"Malice Aforethought" (1979) TV series

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

20 January 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Crime | Mystery

Plot Keywords:

Morphine | Affair | Physician | Shrew | Scotland Yard

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Hywel Bennett	...	Dr. Edmund Bickleigh (4 episodes, 1979)
Cheryl Campbell	...	Madeleine Bourne / ... (4 episodes, 1979)
David Ashford	...	William Chatford (4 episodes, 1979)
Belinda Carroll	...	Ivy Chatford / ... (4 episodes, 1979)
Vivienne Moore	...	Maid (4 episodes, 1979)
Harold Innocent	...	Rev. Hessary Torr (3 episodes, 1979)
Christopher Guard	...	Denny Bourne (3 episodes, 1979)
Susan Porrett	...	Florence (3 episodes, 1979)
Judy Parfitt	...	Julia Bickleigh (2 episodes, 1979)
Briony McRoberts	...	Quarnian Torr (2 episodes, 1979)
Antony Brown	...	Supt. Allhayes (2 episodes, 1979)
Shirley Cain	...	Miss Peavy (2 episodes, 1979)
Mary Laine	...	Miss Wapsworthy (2 episodes, 1979)
Rohan McCullough	...	Gwynfryd Rattery (2 episodes, 1979)
Elizabeth Stewart	...	Mrs. Torr (2 episodes, 1979)
Anthony Woodruff	...	Mr. Gunhill (2 episodes, 1979)

Series Directed by
Cyril Coke		(4 episodes, 1979)

Series Writing credits
Anthony Berkeley		(4 episodes, 1979)
Philip Mackie		(4 episodes, 1979)

Series Produced by
Richard Beynon	....	producer (4 episodes, 1979)

Series Original Music by
Ron Grainer		(4 episodes, 1979)

Series Production Design by
Chris Pemsel		(4 episodes, 1979)

Series Costume Design by
Christian Dyall		(4 episodes, 1979)

Series Makeup Department
Jeni Kine	....	makeup artist (2 episodes, 1979)

Series Sound Department
Robin Luxford	....	sound (1 episode, 1979)

Series Other crew
Cicely Cawthorne	....	script editor (4 episodes, 1979)

Production Companies

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Distributors

• Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)

Also Known As:

Mystery!: Malice Aforethought (USA)

Runtime:

50 min (4 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Movie Connections:

Version of Malice Aforethought (2005) (TV)

A classic tv adaptation of a classic crime novel.

Francis Iles' original novel, written in the 1920s, broke the mould for crime fiction as it was not a wholly serious 'whodunnit' but a black comedy which revealed the murderer right from the outset and allowed the reader to be privvy to his every calculated thought as he conceives and executes his crime and then copes with the consequences of his actions.

This BBC adaptation, first broadcast in March 1979, is faithful to the book. All the names, characters and key scenes are intact and it captures perfectly the subtle underlying comedy without detriment to the drama of the piece.

Hywel Bennett is superb in the main role of the murderer, Dr Edmund Bickleigh. Fresh from appearing in the acclaimed Dennis Potter serial "Pennies From Heaven", he was about to achieve further success with this serial, then "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" and the sitcom "Shelley" which made him a household name. His performance here as Bickleigh is probably the pick of the bunch as he effortlessly steers the character through his many guises - hen-pecked husband, charming lover, scheming murderer and worried defendant.

Shot entirely on video and almost entirely on location this is a glossy television production for its time that, thanks to its 1920s setting, has hardly dated since its original transmission.