Inspector Morse - The Last Enemy [DVD]

This mystery opens with the discovery of a body in the river, a body which is difficult to identify given the fact that the corpse is decapitated. Shortly after the body is found, Morse is contacted by an old acquaintance from his university days. Alex Reese, a not so friendly rival from Morse's past, now serves as a college master and has achieved a certain prominence by methods both fair and foul. Reese informs Morse that his college deputy (David Carridge) is four days overdue from London and asks Morse to make some discreet inquiries regarding the fate of his missing colleague. Carridge is apparently a homosexual; therefore, Reese is concerned that his associate might have mingled with some unsavory characters. Is the corpse from the river the missing deputy? This question becomes especially pertinent when it is determined that the corpse was clothed in a suit belonging to Carridge. By the conclusion of this mystery, two other homicides have occurred. This episode is characterized by a blend of non-edifying behaviors: revenge, adultery, alleged plagiarism, character assassination, unbridled ambition, and general malevolence. We are exposed to a recurring theme in the Morse mysteries--- the unscrupulousness of university elites who compete for recognition and reward. Several suspects have possible motives for having committed one or more of the homicides; but the possibility also exists that all the victims were murdered by the same perpetrator. Interesting clues (an apparent bit of flesh on a chopping block, an earing left at a murder scene, and vintage bullets retrieved from bodies) all help to add spice to this mystery. This entry in the series is another excellent portrait of human vices and the negative consequences experienced by those who create numerous enemies in their quest for success and gratification at any cost. Despite the serious themes, there are elements of humor in this episode. Morse is burdened with a toothache at the beginning of the mystery, a problem which causes him to display a certain helpless frustration and impatience when confronted with the demands of these challenging cases. In any event, this episode represents yet another excellent entry in the series of Morse mysteries.

When Morse investigates the death of a headless, armless, legless body found in the Thames, he soon finds himself dealing with several more deaths, along with mistaken identities, missing persons, the vicious infighting among Oxford scholars for prestigious positions, the sabotaging of each other's careers, infidelity, and a helpful "scout," a custodian who has spent his life at Oxford and knows everything about everyone. As always, the mystery is fun to follow, but the center of attention is firmly fixed on Inspector Morse, whose mood is colored by his problems with an infected tooth, which he has been reluctant to address.

In this 1989 addition to the third Morse series, Morse reacquaints himself with Alex Reece, one of his contemporaries during his Oxford years--a vain, arrogant man who is head of Beaumont College. Reece wants him to investigate the disappearance of David Kerridge, the Vice-Master of Beaumont, who has been missing for four days. He is concerned, not because Kerridge is missing, but because he fears that any scandal regarding the disappearance will reflect badly upon himself. Reece is scheduled to give one of the Sheldon Lectures, an honor guaranteed to lead to future academic promotion.

As the atmosphere at Oxford is revealed, along with the professional hostility toward female academics who might threaten someone's position, the episode highlights the class differences, traditional biases, and intellectual snobbery which color the behavior of those whose lives in academia have insulated them from the give-and-take (and the basic human feelings) of the real world.

As always, John Thaw as Inspector Morse and Kevin Whatley as Detective Lewis are on top of their game. Amanda Hillwood as Dr. Grayling Russell, the attractive pathologist who interests Morse, is superb, though her casual attitude toward the bloodiest and most gruesome murders contrasts with Morse's--his queasy stomach is a constant problem. Character actors, such as Lana Morris as Miss Tree (who comments on the plays on her name) add immensely to the drama, though the musical focus, which is one of the highlights of this series is absent here. The photography, as always, is outstanding, though many viewers might have preferred being spared the closeup of Morse's mouth as he's being treated for his infection. A good mystery and fine addition to the Morse series. n Mary Whipple

In this "Who Done It?" the last enemy is last; a little riddle to which the video will reveal the solution. The episode is somewhat convoluted; multiple murders with many suspects - many characters with various relationships - including one between Morse and the master's female administrative assistant. Much takes place within the academia of Oxford and concerns the aspirations of educators attempting to further their careers. The diversions in this entry are not what we have come to expect from Morse. His rather bothersome tooth burdens him through the first half, and his social time finds him in a café with loud contemporary music, although we do visit an outdoor pub more than once. One wonders where this story is going until things begin to fall into place with very little running time remaining. This is a good addition to the series with a different spin relative to its approach and solution.