THE GHOST IN THE MACHINE
UK, 1989, 100 minutes, Colour.
John Thaw, Kevin Whately, Patricia Hodge.
Directed by Herbert Wise.
The Ghost in the Machine is one of the earliest of the Inspector Morse films. Based on stories by Colin Dexter, John Thaw's Inspector Morse and Kevin Whately's Lewis became one of the most popular teams on British television and the films were seen around the world. This is one of the earliest. The character of Morse is being developed. He seems to be more cantankerous in this film than in the later films - at least consistently cantankerous. He is especially hostile to the wealthy classes and mouths commentaries on the morality and the attitudes of the rich.
A lot of the aspects of Morse's character are also suggested. His solitary attitudes, irascibility, his love of classical music. Kevin Whately is also developing the character of Lewis in his ability to be down to earth, collaborate with Morse yet offer some tongue-in-cheek criticism.
The screenplay and plot are more straightforward than several of the subsequent Morse stories. The film focuses on Oxford as usual, the world of the Dons which Morse despises, the world of the wealthy and their ability to control people's lives and, with seeming impunity, take them. Patricia Hodge, always an aristocratic presence on screen, is excellent yet alarming as the aristocrat who, it emerges gradually through the film, is completely ruthless.
1. The popularity of the Inspector Morse stories? His personality? Collaboration with Lewis? The Oxford settings? The murder mystery, his detection and solutions?
2. Oxford, the city, the university colleges, wealthy homes, the countryside? The musical score and Morse's love of classical music?
3. The title, the overtones about Oxford society and the aristocracy?
4. The portrait of Morse, age, experience, working in Oxford, with Lewis, irascibility, despising of the wealthy? His interrogations, the meeting with the coroner, discussions with her? His confrontations, ferreting out the truth? The relationship with Lewis, Lewis and his simplicity, down to earth, working with Morse, offering hypotheses, accepting Morse's criticism? Their working as an odd couple team?
5. The police, the coroner, the autopsies, the information, collaboration and detection?
6. The world of the Dons, the need for elections, ambitions, academics? The cloisters? Those in authority, the official wanting to retire, the competitors for the post? The confrontation, the violence - seeming motivations for murder? The issue of the Dons being a red herring in the crime?
7. The victim, his collection of art, pornography, being criticised by the Don? His relationship with his wife, the alienation, the son? The confrontation - his murder, being thrown from the building, being laid out in the chapel? The revelation of the truth?
8. The focus on his wife, age, marriage, her relationship with the handyman? Her son? Arriving home from London, the theatre, giving the woman the lift? The chauffeur? The set-up? Her attitude towards the death, the unveiling of her sinister schemes, her suave and aristocratic manner? Her masterminding of everything? The truth of what had happened? The chauffeur, his complicity? Her planning to leave her husband with him? Her going to see her son? The murder of the young student and his blackmail? The revelation of the truth yet her expectations that aristocrats would be treated differently?
9. The handyman, his public school background, his answering the questions - yet the truth that he was complicit and acted in the killings?
10. The au pair, her relationship with the master, posing for the photos? Her boyfriend, his using the photos for blackmail? His being killed in his car?
11. Entertaining murder mystery, the British tone, it not just simply being a whodunnit? The emphasis on whydunnit?
