THE DAY OF THE DEVIL

UK, 1993, 101 minutes, Colour.
John Thaw, Kevin Whately, Keith Allen, Harriet Walter, Richard Griffiths, James Grout, Patrick Drury, Michael Culver, Gilly Coman, Gavin Richards, Katrina Levon.
Directed by Stephen Whitaker.

This episode is one of the later films amongst the 33 adaptation of Colin Dexter’s novels with John Thaw as Morse, working in Oxford, with Kevin Whately as Lewis, his sergeant. It is not so much a murder mystery to be solved but rather the escape of the criminal from an institution, the search for him, the implications of the search and his crimes.

John Thaw, as always, is very effective as Morse, very serious, brusque in manner, demanding on Lewis, not suffering fools gladly but having to submit to the orders of Chief Superintendent Strong. And, as always, there is his love for classical music.

This particular episode has a very strong supporting cast. Richard Griffiths appears as Canon Appleton, an expert on the occult, conducting Brahms with an ensemble that he is training (and this performance precedes Pie in the Sky). Longtime character actress, Harriet Walter, has an early role as the psychiatrist working at the institution, key to the plot. However, Keith Allen is excellent, quietly menacing as the Satanist, criminal, John Barrie, with sex offences and violence.

This is a great deal of discussion about the occult and a sequence of a Black Mass in the forest on August 1, Lamis Day.

There are quite some complications, especially with Barrie able to change his appearance and manner, effect an abduction, commit a murder during the Black Mass, ultimately fall foul of the person whom he trusted and the revelation that she was out to get revenge on him and his partner.

One of the more striking episodes in the Morse series.

1. The popularity of the Inspector Morse films? The novels by Colin Dexter? Police investigations, mysteries? Morse and Lewis working together? Chief Superintendent Strong

2. The Oxford settings, the city itself, streets, the surrounding countryside? Police precincts? The University? Bookshops? The institution? Hotels? The houses in the countryside, interiors? The musical score? Morse and classic music? The Canon and his conducting the Brahms?

3. The background of the cult, Morse and Lewis and their being completely sceptical? Barrie, his considering himself the disciple of Satan? Signs and symbols? In the institution? His room and the illustrations? His writing the book? Esther and her working with him, understanding his mentality, indicating that she was a medium? The gradual revelation of his crimes, sexual crimes, his arrest, imprisonment? In the institution? His escape, drugging the guard, his being in the theatrical group and having the make up equipment, dying his hair, later his wigs, beard, female dress? The keys, walking out of the institution, getting the lift on the truck? Contacting Appleton? Watching the press interview with Morse? Going to the estate agent, renting the house? The attack on Holly, the abduction, confining her to the house? His continued changing his appearance? The waitress recognising his tattoo and phoning the police? The phone calls and as telling Morse he had made a mistake? Lamis Day? The ritual in the forest, the fire, his appearing as the Devil, his murdering Trevers? The threats to Esther? Conversation with the man at the railway station, his going abroad, Barrie going to his home? His confronting Holly, wanting the souvenirs from the attacks on the women? Her shooting him? Going to the house, Esther coming to him, the threats, dealing with him, his coming out, attempting to shoot Morse, no bullets in the gun, the police officer who guarded Esther shooting him?

4. Morse, his character, brusque, serious? Intense on his job? Interactions with Strong, the rules, Strong making demands? Lewis, his character, the investigations, the interrogations, going to the occult shop and the interactions with the owner? The meetings with Holly Trevers, hospital? Her later going to Morse after shooting Barrie? At the University, the Bursar, Trevers and his doing the job? The later revelation with the lawyer, and their all being part of the cult group?

5. The Canon, the article in Barrie’s file, conducting the choir, his knowledge, the discussions with Morse, Barrie and his confronting him?

6. Esther, her work at the hospital, her family background, the three brothers, the motorbike? Her getting the job on merit, working with Barrie? Morse and the interrogation, his disdain for the head of the institution, laxity, freedoms, his disdain for Esther? The threats to her? Putting her in the hotel? Getting to know her better? Her character, experience, concern, explanations of her therapy? The young officer put to guard her? The conversation with Morse – and the intensity about feminism, feminine qualities, weakness, and Morse apologising? The young woman insulted? But her later shooting Barrie?

7. The range of supporting characters, Trevers and his work, his brutality towards his wife, her submission? The Bursar, his attorney, their cult interests? The owner of the bookshop and his phone call?

8. The visualising the cult, the Black Mass, in the forest, the fires, the fear, the murder? The Canon and his visiting the site, the explanations? The Bursar, his leadership the Black Mass and his subsequent fears?

9. Esther, her ring among the trophy jewellery, her being the first victim, her plan, carrying it out, infiltrating into Barrie’s good books, helping him after his escape, the setting up of Trevers to be killed, for Barrie’s death – and her comment to Morse to look into the eyes of the other victims and know how she felt.