Welcome to a new post. 

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Hello everyone and welcome to a new post. My review of Dead of Jericho was my first post on my website in 2014. It was also my first ever attempt at writing a blog.

The original post was not very good especially in contrast to my more comprehensive recent posts. 

So, I have updated this post with lots of new information. I hope you enjoy it and as always I hope it will help you enjoy your viewing of the episode. 

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SPOILERS AHEAD!

Originally aired in the UK on the 6th January 1987. (Filmed in 1985/86).

Book published in 1981

Directed by Alistair Reid.

Written by Anthony Minghella, three years before he won a BAFTA for Truly, Madly, Deeply.

Synopsis:

Anne Stavely is a music teacher, (she proves the theory of nominative determinism), and sings in a local Choral Society as does our hero, Inspector Morse. Morse is attracted to Anne but unfortunately for Morse she is in love with her former employer. When Anne is found hanged in her kitchen, Morse is determined to discover the truth of why she committed suicide and what drove her to it.

Where’s Colin?

This is at around 45 minutes.

REVIEW.
(warning, this review will contain some spoilers)

Here it is , the first episode of a series that would captivate me to this very day. With a great actor in the leading role and being ably supported by the British institution that is Kevin Whately. Throw in some great British character actors like Patrick Troughton and Gemma Jones and with hindsight it is difficult to imagine the show failing.

I have to admit that this particular episode doesn’t feature in my top ten all time favourite episodes. However, when the episode is put into context, i.e. the first episode of the first series and taking on a new format of a two hour show, then it can be seen as a fabulous episode that sets up Morse’s character for future episodes. Thankfully, Morse’s leather jacket and hat combination never resurfaced in future episodes.

The episode starts off like an episode of The Sweeney (the section about the raid on the garage at least) and one wonders if this intentional by the writer Anthony Minghella. Is it possible he was trying to  wrong-foot the audience? Before that scene we have the incongruous Vivaldi music playing from Morse’s car as he drives to the garage and then of course the cut scenes of the Choral Society. The audience must have wondered what kind of detective show they were watching. I love the incongruity of the typical police show scene with a raid on a crooked garage and the sound of Vivaldi and Parry. How many of the audience were waiting for John Thaw to jump out of the car and shout, ‘You’re nicked’?

There are two small problems I have with the episode. Firstly, is the Agatha Christie style gathering of the suspects at Anne Stavely’s house otherwise know as the ‘summation.’ This scene just doesn’t work in relation to the rest of the episode. Thankfully, there was no such scenes in future episodes that I can remember. Secondly, the blackmail letter received by Alan Richards. Whose letter did he receive? George Jackson sent a blackmail letter as did Ned Murdoch. Was this a mistake in the script or am I missing something.

A great cast with a solid performance from all concerned. The interaction between Morse and Lewis is excellent and sets us up nicely for forthcoming episodes.

Memorable Line – “You’re a clever sod but you don’t say the right things to the right people.” Spoken by Strange to Morse.

Jag Rating (out of ten): 

MUSIC.

(The times are set as hh/mm/ss, i.e. hours, minutes and seconds).

00h00m00s

Music by Hubert Parry (1848-1918) and lyrics by Henry Vaughan (1622-1695) ‘My Soul there is a Country‘. Sung by the choir at the very beginning of the episode. The lyrics were actually a poem by the Englishman Henry Vaughan titled ‘Peace’ and put to music by the Englishman Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry.

PEACE
BY HENRY VAUGHAN

My Soul, there is a country
Afar beyond the stars,
Where stands a winged sentry
All skillful in the wars;

There, above noise and danger
Sweet Peace sits, crown’d with smiles,
And One born in a manger
Commands the beauteous files.

He is thy gracious friend
And (O my Soul awake!)
Did in pure love descend,
To die here for thy sake.

If thou canst get but thither,
There grows the flow’r of peace,
The rose that cannot wither,
Thy fortress, and thy ease.

Leave then thy foolish ranges,
For none can thee secure,
But One, who never changes,
Thy God, thy life, thy cure.

