User Reviews

Rumpole of the Bailey is one of those television shows, like Upstairs/Downstairs, I Love Lucy, The Prisoner, and a few others that are so well written, performed and produced, all things considered, that they are beyond criticism after a certain point in time.

What keeps Rumpole of the Bailey afloat is Leo McKern's Rumpole. They are one. McKern would probably not have liked that but in the minds of the legions of Rumpole fans he is just that. He was also a great theatrical performer on the stage and big screen and his nuanced performance style is very appealing on the small screen.

This show is funny but often deep. Rumpole always triumphs but there is a deeper cost for him. He lives in the world of the street villains, like the blessed Timsons, and sees the small tragedies that occur when blind Justice delivers a particularly harsh blow on a misguided soul who made a mistake. There is a rogues gallery of justices before whom Rumpole must plead his case for the defense. Rumpole is like a mongoose baiting a cobra before there stern, unforgiving and often buffoonish natures.

McKern is ably supported by the wonderful crew in chambers and in the courtrooms. Peter Blythe is the bumbling, ineffective boob who is appointed head of chambers, and he plays this man with a solemn, empty-headed and stony-hearted ineptitude that invokes laughter and disgust at the same time. Blythe was a great comedian, a perfect straight man for McKern's rollicking and wily Rumpole. The two Hilda Rumpoles were played by Peggy Thorpe Bates and Marion Mathie. The former was a true dragon and as hilarious as she was alarming. Mathie is no less invincible in the last 3 seasons of the show and a fine comedienne as well.

Jonathan Coy's Henry, the chambers clerk, is a fine bit of subtle comic timing. Coy was present in the cast from Day One to the final episode 14 years later. You will also see young actors at the beginnings of great careers appearing here as guest stars or in bit parts.

If you are a collector of great British television of all genres this must be in your collection. If you are a Rumpole fan this must be in your collection. I bought the 2004 edition of A&E's set. The only special feature is a nice in depth interview with Abigail McKern, Leo McKern's daughter, who plays Liz Probert in the last 4 seasons. She does all the talking and is quite interesting as she reminisces about her father, who died in 2002.

The Introductions before each episode are inane little commentaries by the author John Mortimer. He looks to have one foot in the grave already and wheeled out to sit behind a desk and read off these useless prologues. After seeing one or two of them I began skipping the Introduction on the play list and starting each episode just as the credits end with the second cue on the disc. These discs are easy to use and the sound and picture quality are excellent.

This 2004 A&E set of Rumpole of the Bailey is self-recommending.

"Rumpole of The Bailey" is one of those classic British comedic dramas that found fertile ground on American Public TV. Shown on these shores as part of the "Masterpiece Mystery" anthology series, Rumpole brings us a crusty "Old Bailey Hack," masterfully played by Leo McKern, who plies his trade amongst the common thieves and villains that inhabit the criminal courts of Britain. He refuses to move amongst the higher class of barristers, British for trial lawyers, referring to the senior Queens Counsels (QC) as "queer customers." One should not infer any homophobia here, Rumpole is the ultimate egalitarian, all who come before the bar of justice are entitled to "the Golden Thread" of British justice, the presumption of innocence until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. He encounters many characters who attempt to derail his efforts, unreasonable judges like "The Bull" and pompous heads of chambers, including the fence sitting Guthrie Featherstone QC MP, played by "To The Manor Born's" Peter Bowles and the Bible thumping prig "Soapy" Sam Ballard (also called Bollard by Rumpole), played to delicious perfection by Peter Blythe. His overly ambitious wife Hilda, known to Rumpole as "She Who Must Be Obeyed," constantly chafes at the penury that she has become accustomed to. She is particularly embarrassed by Rumpole's habits, the ash of small cigars staining his robes and his fondness for cheap wine, which he calls Château Thames Embankment. An assortment of other characters of the court give "Rumpole" the unique feel the very best programs of its genre provide. It takes its place with "Morse" (Oxford turned sideways) and programs that didn't make the trip across the pond, "Minder" and "Only Fools And Horses." The series is based on the highly successful "Rumpole of The Bailey" short stories written by John Mortimer, ironically a QC barrister before turning to a highly successful career as an author. "Rumpole" hasn't been seen on these shores in quite some time. It is overdue for a return to our screens.

This is screen writing at it's best, John Mortimer's insight into the legal process, the Central Criminal Court and it's characters gave television it's first glimpse of how barristers interact with members of the public, and how judges presented themselves as sometimes pompous oafs in front of the court, and shone a light on the social morays that were so deftly cut through with a hot and sarcastic knife through butter by our heroic Horace Rumpole. If anyone is in doubt about British acting's ability to portray the criminal court, they should watch this iconic series which ran for 14 years. A gem of a TV series much missed, as is it's lead actor, Leo McKern.