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Lord Peter Wimsey - Strong Poison [DVD] [1987] starring: Harriet Walter, Edward Petherbridge, Richard Morant, Rowena Cooper, Ray Armstrong

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Rating: - "Except that the girl's innocent."

Things are not going well at Harriet Vane's trial for the murder of her former lover, Philip Boyd - hearing the judge's summation, only the most unrealistic of minds could conclude that she is not guilty as charged.

One such mind, however, is that of Lord Peter Wimsey - the same Lord Peter who, normally a beacon of logic, unfailingly unspins the web of every criminal intrigue to which he brings to bear his intellectual powers, but who now, epitome of a bachelor that he has heretofore been, without so much as ever having personally met Harriet, is dead-set on marrying her. So when he tells his old friend (and as readers of Dorothy Sayers's books know, soon-to-be brother in law) Chief Inspector Parker, who was in charge of the investigation, that Parker has made a mistake, the policeman is unsettled; despite the water-tight case he feels he has put together. "Where is the flaw?" he inquires gingerly. "There isn't one," Wimsey retorts. "Except that the girl's innocent."

Thus, the scene is set for the first entry in Sayers's Wimsey-Vane Canon, whose first three installments are brought to the small screen in this delightful miniseries. (The other two installments, "Have His Carcase" and "Gaudy Night," have the sleuthing pair investigate a mysterious knife-inflicted death in a seaside resort, where Harriet has gone to regain her peace of mind after her acquittal; and a serious of poison-pen letters and vandalism directed at independent women, and particularly women in academia, at Harriet's Oxford college. As the movie rights to the fourth and last episode completed by Sayers herself, "Busman's Honeymoon," were sold by the author, the BBC was unable to also include that particular installment; unfortunately so, as their version would undoubtedly have been more faithful than 1940's "Haunted Honeymoon" starring Robert Montgomery and Constance Cummings).

So, while Harriet is pining away in prison, dreading a jury verdict which, she feels, can only be delayed, not avoided entirely, and not knowing how to deal with the sudden attentions of a well-known member of the nobility, Wimsey busies himself with the search for Boyd's true murderer; whom he eventually finds with the help of his confidante Miss Climpson (whose presence in the jury box, unbeknownst to Harriet, has already proved instrumental in producing a hung jury despite the judge's damning summation) and her assistant, Miss Murchison; both of which ladies, while perfectly honorable, do not shrink from unconvential methods when called for in the pursuit of justice.

What most distinguishes this miniseries is its faithfulness to Dorothy Sayers's books, as well as its superb cinematography, marvelously capturing the settings; from Old Bailey and pre-WWII London to sleepy and somewhat seedy seaside resorts and the timeless grace and high spirits of Oxford University. Unfortunately (particularly so in "Gaudy Night") a number of subplots were dropped, but the essence of Sayers's novels is maintained; and much of the dialogue is taken literally from those. Edward Petherbridge nails Lord Peter's tone and exalted mannerisms, as well as his hidden vulnerabilities, to a tee - fans of Ian Carmichael's more physical, over-the-top interpretation be reminded that Sayers herself, in "Strong Poison," describes Wimsey as of "slight" build, while giving a rather unexpected impression of "controlled power." (Granted, though, that, conceivably having endowed Lord Peter with much of her own preferences in men, Sayers would not have Harriet comment, as she does in the BBC's version of "Gaudy Night," that he is "not much to look at;" in fact, she has her heroine veritably pining over a sleeping Lord Peter's physiognomy during that very novel's famous punting trip.) - Harriet Walter, similarly, shares more than her first name with the stories' female protagonist; she is exactly the Harriet Vane one might image when reading the books (I certainly did). Richard Morant as Lord Peter's faithful manservant Bunter is about a knife's tip too much of a jack-of-all-trades for my tastes - I can well see him "insinuating" himself into a suspect's household at his master's behest or (as in "Have His Carcase") shadowing another suspect all across London, but not necessarily fretting, as he does in "Busman's Honeymoon," over the sake of a case of vintage port, packed in eiderdowns in the back of a car and in danger of being rattled (and rendered undrinkable for months, if not years to come) by Lord Peter's brisk driving habits. Still, overall this is an outstanding production; undoubtedly one of the BBC's finest ever, and long overdue to be revived in this format.