00h00m23s

Music by the Italian Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)

The piece is ‘Gloria in Excelsis Deo’ and is played over the scene when Morse is visiting the dodgy garage while in his Jag.

00h09m46s

The next piece is being played by Anne Stavely’s pupil (badly) in her house.

The piece is by the Polish composer Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849); ‘Prelude in E-Minor (op.28 no. 4)’.

00h12m01s

Here we return to the Hubert Parry (1848-1918) and Henry Vaughan (1622-1695) piece ‘My Soul there is a Country’. Again being sung by the Choir.

00h18m40s

The next piece of music is heard while Morse is driving to collect Anne Stavely. It’s by the Austrian Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791). The piece is ‘Concerto No. 14 in E-flat major, K. 449’. (Köchel catalogue. … The Köchel-Verzeichnis or Köchelverzeichnis is an inclusive, chronological catalogue of compositions by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, which was originally created by Ludwig von Köchel. It is abbreviated K. or KV).

00h20m22s

We return to the Hubert Parry (1848-1918) composition ‘My Soul there is a Country’ This time the piece is played with the choir now singing during their concert for which they were previously rehearsing for.

00h25m18s

We now find Morse at home listening to Mozart’s, ‘Le Nozze di Figaro K492 act 2, Porgi Amor (The Marriage of Figaro)’.

00h45m35s

Music been played in Ned’s room when Morse visits him sounds like Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield but i’m not convinced. I think it is possibly a variation of Tubular Bells by Barrington Pheloung.

01h00m28s

We are back in Morse’s house when Chief Inspector Strange arrives unexpectedly. The piece is by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) and is ‘Don Giovanni, K.527, Act 1: Ah, Chi Mi Dice Mai.’

01h03m29s

The next piece is playing on the radio in Morse’s office at the Police Station Thanks to A.B. one of my blog readers who sent me an identification. It is from ‘Mozart’s Quartet No. 12 in B flat major, K. 172‘

01h14m09s

The next piece is again when Morse is at home and Lewis arrives. The piece is by Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849) and is ‘Fantasie Impromptu Opus 66 in C sharp minor‘. An interesting factoid about this piece is that it was adapted by Harry Carroll for his song ‘I’m Always Chasing Rainbows’ the lyrics were written by Joseph McCarthy. Both versions are below and the lyrical version is sung by the wonderful Judy Garland.

01h16m44s

Up next this piece is heard in Morse’s car when he is going to talk to Ned’s tutor. The piece is by the German composer George Frideric Handel (1685 – 1759): ‘Concerto grosso Op.3 No.1‘

01h23m33s

The music is playing on Morse’s radio at the Police Station.

Again a huge thank you to A.B. who sent me an identification for the this piece on the radio as  ‘Mozart’s “Haffner” Symphony‘

A.B. also pointed out that the piece Morse plays while tinkering on Anne’s piano is  Morse plays the opening of the ‘Prelude to Wagner’s _Tristan und Isolde‘ on Anne’s piano in a couple of scenes.

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LOCATIONS.

The times are based on the British DVDs. The times stated are not exact but are within the minute the location appears.

Beginning of the episode.

This is or I should say was The Royal Holloway Sanatorium, Virginia Waters, Surrey. It is now private flats but apparently the art work has been preserved.

It’s on Virginia Park, Stroude Road, Surrey.

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Around 30 seconds.

This garage was in Southall, West London, England but has now gone and replaced by a supermarket. I don’t know the exact location.

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The choir have a drink around three minutes.

Though the choir exit the White Horse pub on Broad Street, Oxford it’s not the interior of the White Horse that is used. It looks like The Lamb and Flag, on St Giles, Oxford.

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At around 4 minutes Morse and Anne Stavely walk from the School Quad that separates the Bodleian Library, The Clarendon and the Sheldonian Theatre.

They walk up Catte Street toward Radcliffe Square.

Next they are seen walking down Brasenose Lane into Radcliffe Square. This highlights the way in which filming locations is created. It is all down to permissions, time and availability. When previously seen they were walking down Catte Street which enters Radcliffe Square. However, Brasenose Lane when we next see them is on the opposite side of Radcliffe Square.

