WHO KILLED HARRY FIELD?

UK, 1991, 105 minutes, Colour.
John Thaw, Kevin Whately, Trevor Byfield, John Castle, Geraldine James, Nicola Cowper, Veronica Lang, Ronald Pickup, Freddie Jones.
Directed by Colin Gregg.

Another Morse mystery, solidly scripted and directed with the usual fine performances from John Thaw and Kevin Whately – and with a strong supporting cast.

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 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?
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?

10. Harry as the focus of the film? The web around him? A plausible character? His reputation as an artist, his love of fun, his drinking, storytelling? Morse and his liking him? His death? The discovery about the truth of his character? His lack of ideas? The fact that he imitated other artists? The woman in the paintings? Her not being his wife? His business and making up family coats of arms, the Latin mottos (and jokes)? Involved in other forgeries or not? His relationship with Helen? The nature of his marriage? His relationship with Doyle, the issues of money? With Eirl? The painting? The issue of the model? His friends, father? Death and the questioning of his integrity?

11. The nature of the investigation, Morse and his personality, admiring Field, changing his attitude? The nature of the investigation, working with Lewis? Being hard on Lewis? Lewis and his personality, putting up with Morse, his home life, his comments, the footwork?

12. Doyle, as a person, with the girls? Helen – a Lancelot?

13. The model, her background, her relationship with Field?

14. Eirl, his wife? The staff?

15. The friends gathering for the wake? The range of friends – and the possibilities for the murderer?

16. The world of art, the academy, government money?

17. The intricacies of the plot, the work of Morse and Lewis, the revelation of truth under the surface of respectability? A satisfying Morse mystery?