THE DEAD OF JERICHO

UK, 1987, 105 minutes, Colour.
John Thaw, Kevin Whately, Gemma Jones, Patrick Troughton, James Laurenson.
Directed by Alastair Reid.

The Dead of Jericho is the first of the thirty Inspector Morse films made for television. The series went from 1987 to 2000, with the death of Morse and the revelation of his name, Endeavour.

The first film has all the elements which were to be incorporated in the succeeding films. John Thaw made Inspector Morse his own – his taciturn manner, grumpiness with Lewis, his drinking ale, his love for his car, his love for music and opera, his limp. In this film, he is shown as falling in love with a fellow choir member who is later murdered. Sometimes, there is this emotional touch in Morse’s character but he seems generally to be aloof from other people. Lewis is more or less the same as he is in all the other films. The ordinary married man, concerned about family and children, ignorant of high art and the classics.

Gemma Jones is the member of the choir, James Laurenson an ambiguous businessman, Patrick Troughton a busybody neighbour.

The film was written by Anthony Mingella who was to go on to a very successful writing and directing career with Truly Madly Deeply, The English Patient, Cold Mountain and The Talented Mr Ripley.

1. The popularity of the Inspector Morse series? The personality of Morse, of Lewis? The range of characters, the complex plots, the psychological portrayals of characters – related to the murder or not? The films based on the writings of Colin Dexter?

2. The Oxford settings, houses and streets, police precincts, the university? The musical score?

3. The title, the reference to the area of Oxford? The biblical overtones?

4. Morse in himself, 1987, singing in the choir, his love for his car – and allowing it to be crashed in order to stop a villain? The meetings with Lewis, discussions, treatment, Lewis on guard and meeting him at night outside the house? His authority, emotions with Anne, investigating her killing, his confrontations, hunches? With authorities – and not getting the promotion?

5. The character of Lewis, his hard work, investigations, not knowing the references, especially to Sophocles, his lack of rapport with Morse – but the beginnings of a friendship?

6. Anne, singing in the choir, her friendship with Morse, his taking her home? Ned, his emotions, the music? Her death? Her desperate phone call? Reading Sophocles – and the clues from Oedipus Rex? Her pregnancy? The relationship with the brothers? With Jackson and his doing jobs for her? The note about her death?

7. Ned, his love, music, law student, erratic, the relationship with Anne? Morse going to the college to see him, his room-mate and the mystery? His attack on Morse? His blinding himself? The drugs, Jackson and the blackmail?

8. Jackson, prying, doing the work, the blackmail, his death?

9. The brothers, Alan and Tony, Adele, the lecture, their company, Anne having worked for them, Adele and her role, the secretary, Morse and his investigations, the discussions in the family? Their deceiving Morse as regards identities?

10. Alan, his work, his alibi, relationship with Adele, Tony? Tony and the murders, his trying to escape?

11. Adele, her motivations?

12. The Morse mysteries, the twists, the theories, the resolution?