The next location I don’t recognise but after that they are seen walking past The Bookbinders pub on Canal Street. They then walk on to what is called Canal Reach but what is actually Combe Road.

Anne lives at number 9, Canal Reach which in reality is 9 Combe Road. The interior of Anne’s place does look like it could be the actual 9 Combe Road.

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At around 12 minutes we are back at Virginia Park, Stroude Road, Surrey.

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At around 12 and a half minutes, Morse and Anne are in a pub.

I don’t recognise the interior of the pub.

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At 20 minutes we find the choir no longer rehearsing but on the actual night of their concert.

I don’t recognise this location. I don’t think it is any of the college churches or chapels. I believe it might be The Royal Holloway Sanatorium, Virginia Waters, Surrey. (See above for details).

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At around 25 minutes Morse is at home, 28 Castlebar Park in Ealing, London.

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At around 28 minutes we see Lewis walk down, Wheatsheaf Yard to visit the Gill and Co Ltd Ironmongers. Sadly, now closed.

The interior is the actual Ironmongery.

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Lewis visits Jackson at 10 Canal Reach at around 31 minutes.

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At 35 minutes Lewis catches Morse climbing over the wall from Anne Stavely’s home. Morse and Lewis are then having a drink in what is supposed to the Bookbinder’s Pub but it actually a studio set.

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Up next at 40 minutes we have the coroner’s inquiry.

It may well be the aforementioned Sanatorium as it was utilised quite often in this episode.

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44m – 

Morse is walking along the High Street.

John Thaw looking at Colin Dexter.

This is Magdalen College.

Morse visits Ned at his rooms which is also Magdalen College.

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At 48 minutes, Jackson waits to collect his blackmail money.

This is Dorney Common, Dorney Estate, Buckinghamshire.

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At 51 minutes, Jackson stops at a newsagents.

This is Walton Street, Oxford.

Then Tony Richards drives down Great Clarendon Street.

53m –

Morse parks his car on Longwall Street.

The large building in the background is New Building, Magdalen College.

However, the interior scenes of Alan Richards lecture were apparently filmed at the Royal Holloway Sanatorium, Virginia Water, Surrey, England. The Sanatorium and surrounding land is now a large, expensive, gated community.

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At around the hour mark we are back to Morse’s home when Strange comes a calling. 28 Castlebar Park in Ealing, London.

One hour mark and 4 minute mark we are in the police station.

I believe this was filmed at Bray Studios, Windsor, Buckinghamshire.

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At 1 hour and 6 minutes Morse and Lewis leave the Police Station. This is an actual police station on St Aldates, Oxford.

Morse and Lewis walk to their car.

The car is parked on Floyd’s Row which is at the side of the Police Station and is the entry to the rear of the station.

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At 1h and 7m Morse and Lewis are driving down Oxford High Street.

The beautiful building in the background is Queen’s College.

Lewis then turns into King Edward Street.

Lewis then turns into what is supposed to be the Radcliffe Infirmary.

But in actual fact it is Radcliffe Observatory Quarters, on the Woodstock Road.

The sculpture in the middle of the fountain is The Triton.

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At 1 hour and 16 minutes Morse is driving past Magdalen College.

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1 hour and 17m –

Morse visits Magdalen College to talk to a don.

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One hour and 39 minutes, Morse is berating a constable.

This Jackson’s house, 10 Combe Road.

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ART

The scenes with the choir that Morse is a part of rehearsing for their concert was filmed at the Royal Holloway Sanatorium, Virginia Water, Surrey. The paintings on the walls are by James Imrie and other unknown people.

00h06m53s

The next piece of art in the episode can be seen on Anne Stavely’s living room wall;

Behind Morse is ‘Nighthawks‘ (1942) by the wonderful American painter Edward Hopper (1882- 1967). Below is the painting in all its glory;

00h13m59s

We now have two pieces of art to look at and again we are in Anne’s house but this time in the kitchen.

On the left we can see Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s (1828-1882) ‘Proserpine‘ (1874).

And on the right or on Anne’s left we have a poster advertising an exhibition of 1986 at the Ashmolean. The painting being used to advertise the exhibition is by Camille Pissarro (1830-1903). The painting is ‘Peasant Women Planting Stakes‘, (1891).

