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By
FRANK BEHRENS
By far, one of the more
popular series that came over the Atlantic to our
PBS television stations was the six-season
"Rumpole of the Bailey" with Leo McKern as the
craggy-faced barrister. Few of us realized that
there was once a single Rumpole teleplay, "Rumpole
and the Confession of Guilt," now available on an
Acorn Media, which inspired the series and is a
must for fans of what followed.
While all six seasons have been long available on
videotapes, about a year ago HBO finally came out
on DVD with the first two seasons. After a wait
for the rest, A&E has suddenly put out not only
the first two seasons as a redone boxed set, but
at the same time has given us seasons 3 and 4.
Added to the format are introductions to each
episode by Rumpole's creator, John Mortimer; but I
am afraid all he talks about is the plot and
reveals too much of what follows. Better to skip
them on first viewing.
So now we have the first 12 episodes with all the
amusing characters, most of whom drive Rumpole up
a wall, the leader being his wife "She Who Must Be
Obeyed" Hilda Rumpole, played first by Peggy
Thorpe-Bates, then by Marion Mathie. Most of his
fellow lawyers are pretty incompetent chaps:
Guthrie Featherstone (Peter Bowles), Claude
Erskine-Brown (Julian Curry), and "Soapy Sam"
Ballard (Peter Blythe). Even worse than these are
the judges-from-hell: Graves (Robin Bailey),
Bullingham (Bill Fraser), and Oliphant (James
Grout).
The professional women are far more competent:
Elizabeth Probert (played first by Samantha Bond,
later by Abigail McKern) and Rumpole's favorite
"Portia," Phyllida Trant and later Mrs.
Erskine-Brown (Patricia Hodge).
Other than the humor, the insight into the British
legal system, the high quality acting, and the
immortal family of villains, the Timsons, we have
the double plots. Each episode develops a theme
that is the basis of both the trial in question
and of the events of the framing device. For
example, the trial of a neo-fascist who wants a
purely white England takes place after Hilda has
commented on the number of non-white faces in
London lately.
An added inducement to purchase the first boxed
set of seasons 1 and 2 is the inclusion of the
feature-length story "Rumpole's Return." Seeing
him stretched out by a pool in Florida is worth
the price alone.
Grab these and wait with me impatiently for
seasons 5-6 to appear shortly. |
