THE INFERNAL SERPENT

UK, 1990, 100 minutes, Colour.
John Thaw, Kevin Whately, Cheryl Campbell, Barbara Leigh- Hunt, Geoffrey Palmer, Tom Wilkinson, George Costigan.
Directed by John Madden.

The Infernal Serpent is an Oxford College film with two themes running through it.

The first is that of the environment, interesting from 1990, a debate to be held in Beaufort College. However, the main speaker is attacked on a rainy night and dies in hospital. This leads to suspicions of a link between the college and an international corporation fostering scientific development. A young man, formerly a researcher, has discovered that his work could lead to cancer. Thugs from the company force him to steal a tape by the speaker at the debate, and blackmail him to do this because of his homosexuality which he wants to keep from his dying mother. There is a connection with the other theme, sexual abuse, because the environmental expert was attacked mistakenly by the father of an abused girl.

The theme of sexual abuse is quite strong also for 990, the Master of Beaufort College being a predator, especially with young girls, and, more especially, the companion of his daughter who is affected emotionally by her father’s behaviour. This is known by the Master’s wife who finally acts, feeling guilty and responsible for not making her husband’s behaviour known.

Geoffrey Palmer is effective as the Master, Cheryl Campbell is his daughter’s companion, Barbara Leigh-hunt his wife.

The film was directed by John Madden who is to go on to direct the Oscar-winning Shakespeare in Love, as well as Captain Corelli’s Mandolin and the very popular The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.

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?

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 quality of the film as a crime thriller, a thriller with intelligence and demands on the audience?

7. The introduction to the crime, the credits, the background in Oxford, beyond?

8. The range of personalities, motives? Truth and concealment? Jealousies? Deceits and angers? The academic and religious backgrounds?

9. The title, the later explanation, as applied to the Master?

10. The University, the rain, the announcement of the debate, the issue of the environment? The Master and going back for his papers? The attack on the professor? The Master being hit? The professor in hospital, the news of his death? Heart attack?

11. The focus on the Master, his title, and his wife, who routines, his ignoring her? With the professor, being hit, Morse and the questioning? The College and its reputation, the environment, the multinational company? His relationship with his daughter, seeming disdain of her? Sylvie and her visit, the tension between them? His being the subject of her profile for the paper?

12. The Environment story: the professor, his reputation, concern about the environment, his agreeing to talk in the debate, the tape in preparation for the debate, Michael stealing it, giving it to Jake? Michael and Jake and their sexual relationship? Morse and investigation, Michael and his mother, the thug forcing Michael to steal the tape, going to his mother in the hospital, Morse chasing the thug through the hospital? The arrest of Michael, Morse seeing him with Jake? Jake passing it off with some embarrassment? The mother’s death, Michael feeling free to tell the truth? The long story told to Morse, Michael, his experiments, studies, the employment by the company, the fertiliser, its seeming miracle effect, later discovering that it was dangerous, cancers? The ceremony and the Master present with the head of the company? Jake and his choir, the practices, his relationships, returning to the United States? Phoning Jake, listening to the tape on the phone? The chief, the influence of the University, thinking that Morse’s speculations were indefensible, taking him off the case? Interesting that in 1990 there should be this environmental message?

13. Morse and Lewis, Morse more cranky than usual, having drinks, Lewis and his following through, not knowing the words like taxonomy, the issue of the vomit, his continually referring to it, getting the information, leading him to the club and who had the meal and was sick? Morse, the Master, Sylvie and her background? His friendship with Jake, going to the music, the rehearsal?

14. The Master’s wife, her piano pupils? Phil, working in the garden, the competition and his winning? His upset about his daughter, and her not being communicative, the reality but his not going to the police? The rain and the umbrella, hitting the wrong man, his vomiting, finally smashing the garden?

15. Sylvie, her story, her mother, being paid companion for Imogene, the photo album, the partly happy days? Morse and the Chief giving him the brochure for a holiday, looking at the pictures, the realisation about sexual abuse? The parcels delivered, the horns, the cloth? The Master’s wife trying to protect him? Not telling him? Imogene and her rebellion, her husband, playing the piano with Sylvie, her anger, the Master and his death, Sylvie in the room? The truth?

16. Imogene, her relationship with Sylvie, with her father, with her mother, her life, rebelling by marrying her husband, the stables, love of her work, her father’s treatment of her, her mother trying to talk to her and visiting the stable?

17. The truth, the Master’s death, his wife going to the chapel, the music, on the heights, Morse and Lewis urging her down? Her guilt, responsibility?

18. 1990, the times and the issue of the environment, of sexual abuse, of gay issues?