Rating: - perfect casting, don't you know

There can hardly be a better example of perfect casting in the history of tv/book adaptations, than that of Edward Petherbridge and Harriet Walter as Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane in this excellent BBC production.

Leaving aside the uncanny physical resemblance to the characters as described by Sayers, both these fine actors give their roles the depth and complexity which is on the page but might be left behind in a lesser screen adaptation. So we have Harriet, not just a damsel in distress, but a smart independent woman who is also damaged, frightened and embittered. Her scenes with Wimsey all take place in prison, but despite this a sense of their developing relationship comes through and there is a real chemistry between them.

Petherbridge’s interpretation of Wimsey is note-perfect. Watch out for a beautifully played scene where he goes to see Miss Climpson to discuss ‘why people murder people’ over tea and cake. Visiting Harriet in prison he is by turns nervous, serious, business-like, frivolous, but always besotted. Incidentally, he has the most wonderful voice too!

All in all, a pretty faithful adaptation of the plot, all round excellent casting and good period detail adds up to great viewing for any Sayers fan. Would have got 5 stars but drops one for slight but important (to Wimsey anyway) deviation from the book at the end.

Not much in the extras department here, but a short interview with Edward Petherbridge provides some points of interest. A shame the interviewer doesn’t ask him a few more pertinent questions but maybe there’s more on the other DVD releases? Some input from Harriet Walter would have been fascinating but you can’t have everything.

Like many, I was introduced to Sayers’s elegant writing and fiendish plotting through seeing this series when broadcast in the mid 80s. Amazingly, it has taken fifteen years or more for the shows to emerge from the stygian depths of the BBC’s vaults. Why so long?

Rating: - MUCH better than Carmichael

I've been searching for more Whimsey's that star Edward Petherbridge I think he is much better Ian Carmichael. I am hoping and praying that they get the cast back together to do the rest of the novels. Quite frankly the Carmichael ones put me to sleep! The ONLY thing I prefer in the older ones to the later ones is the previous Bunter. I think that the new Bunter is a tad too young. If I were dreaming, I would bring back the cast and make an A&E mystery series using this cast! One More thing! I was very happy in the readaptation of Peter's and Freddy's relationship in strong poison! While the Carmichael one's are authentic to the books I really wanted to reach through the screen and poor the Brandy on Freddy's head. The affable brothers is much more endearing!

Rating: - At last it's been released from the vaults of the BBC!

Hoorah - after almost 15 years of waiting, with only the book covers & an audiobook of 'Gaudy Night' to sustain the memory, I can finally watch the series that brought me to Dorothy L Sayers' brillant writing in the first place.

Edward Petherbridge & Harriet Walter fit beautifully into the skins of Lord Peter & Harriet Vane. Edward Petherbridge captures all that makes Lord Peter so wonderful - the carefree "Wooster-ish" exterior that conceals of brillant mind, who even in adversity still takes pleasure in talking "piffle". The story has been changed slightly from the book but it is really just matter of simplification - the humour, plot & honesty that make Dorothy L Sayers' books such a delight all remain.

People keep telling me that 'Gaudy Night' has been simplified for the series but I can't wait for it & 'Have His Carcass' to come out and complete my collection.

I'm so glad 'Strong Poison' has finally been released and that I did not find it wanting. Why the BBC never repeated them (when the infamous Agatha's stories seem to shown on an almost continuous loop) is a mystery to me.

Rating: - Pitch-perfect Wimsey performance in an excellent production

Edward Petherbridge delivers a pitch-perfect portrayal of Dorothy L. Sayers' upper crust 1930's detective, Lord Peter Wimsey. Do yourself a favor and check out this Lord Peter in the pivotal story in the oevre; the point at which he meets the love of his life, mystery writer, Harriet Vane (played admireably, if a little sourly by Harriet Walter). This is the first of 3 stories produced in conjunction with the BBC and Boston WGBH public television in the states, and the only one of the three to be available on video at present. The production values are top notch and Mr. Petherbridge does true justice to one of the most interesting and evocotive detectives of the 20th century.

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