LAST BUS TO WOODSTOCK

UK, 1988, 105 minutes, Colour.
John Thaw, Kevin Whately, Anthony Bate, Terrence Hardiman, Fabia Drake.
Directed by Peter Duffell.

Last Bus to Woodstock is one of the earliest of the Inspector Morse series. John Thaw is establishing his personality as Inspector Morse and Kevin Whateley as Sergeant Lewis.

The film has a good cast, including Fabia Drake as an elderly observer and witness. The film was directed by Peter Duffell, whose cinema credits include England Made Me.

The film establishes the atmosphere of Oxford and its environment, life at the university, in business, students - a credible atmosphere for a murder mystery.

1.The popularity of Inspector Morse? The subsequent series? Personality, investigations?

2.The series, the characters, the atmosphere of Oxford, the role of the police, detection? The development of Morse's character?

3.The local atmosphere, people, companies, the university?

4.The setting and the credits: the weather, the elderly lady at the bus stop, Sylvia and Mary, the lift, the pub, John Sanders, the tutor at the bar, the death? People's reactions - Sanders' illness, the questions, the tutor and his objections? The staff at the hotel?

5.The portrait of Morse, in himself, bachelor, detective work, introverted, grumpy, with Lewis? Interest in Rochester? The shrewdness, Lewis and his education and practicality? Morse and his going on television to explain the situation? The interviews with Sanders, with Sylvia's mother, with Jennifer Colby, with Clive, Angie, Max, Mary? Morse and Lewis adapting their methods for the people being questioned?

6.John Sanders and his illness, talking, protesting his innocence, his stealing the money, the reaction to the death, buying the billiard cue and the clothes? The competition and the fight? His arrest? Interrogation and the pressure put on by Morse? The truth?

7.Sylvia's mother, her grief, the ransacked room, Morse's visit, packing up? Her perspective on her daughter?

8.Crowther and his lecture, Rochester the rake, the reform? His associate? Crowther's wife, gaining the chair, her pressure? The television program, the truth? Crowther and his relationships with women? Picking up Sylvia, the fight, running over her? His relationship with Mary? Her not telling him the truth? With his wife and getting rid of the tyre? His heart condition?

9.Jennifer and her work, the relationship with Clive? Their responses to Morse? The affair? Jennifer and her boarding with Angie and Mary, the easy relationships between the women? Sylvia and her work, passing on the envelope from Crowther? The final clash with Clive? The truth?

10.Angie, student, flirting, her attraction to Morse and the discussions, the visit to the tutor's room, his advances, her reactions, talking with Jennifer?

11.Max, the deliveries of the letters, playing pool?

12.The elderly lady, her observations, the discussions with Morse - and being ahead of him? The car, enjoying giving the testimony? Discovering the car and reporting it?

13.Mary, the truth about Sylvia, the money, her arm, going to hospital - and the relationship with Mary? Mary and her telling the truth?

14.Satisfying murder mystery, detection, sufficient clues, reasonable resolution?