On Anne Stavely’s living wall to the right.

Thank you to Nancy who identified it as a drawing by Jean Cocteau titled, Orphee.

 

At around the 25 minute mark with Morse at home we see this drawing.

Thank you to Nancy who identified this as a Giovanni Battista Piranesi, a Venetian born in 1720. The picture is titled “View of Villa Maecenas in Tivoli.”

The painting on the left is another by Piranesi.

Again a big thank you to Nancy who identified it. The picture is titled “Avanzi di un Antico Sepulc’ro”.”

Also identified by Nancy is the picture in Morse’s hall.

LITERARY REFERENCES

The main and probably only literary reference if you discount Henry Vaughan’s poem is Sophocles’s ‘Oedipus and the King’.

The book is seen lying on Anne’s bedside table and Morse is reading it later in the episode.

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Actors who appeared in Dead of Jericho and/or Endeavour or Lewis.

Up first we have James Laurenson as Tony Richards.

James Laurenson appeared in the Endeavour episode, Game. (S4E1)

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Up nest we have Richard Durden as Alan Richards.

Richard is only one of two who have appeared in all three series.

Firstly, he appeared in the Lewis episode, Soul of Genius S6E1.

Then he appeared in the Endeavour episode, Quartet.

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CONNECTIONS OTHER THAN ACTORS TO THE LEWIS, ORIGINAL MORSE SERIES AND PREVIOUS ENDEAVOUR EPISODES.

Gloria in Excelsis Deo by Vivaldi is also used in the Morse episode, Death is Now My Neighbour.

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Suicides in the Morse Universe – (11) ‘The Dead of Jericho’ (hanging), ‘The Wolvercote Tongue’ (sleeping pills): ‘The Secret of Bay 5b’ (hanging): ‘Masonic Mysteries’ (gun): ‘Promised Land’ (gun): ‘Dead on Time, (assisted): ‘Dead on Time’ (pills): ‘Death of the Self’ (cutting wrists): ‘Cherubim and Seraphim’ (3 deaths; pain killers, train and unknown).

Blunt Forced Trauma (what killed Jackson) – (11) ‘Dead of Jericho’ (bedpost): ‘The Silent World of Nicholas Quinn’ (poker): ‘The Wolvercote Tongue’ (brick): ‘Settling of the Sun’ (unknown weapon): ‘Settling of the Sun’ (croquet mallet): ‘Ghost in the Machine’ (camera tripod): ‘Sins of the Fathers’ (paper weight): ‘Happy Families’ (unknown weapon, twice): ‘Deadly Slumber’ (wrench): ‘Way Through the Woods’ (unknown weapon).

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The theme of Morse not paying for drinks starts in this episode and it continues through the series.

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The theme of brothers was used in the following episodes: Endeavour episode Ride, Lewis episode Soul of Genius, and Lewis episode What Lies Tangled.

 

In regard to James Laurenson there was a cheeky little reference to James’s character in Morse episode Dead of Jericho. The Christian name of the body that is dragged from the River Cherwell near the beginning of the episode is Richard. James Laurenson’s character in The Dead of Jericho is Tony Richards. But that is not all. Watch this short video of a scene from the episode, ‘Game’ when Morse visits Richard’s colleagues.

 

Did you see it? In regard to the flask Morse is holding the woman says it was ‘Richards’. James Laurenson turns to look at it as if he is acknowledging the name beyond the scope of the episode.

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The writer Sophocles turns up in the Endeavour episode, Home. In Professor Coke’s briefcase were essays on The Trachiniae by Sophocles.

Sophocles also turns up in the second episode of the first series of Lewis; Whom the Gods Would Destroy. A quote from Sophocles’s Elktra is said, “Foolish is the child who firgets a parent’s piteous death.”

In the Lewis episode, The Allegory of Love, Dorian says, “I ask to be no other man, than who I am.” A quote from the play Oedipus Rex by Sophocles.

IN MEMORIAM.

John Thaw (1942-2002).

