Minder (TV Series) Another Case of Van Blank (1994) User Reviews

Allez les booze.

[granty-95171 · 8/10 · 25 August 2023]

The Ray Daley episodes are often compared unfavourably with the Dennis Waterman ones, but i think this one more than holds its own. With trade having gone quiet at The Winchester, Arthur Daley comes up with an audacious plan to do a booze cruise to Calais, fill up a van with cheap plonk, and save a great wad of cash in the process - sounds fine in theory but things go reels from the start. Along the way Arthur gets into numerous scrapes with the law, HM customs, and a drugs gang, with long suffering Ray and Dave having to bail him out each time.

For me, 'Vin Blank' is definitely a top 10 Ray episode, and it benefits from being away from the local manor for a change. There are some memorable lines and plenty of laughs to be had, including a spot of 'entente discordial' with the gendarmerie, and Arthur trying to fob off miniatures of Blackpool tower disguised as the Eiffel tower.

Calais looks quite charming here (it was filmed in 1993); sad to think that this historic little corner of France is now the epicentre of the illegal migrant trade.

Chez Madeleine is one tasty dish

[ArtVandelayImporterExporter · 8/10 · 19 January 2024]

"Look at those cliffs, Dave. To think we've had it all to ourselves since 1066."

"Pity we didn't keep it that way."

Amen to that, Dave.

Arthur, Ray and Dave take a ferry trip to Calais for some dirt-cheap wholesale booze. Arthur's contact Henry picks them up at a local cafe but takes them back to a warehouse full of excuses but no booze. Dave and Ray head off to the supermarket (or maybe it's the duty free shop at the ferry, I can't tell) to load up on EU-priced booze (still inexpensive relative to England). Arthur goes back to the cafe to dine with a beautiful middle-aged blonde (cinema beauty Mylene Demongeot, who lived to 87 and died in 2022, RIP) who originally mistook him for an old friend from the war years. Naturally, that causes them to miss the ferry.

Hijinks ensue.

Arthur teeing off on the chief inspector with a monologue full of historical British gripes about France is an all-time classic.

That's the comic high point. It gets quite a bit more dramatic from there. And Mme Demongeot gets more screen time. Which is a treat because even at 57 she might be the best-lookig dame to ever appear on Minder. And that French accent. C'est magnifique!