User Reviews

Anticipating in its style and themes the Nigel Kneale-scripted BEASTS (1976), this entry from another three-part TV show has been appropriately included as an extra on Network's 2-Disc R2 edition of that later series.

The plot, actually, is an intriguing mix of Carl Dreyer's DAY OF WRATH (1943) – the persecuted old witch – and THE WICKER MAN (1973) – a naive man from town being thrown amidst superstitious country-folk. It involves a swine plague (but which is also starting to affect the populace) being blamed on a peculiar and reserved woman who lives in the area; leading the community in rising up against the 'witch' is one of her 'victims', Bernard Lee: having already brutally killed her pet cat, they then cut off the water supply to the woman's house – intending to starve her to death!

However, the young doctor who's been called to treat the stricken animals determines to speak with her; purporting to buy supplies from the local store for himself, he's really fixing the old lady – in whom he can see no wrong – with provisions. On a subsequent visit, though, it becomes apparent that she's bitter and lonely from having lost her child – venting her anger and frustration on a ragged doll the doctor comes across in her shack! Eventually, the men confront her but Lee drops dead on her front porch – is it her doing, or did he simply exert himself too much?; typically, Kneale supplies no easy answers though the program does end somewhat abruptly…

Unsurprisingly, too, dialogue is often hard to make out through the thick British accents; still, as a whole, the film is a solid affair managing reasonable atmosphere, tension and even a subtle sense of foreboding throughout.

A country vet Alan Crich, investigating a strange case of swine flu on an English farm, is bemused when the results of labs tests turn out to be inconclusive. The local farmers have no doubt as to what this mystery sickness is, they put it down to old Mrs Clemson. At first Crich isn't sure as to what they are alluding, but he is shown to a home where a local boy also has the same or very similar symptoms as the pigs, after his visit he is left on no doubt as to what these rural farmers allude, they think she is a witch! As a modern man of medicine, Crich scoffs at such an allegation, are these superstitious folk winding him up just because he's the new vet? No, Crich believes the locals are just coming across as aggressive bullies, hellbent on getting their own way, so he decides to help this woman out and goes to see her and to decide for himself. Mrs Clemson welcomes Crich in, her home is dark, the shutters partly closed, its also dirty and lacking in everything, her water has been cut off by the mobs ringleader Beeley (Bernard Lee), her cat allegedly killed by same, She seems in fear so he agrees to help her as much as he can, so he decides to go to the local store to buy some provisions, for as he learns she is now also banned from entering the only shop in the area. Crich can see the mob of angry locals outside waiting and watching his every step, they seem to be very irked that he would help such a woman, and look ready to dish out their own vigilante justice. Crich returns some time later to check on Mrs Clemson, but this time she seems to have changed, she seems more bitter, certainly it strikes Crich that she seems more like the woman in the mobs description, but before he can decide, Beeley leads an attack on the house, but is suddenly stopped by some unseen force, he collapses in a heap......and dies? The great horror sci/fi writer Nigel Kneale, usually renowned for his Quatermass writings and technology and science based themes, again comes up trumps with a finely acted drama that asks all the right questions and never resorts to silly clichés usually equated to the subject matter. Much in the vein of his "Beasts" TV series, its a slow burner, but the intelligent dialogue makes the viewing experience a total pleasure. Kneale's excellent writing makes the film a success on both a witchcraft level and also that of a social commentary. Again as is usual with his writings, the answers are not readily available, the viewer must decide what is exactly going on, who is to blame etc...Plaudits must go to Bernard Lee, as the menacing ringleader of the mob, who is superb and always convincing and believable. Murrain is a short TV drama, but it still packs a punch for both fans of witchcraft and Nigel Kneale, if you like your horror dramas well acted and intelligent, you simply can't go wrong with this one.

One type of programme British television excelled at in the '70's was the one-off drama. With the likes of Jack Rosenthal, David Mercer, Colin Welland, Barrie Keefe and Howard Schuman writing these, it was no wonder they were good.

'Against The Crowd' was an anthology of plays about society's outsiders. Penned by 'Quatermass' creator Nigel Kneale, 'Murrain' starred David Simeon as 'Alan Crich', a veterinarian surgeon who goes to a remote country village to investigate a possible outbreak of swine fever and instead finds a community living in terror of a local woman - Mrs.Clemson - who they suspect of being a witch.

The poor old lady is held responsible for everything from a drought to a mysterious virus affecting the shopkeeper's son. Crich is asked by crusty old farmer Beeley ( played by Bernard Lee ) to throw a bag of soil ( upon which everyone in the village has walked ) over the woman. Needless to say, he refuses.

He finds Mrs.Clemson a lonely, unhappy woman living in squalor, and offers to help out by bringing groceries. In doing so, the vet becomes the focus of the villager's blind hatred...

The play works as a perfect allegory of modern society; in particular, the shameful way minorities are often blamed for the world's ills. The villagers are convinced that Mrs.Clemson is a witch and nothing will budge them from this view, in the same way that immigrants are scapegoated nowadays by vote-seeking politicians.

David Simeon is largely known for comedy roles in series such as 'End Of Part One', but here he gives an outstanding dramatic performance as 'Crich'.

I doubt whether 'Murrain' could be made today. There's no sex, violence and swearing, and it ends on a deliberately ambiguous note. It is well written, acted and thought provoking.

You will find the play as an extra on the 'Beasts' D.V.D. and I have to say that I found it better than the series itself.

Two connections with the James Bond films; Bernard Lee, who plays 'Beeley', was 007's boss 'M', and the music was by Monty Norman, composer of 'The James Bond Theme'.