"The Inspector Lynley Mysteries" A Great Deliverance (2001)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Richard Laxton

Writers:

Elizabeth George (novel)
Lizzie Mickery (screenplay)

TV Series:

"The Inspector Lynley Mysteries" (2001)

Original Air Date:

12 March 2001 (Season 1, Episode 1)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

Plot:

When a farmer, William Tey, is hacked to death with an ax in his barn, Scotland Yard assigns Detective...

Plot Keywords:

Sergeant | Based On Novel | Character Name In Title

Cast

Nathaniel Parker	...	Inspector Thomas Lynley
Sharon Small	...	D.S. Barbara Havers
Anthony Calf	...	Simon St. James
Emma Fielding	...	Helen
Amanda Ryan	...	Deborah St. James
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Rachel Ambler	...	Madeleine Tey
Mark Benson	...	Harry Houseman (as Mark A. Benson)
Denise Black	...	Tessa Mowbray
David Blair	...	Jonah
Paul Brennen	...	Superintendent Webberley
Paul Butterworth	...	Solicitor
Caroline Carver	...	Danny
Colum Convey	...	Detective Sergeant Nies
Brendan Coyle	...	Richard Tey
Nicholas Day	...	Chief Superintendent Hillier
Matthew Dunster	...	Ezra Farmington
Rebecca Gallacher	...	Roberta Tey
Peter Halliday	...	Father Hart
Cate Hamer	...	Olivia Odell
George Potts	...	Waiter
Pooky Quesnel	...	Stepha Odell
Toby Salaman	...	Dr. Samuels
Hannah Storey	...	Gillian Tey
Rob Swinton	...	Landlord
Joanna Thaw	...	Female detective
Howard Ward	...	Detective Constable Pilley
June Watson	...	Mrs. Havers
Bethany Wysoczanski	...	Bridie

Runtime:

UK:180 min (2 parts)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

UK:15 | USA:TV-PG

Company:

WGBH

Trivia:

Inspector Lynley's distinctive blue sports car in the early series is a Jensen Interceptor Mk II. In later series, Lynley's brown car is a 1968 Bristol 410, an extremely exclusive make of vehicle built in England. Only 79 410 were ever built.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the final interrogation scene Lynley removes the earpiece, but at the end of the scene it's back in.

Movie Connections:

Followed by "The Inspector Lynley Mysteries: Playing for the Ashes (#2.1)" (2003)

Like crossword puzzles?

According to hostess Diana Rigg, "The Inspector Lynley Mysteries: A Great Deliverance" is of the "cozy mystery" genre which she explains is similar to Agatha Christie novels and much like a good crossword puzzle. I'm not sure such comments are a credit to this film. However, "A Great Deliverance" is the first in a series of British mysteries from the pen of American writer Elizabeth George which pits the urbane Inspector and aristocrat Lynley and his trusty and contrastingly funky sidekick Barbara Havers (Small) against the wrongdoers of the Shires. A so-so mystery flick, this film tells of a young woman found catatonic and sitting with the decapitated body of her father. At issue, of course, is who did the dirty deed? As the film progresses we find an abundance of characters and some development of the male/female cop team all wound up in a convoluted plot which casually overlooks some obvious questions while making excursions into side plots all happening in the bucolic Yorkshire countryside. When all was said and done, I felt pretty cozy so perhaps Rigg was right. This film will be most appreciated by those who enjoy the "Murder She Wrote" TV fare with minimal action, sex, nudity, swearing, edge, grit, etc. Good stuff for those into tame, sanitized mysteries. (B)