Lord Peter Wimsey
A number of adaptations of Dorothy L. Sayers novels featuring her
sleuth Lord Peter Wimsey were produced by the BBC from 1972 to 1976 and
shown in the U.S. on PBS's Masterpiece Theatre.
Murder Must Advertise
By Donald Liebenson
"There is something going on in the organization that is very
undesirable and might lead to serious consequences," reads a note
that the ill-fated Victor Dean wrote to his superior just before he took a
fatal fall down the metal staircase at Pym's Publicity Ltd. These darned
suspicious circumstances lead Pym to hire Lord Peter Wimsey to determine
whether Dean's death was an accident or murder or eh, what? Ian Carmichael
returns in his signature role as Dorothy L. Sayers's aristocratic sleuth
in this characteristically impeccable 1973 BBC miniseries. The chaotic
advertising agency is a ripe setting for intrigue (Sayers herself worked
in a prominent London ad agency in the 1920s). Wimsey has a high time
masquerading incognito as the firm's new copywriter, as well as the
mysterious costumed Harlequin, a ruse he adopts to obtain information from
the notorious socialite Dian de Momerie (Bridget Armstrong), whose lovers
(Dean, among them) all come to bad ends, and whose den of iniquity is
fronted by Major Milligan (Peter Bowles, of To
the Manor Born), a drug dealer who corrupts bright young things.
Among the pleasures of a Wimsey mystery is his panache with the
niceties of our English tongue. At one point he observes, "Truth in
advertising is like lemon in three measures of meal. It produces a
suitable quantity of gas with which to blow out a mass of crude
misrepresentations into a format the public can swallow." Let's see
Nick Charles or Columbo wrap his tongue around that one.
Clouds of Witness
By Anne Hurley
Ah, there's nothing quite like settling in and getting cozy with a
complicated British country-estate murder. In the BBC adaptation of
Dorothy Sayers's detective
novel, which also aired on PBS, the brilliant Lord Peter Wimsey brings
his investigative talents to use close to home. His future brother-in-law
is slain during a country retreat, and while there seems to be no shortage
of possible suspects, the investigation quickly centers on Wimsey's
brother Gerald, the Duke of Windsor. The five-tape adaptation takes its
delicious time in delving deeper into the psyche of the unhappy circle
around the deceased, as Wimsey tries to avert a full trial of a peer of
the realm. Ian Carmichael shines as Wimsey, one of English detective
fiction's most memorable heroes--more nimble than Miss Marple, more
willful than Poirot, more upbeat than Adam Dalgliesh. All mystery fans
need for a lovely and satisfying afternoon is this series and a couple of
strong pots of tea.
The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club
By Donald Liebenson
"I'm investigating when a man died of natural causes," states
aristocratic sleuth Lord Peter Wimsey, "but it's beginning to look
more interesting everyday." So it is in this impeccably mounted 1972
BBC miniseries, which would make Dorothy L. Sayers's peerless literary
creation proud.
Ian Carmichael stars in his signature role as the stylish, cultured,
and erudite Wimsey, whose investigation into the death of General Fentiman
is as irresistible as "poking sticks into a peaceful and
mysterious-looking pond to see what was on the bottom." Fentiman died
in his favorite chair at the staid Bellona Club. Oddly enough, his sister
died the same day. Wimsey agrees to try and determine when Fentiman died
("I shall enjoy it," he exults). In a nutshell, as one character
states (which is always helpful in increasingly complicated cases like
this), dispersion of the inheritance will become "uncommonly
awkward" depending on who died first.
The "whendunit" becomes a whodunit when it is revealed that
the general was poisoned. The unflappable Wimsey has a colorful gallery of
suspects to consider, including the increasingly unhinged George, one of
the general's grandsons (why is he smashing a bottle of digitalis?), and
Ann Dorland, who stands to benefit most if the general died first (what's
the deal with the books on chemistry and poisons she has recently
purchased?). Other memorable characters further enliven the proceedings,
among them the Munns, George's bickering (and at one point blackmailing)
landlords.
As the very British title suggests, this is not a crime thriller to set
the pulse racing (the discovery of Fentiman's body is referred to as
"something rather unpleasant"). But as the mystery unfolds over
the course of 180 minutes (and 4 volumes), it is as captivating as a good
late-night read.
The Nine Tailors
By Donald Liebenson
Devotees of Dorothy L. Sayers's impeccable sleuth, Lord Peter Wimsey, will
want to pour themselves "two large whiskeys" to toast the
release of this 1974 miniseries based on one of Sayers's most popular
novels. Ian Carmichael stars in his signature role as the future
aristocratic detective, who, as a young soldier en route to the
battlefield, becomes embroiled in "a very distressing story."
Someone has stolen "a king's ransom" in uninsured emeralds from
the estate of Sir Charles (Desmond Llewelyn, better known to James Bond
fans as "Q") on the night of his son's wedding. No mystery here:
In this case, the butler really did do it. But that's only the beginning
in a puzzler that will span 20 years, when Wimsey inadvertently returns to
the scene of the crime and steps into some "damn bad business"
involving a recently discovered mutilated body. He discovers at the bottom
of a well and in a church tower baffling clues that harken back to that
fateful robbery and the still-missing jewels. The nine tailors, by the
way, refers to nine church bells and the arcane tradition of change
ringing. This entry in the Wimsey series offers the usual pleasures of
splendid acting, colorful characters, and intriguing story. We also get to
see how Bunter became Wimsey's faithful manservant. Suffice to say, The
Nine Tailors will really ring your bell.
Five Red Herrings
By Larisa Lomacky Moore
Lord Peter Wimsey (Ian Carmichael) and his manservant, Bunter (Glyn
Houston), take a holiday in Scotland, but instead of spending his time
fishing and playing the odd round of golf, Wimsey soon finds himself
traipsing through the bracken in pursuit of a killer. It's a thankless
task, really, considering that no one in town is sorry the victim is dead;
one villager describes him as "a bitterly unpopular man... with a
permanent grudge against everybody." Six of the dead man's fellow
artists have recently argued with him, and none has a satisfactory alibi.
With the invaluable aid of Bunter--who somehow manages to do a
considerable amount of sleuthing, win the heart of a local chambermaid,
and still prepare a full dinner before his master's return each
day--Wimsey must determine which five are red herrings, and which one is
guilty. Two of the four one-hour episodes end in cliffhangers (one
literally) that are guaranteed to have viewers popping in the next tape as
soon as they can slide it out of the box. Carmichael easily slips from
charming to cunning as the witty and quick-witted Wimsey; unfortunately,
while both the acting and scenery are a pleasure to watch, the solution is
ultimately disappointing--an anti-climactic conclusion to an otherwise
enjoyable holiday in the world of Dorothy L. Sayers's creation. |
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