GREEKS BEARING GIFTS
UK, 1989, 105 minutes, Colour.
John Thaw, Kevin Whateley.
Directed by Adrian Shergold.
Greeks Bearing Gifts is an entertaining Inspector Morse murder mystery. It has an exotic setting, not only Oxford and its Greek Restaurants, but the background of classic investigations and the reconstruction of ancient Greek Triremes - as well as hustling businessmen wanting to bring one to England for a theme park. There are the usual complications, mixed motivations, wrong suspects. The film evokes the high table at an Oxford college, the inward looking life of the Dons, the gossip and suspicions. It also focuses on women advising people about their problems on the media(A theme in other Inspector Morse stories). Lewis and Morse work together well and the film comes to a dramatic-climax. An efficient and entertaining contribution to the series.
1. The popularity of the long-running series? Television movies? With style? The popularity of Morse and his personality, enigmatic and mannered style? The personality of Lewis? Their relationship? The solving of the crimes? Intricacy of the plot? The psychological dimensions, the mystery and clues? Police work and solving the mysteries with their own abilities? The work of Colin Dexter?
2. The Oxford settings, the city and landscapes, the cityscapes, the buildings? Comments about Oxford and Oxford society? The ironies about Oxford and the dons? The university city? Ordinary people? Their interconnections? So much beauty – and so much crime?
3. The quality of the mysteries, character-driven? Sufficient information, sufficient clues? The exploration of character and clues? Greek history and the title? The triremes and the Oxford interest in history?
4. John Thaw as Morse, his personality, the changes over the years, yet remaining the same? The mystery of his name? His crusty manner, the bachelor (but romantic at times)? His own authority – exercised over Lewis – and his reaction to authorities? Promotion or not? The changing of his attitudes towards Lewis, bossing him, patronising him about education and culture? The issue of music? Drinking ale? His car? Quietly at home, at work? With Lewis, understanding the situations and characters, the deductions? His being a good listener – but critical?
5. The contrast with Lewis, the family man, the ordinary policeman, education and lack of education, his being put down by Morse – but enjoying his comeuppance now and again? Music and his ignorance? The first reactions, Lewis being patient? His admiration for Morse, having to do so much leg work, to formulate hypotheses? Working under pressure? Collaborator and partner of Morse?
6. The police authorities in Oxford? The medical examiners – and Morse and his attitude towards the female authorities? Sexist and patronising? Changing?
7. The quality of the film as a crime thriller, a thriller with intelligence and demands on the audience? The dons and their world? Business and the theme park?
8. The introduction to the crime, the credits, the background in Oxford, beyond?
9. The range of personalities, motives? Truth and concealment? Jealousies? Deceits and angers? The academic and religious backgrounds?