Patrick Troughton (B. march 25th, 1920 – D. March 28th 1987)

Born: 17 February 1940, Died: 18 April 2024

Peter Woodthorpe (B. Sep. 25th 1931 – D. Aug. 12th 2004)

Norman Jones (B. June 16th, 1932 – D.April 23rd 2013)

James Grout (B. Oct, 22nd 1927 – D. June 24th 2012)

Charlotte Mitchell (Born: July 23, 1926 – Died: May 2, 2012)

 

THE MURDERED, THEIR MURDERER/S AND THEIR METHODS.

George Jackson.

Killed by blunt force trauma. Bedpost. Killed by Alan Richards.

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Anne Stavely did commit suicide.

Miscellaneous

Magdalen College has been used in 12 episodes of the Morse Universe.

Allegory of Love. (Lewis)
Dead on Time. (Morse)
Greeks Bearing Gifts. (Morse)
Intelligent Design. (Lewis)
Muse. (Endeavour)
One for Sorrow. (Lewis)
Pylon. (Endeavour)
The Dead of Jericho. (Morse)
The Ramblin’ Boy. (Lewis)
Trove. (Endeavour)
Twilight of the Gods. (Morse)
Whom the Gods would Destroy. (Lewis)

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At around 1h15m we see a blackboard in Morse’s home.

I don’t think we see this ‘tool’ for solving cases being used again in the Morse series. Certainly, we see one being used at the police station and in the Lewis series it was so often in the Lewis series it was becoming a trope.

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In the novel of the same name which this episode is based on, Anne Staveley was Anne Scott and the Richards brothers were Charles and Conrad, not Alan Richards and Tony Richards.

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In the book of Dead of Jericho, two Murdoch brothers existed, Michael and Edward. Ned in the Dead of Jericho episode takes on Michael’s role, but uses Edward’s name.

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Morse wears a leather jacket and a black trilby in the episode. Thankfully we never see them again.

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During the episode Morse drives a Austin Montego while his Jag is in the garage being repaired.

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The episode’s age shows in the scene when Anne goes to the bathroom to check the pregnancy test.

In the late eighties the home pregnancy test had to be left undisturbed for two hours before the result could be read.

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The theme of Morse not paying for drinks starts in this episode and it continues through the series.

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Here is a film I made on the area of Jericho in Oxford.

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Cycling appears to be a dangerous occupation as so many cyclists are killed or injured in the Morse Universe, Jackson in The Dead of Jericho;
Victoria Hazlett injured when riding her bike and then dies later in the Morse episode Fat Chance; Regan Peveril is a cyclist who is shot during research into sleep patterns in the pilot episode of Lewis; Roger Temple is injured while riding his bike in the Lewis episode, Dark Matter; Professor Miranda Thornton is a cyclist who is murdered; In the Lewis episode, Down Among the Fearful the fake psychic and cyclist, Reuben Beatty is murdered; The cycling vicar in the Endeavour episode, Girl is murdered.

Cast

Anne Stavely – Gemma Jones (B. Dec. 4th 1942 – D. -)

George Jackson – Patrick Troughton (B. march 25th, 1920 – D. March 28th 1987)

Tony Richards – James Laurenson (B. Feb. 17th 1940 – D. – )

Max – Peter Woodthorpe (B. Sep. 25th 1931 – D. Aug. 12th 2004)

Chief Inspector Bell – Norman Jones (B. June 16th, 1932 – D.April 23rd 2013)

Ned Murdock – Spencer Leigh (B. 1963 – D. )

Adele Richards – Annie Lambert (B. Jan. 3rd 1946 – D. – )

Alan Richards – Richard Durden (B. Feb 8th 1944 – D. – )

Chief Superintendent Strange – James Grout (B. Oct, 22nd 1927 – D. June 24th 2012)

Pete (Ned’s room-mate) – David Michaels ( born in 1964 ) Best known to fans of the excellent TV sitcom ‘As Time Goes By’. He played the policeman, sport loving boyfriend of Sandy.

Charlotte Mitchell played Anne Staveley’s mother (Born: July 23, 1926 – Died: May 2, 2012)

 

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