DIAGNOSIS: MURDER

UK, 1975, 95 minutes, Colour.
Jon Finch, Judy Geeson, Christopher Lee, Jane Merrow.
Directed by Sidney Hayers.

A fairly routine mystery thriller and police story. However. it is quite well done. Directed by Sidney Hayers, a director who worked for a long time with The Avengers series (both new and old), the film has local colour and pace. There is a strength for the film in the performances. Jon Finch is a rather off-hand police inspector who comes out well in the end. Christopher Lee enjoys yet another suave villainous role. Judy Geeson has a good supporting sweet-seeming villainess role. There is also an excellent British supporting cast.

The material is not new, there are some red herrings and twists, but it is the kind of material that can always retain interest and uses the basic themes of the confrontation of good and evil, crime and greed and the inevitable moral that murder will out and there in poetic justice for all.

1. An interesting and entertaining British thriller? Its kinship to episodes of television series? The film as mystery, character study, moral fable about greed and poetic justice, police investigation story? A sound British thriller?

2. The film's use of the English countryside, locations? The use of landscapes for the plot? The musical score? The strong British cast?

3. The lack of originality of the plot - but audience interest in and response to murder mysteries? The strength of the basic plot and its twists and the clue with the title of the film? The blending of the story of the policeman and the sub-plot of his relationship with Mary and her husband blending with the story of the doctor and his wife? The intertwining of the two plots giving twists for the film? The retaining of audience interest and the atmosphere of suspense?

4. The strength of the prologue: the stalking of Julia by the unseen gunman, the cliffs, the boat? The irony of the ending with Julia being saved and Mary's husband dead?

5. Jon Finch's style as Lomax? A competent policeman and his managing of the investigation? His liaison with Mary? Fred being in hospital and Mary's exasperation? Her wanting to do the best by Fred as well as by Lomax? The scenes between Mary and Fred and the irony of his death? Lomax and his being slovenly, suspicious? His style at work, the office, offhand? The encounters with Helen and his suspicions? Surveillance? The involvement with Mary and Fred and the twist at the end? The sketch of a British policeman?

6. The film showing the work of the police, the search and research, surveillance, dragging the lake, etc.? The documentary style of the detail?

7. Christopher Lee as Dr Hayward - his letters, audience suspicions, the revelation that he sent the anonymous letters? The relationship with Helen and his discretion, the gradual revelation of the relationship? The sequences at the party, the hospital? His ability to cover his tracks especially with the car? His driving out to the house? The change of audience sympathies? His motives? His cruelty towards Julia? Avoiding Lomax, relying on Helen and her decision? The agent and the cause of the delay? The double death at the end? A portrait of a suave criminal?

8. Helen as an attractive young woman, working for Dr Hayward, the liaison with him, her hesitations, her opting to stay with him, the visit to Julia, the irony of her being put in the bag? Poetic justice?

9. Julia and the persecution by Dr Hayward, the opening sequence, her being put in the house, her resourcefulness in keeping conscious, the audience's identification with her as she watched her husband, tried to manoeuvre herself out of the danger?

10. The seeming sub-plot between Mary and Fred not having much to do with the main plot and the ugly irony at the end?

11. The build-up to the climax, the plans, Julia's escape, the revelation of the ending?

12. A satisfying murder mystery? Character portrayal? Police story?