of the series once I started college, so I have been catching up in recent years. I faintly remember this episode. But in my most recent viewing it hit me all at once — and very hard. It speaks to me on a personal level. It is so far one of the best, if not the best, episode.
The difficult subject matter was handled with body and facial language; and the way the piano and the piano concerto 11 by Mozart (third variation of the first movement) became the cue for the abuse. It was brilliantly written, directed and acted.
I also appreciate the ever redeeming relationship between Morse and Lewis; a light in the midst of darkness.
One of my favorite exchanges between the two occurs around 1:27:05. Morse is at home, after he and Lewis have been removed from the case. The piano concerto 11 (third variation of the first movement) by Mozart is playing; and Morse just can’t stop thinking about the case.
Lewis calls him from the pub where the infamous quiche is served. Morse starts to roll his eyes and says, “Lewis…” in that sing song tone that means “let it go, Lewis”.
But Lewis’s revelation that the gardener frequents the pub — and not McGovern as he originally thought — stops Morse from chiding Lewis.
Instead, when he challenges Lewis as to what he plans to do about it, and Lewis says he was thinking of going to question the gardener, Morse says facetiously, “What, on your own initiative? Against orders?”
I imagine Morse felt very pleased and proud of Lewis, who had cracked the case through excellent detective work, and defied the establishment in pursuit of truth.
Agree, great observations, thanks!