"Inspector Morse"
Deceived by Flight (1989)

Director:

Anthony Simmons

Writers:

Colin Dexter (idea)
Anthony Minghella (writer)

TV Series:

"Inspector Morse" (1987)

Original Air Date:

18 January 1989 (Season 3, Episode 3)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

Plot:

Morse and Lewis investigate the death of Anthony Don who is attending an old boys cricket match at his...

Plot Keywords:

Sergeant | Whodunit | Jaguar Car | Opera Singer | Police

Cast

John Thaw	...	Chief Inspector Morse
Kevin Whately	...	Det. Sgt. Robert Lewis
Amanda Hillwood	...	Dr. Grayling Russell - Pathologist
Norman Rodway	...	Roland Marshall
Sharon Maughan	...	Kate Donn
Daniel Massey	...	Anthony Donn
Jane Booker	...	Philippa Foster
Nicky Henson	...	Vince Cranston
Bryan Pringle	...	Barker
Geoffrey Beevers	...	Peter Foster
Nathaniel Parker	...	Jamie Jasper (as Nat Parker)
Stephen Moore	...	Radio Producer
Peter Amory	...	DC Hilaire
Martin Chamberlain	...	Clarets' Captain
Adam Tomlinson	...	Clarets' Batsman

Filming Locations:

Denham, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Trivia:

Colin Dexter wrote this story for Kevin Whately after learning of Kevin's love of cricket and that he had always hoped to become a professional cricketer.

Quotes:

[Lewis has been pretending to be the college porter and has discovered a man is lying to him]
College Porter: Aren't you going to arrest him?
Lewis: What for?
College Porter: He told you a lie!
Lewis: I told him lots of lies.

One of the most riveting episodes of this brilliant series

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

"Deceived in Flight" has a pun title, as this is cricket terminology (in baseball the equivalent phrase is to be thrown a curve) relating to a basic motivation for murder. There's also a pertinent connection with Zen philosophy made in the enthralling script written by Anthony Minghella, who later went on to become an Academy Award winning director (English Patient, Cold Mountain). The acting is some of the best in the series, especially Daniel Massey's superb early scenes with John Thaw playing Chief Insp. Morse. As always, Kevin Whately's performance is impeccable as Morse's long-suffering, but solid and loyal deputy, Sgt. Lewis, who is given the chance to display his prowess as a cricketer as well as to go undercover for the only time I can recall in the series.

Having read most of Colin Dexter's novels, his original screen story here is not quite as intriguing as those episodes based on his novels, but what's gained is that this episode has a stronger emphasis on characters and dialog rather than the customary propulsion from twists and turns of the plot. It rewards the attentive viewer with rich language and a profound exploration of human nature.

If you have not seen this Morse episode yet, you're in for a great treat as it's one of the most riveting in this brilliant television series, arguably the best UK series of all time.