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"Rumpole of the Bailey" (1978)

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11 out of 11 people found the following comment useful :-
One of the most enjoyable characters ever!, 2 February 2004
Author: yossarian100 from usa

Rumpole, a barrister spewing poetry and thunder and husband of She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed, entertains with a unique style of oratory, wit, and his own particular slant on the world. In a world drowning in political correctness, Rumpole is a life saver. Rumpole is also one of my favorite of all time characters. The stories and supporting cast are refreshingly British and the entire series is an absolute delight! I'm so pleased this was finally released on dvd.

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9 out of 9 people found the following comment useful :-
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury, 7 April 2006
Author: hgallon from Derbyshire, UK

It is hard to know who deserves the most credit for this courtroom series; author John Mortimer QC (a noted barrister himself), or actor Leo McKern.

Obviously, the series was written with the benefit of intimate knowledge of the English legal system, but almost every branch of it is portrayed very unflatteringly. Most Barristers are shown as smug and pompous, fencing with each other in Latin phrases while the defendant and jury look baffled; policemen are bent, solicitors are shady and judges are either more concerned with barristers' correct dress rather than the evidence, or sadistic and bigoted.

The seamier side of the profession is also shown; with prestigious barristers having to work from poky "chambers", at the mercy of clerks for their work ("briefs") and undervalued secretaries for their paperwork.

In such a world, a weary and introspective character such as Rumpole dominates the scene. McKern's booming delivery and range of facial expressions make this all too easy. The language is a delight, as Rumpole quotes Browning, Tennyson, Shakespeare at will. Some of the most hilarious scenes occur as lawyers take on their clients' personas and start arguing their cases with each other in the first person, in bars or restaurants.

Rumpole's home life with wife Hilda, "She who must be obeyed", is also shown as quite a caricature, as Hilda Rumpole is portrayed as having few interests beyond her husband's lowly position in the pecking order, and household cleaning agents.

Any one of the episodes makes good viewing.

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9 out of 9 people found the following comment useful :-
Perfection!!!, 11 June 2003
Author: Ed from New York, NY

The late Leo McKern had the kind of identification with John Mortimer's character that occurs rarely (other examples being David Suchet as Hercule Poirot, Raymond Burr as Perry Mason and probably Joan Hickson as Miss Marple.). In fact, I think the author agrees and said so more than once.

Hilda Rumpole, "she who must be obeyed", (the name comes from Rider Haggard's "She") is a perfect foil for Rumpole. (She was played by two actresses over the years, Peggy Thorpe-Bates 1978-83 and Marion Mathie from 1987-92) The other characters are also perfectly cast.

The stories are most enjoyable and are a fine basis for the series.

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8 out of 8 people found the following comment useful :-
Delightful series from the UK..., 19 July 2002
Author: quamp from Irving, TX

I think everyone can identify with the lead character Horace Rumpole. That's because he's a crafty, witty barrister surrounded by a bunch of stuffed shirts and idiots. There's Claude Erskine-Brown, the close confidant of Rumpole's who seems to stumble from one disaster to another; Phylida "Portia" Erskine-Brown, Claude's wife and about a third of his source of problems; Judge Gutherie Featherstone, a rather hapless man who gets caught up in a sex scandal right as he's trying to decide on a case in that matter; junior clark Liz Probert, played wonderfully by Leo's daughter Abigail McKern; the hapless Timson clan, who Rumpole constantly rescues from trouble despite their antics, and most of all, we should not forget "She who must be obeyed" - Hilda Rumpole. The cast was a superb choice and the writing was excellent. What was sad about this series is its ending - it's the kind of thing you don't want to end.

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7 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :-
Played to perfection, 13 September 2004

Author: Nicolas Martin from Indianapolis, USA

Rarely has television fit a role and an actor together as perfectly as Rumpole and Leo McKern. (A couple of other examples would be Vic Morrow in "Combat!" and Derek Jacobi in "I, Cladius".) The singular pleasure these episodes afford is watching McKern act as the mildly cynical, but resolutely libertarian, barrister. It is easy to see why McKern came to loathe playing the part since it is the ultimate case of typecasting. One can less think of McKern sans Rumpole than he can Connery sans Bond. Better to rewatch Rumpole than the colorless blather on Court TV.

The scripts and additional cast are good enough to make repeated watching of McKern worthwhile.

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6 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :-
Delightful, 23 January 2001
Author: Chaitanya Komanduri (ckomanduri@hotmail.com) from Newark, NJ

I saw 16 or so episodes of this show a long time ago, but the memories of it are enduring. While the show's tone was humorous, the legal drama was as intense and as interesting as anything on American TV. Leo McKern's Rumpole is funny and charming, but with a serious sense of vocation underneath that Falstaffian bulk. He's been sort of a hero of mine ever since. I hope PBS will re-air this series, or BBC America will air the unedited, unabridged Rumpole in the not-too-distant future.

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3 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
Unforgettable, Unique, Undefeated!, 1 November 2006

Author: Wayner50 from United States

"Rumpole of the Bailey" is the subject of a great series of books by John Mortimer, and most have been made into episodes of this terrific TV series. No one but the great Leo McKern could possibly be Horace Rumpole, henpecked husband, dedicated barrister, brilliant examiner, seeker of truth, clever investigator, tweaker of authority, and I hope I didn't leave anything out, the man you'd want defending you in Her Majesty's courts. The shows almost invariably start with Rumpole's introduction to his hopeless client. Rumpole gathers evidence to clear the unfortunate while navigating office politics, domestic crises and society's craziness. Each episode is enjoyable on its own, but try to see them in order to see how relationships begin, flourish, wither and end or continue to grow stronger. Leo McKern is perfect as the quick-witted Rumpole and he's well supported by the rest of the cast who appear in varying numbers of shows. Of course, each installment features an unexpected twist, which leaves Rumpole triumphant or, rarely, humbled. These exploits are great, if you think Perry Mason or Matlock are great, catch Rumpole.

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