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The first episode of the third season finds the irascible antique hunter and scam artist Lovejoy (Ian McShane) returning home six months after the windfall from his biggest commission ever. The money's gone, spent on ill-advised schemes, high living, and a flat for his daughter, but like a cat he lands on his feet, even inheriting a friend's country villa for an open-ended housesitting gig. Quickly putting his loyal team back together and reconnecting with gal pal Lady Jane Felsham (Phyllis Logan), he finds himself pulled into a dangerous plot involving a possibly invaluable ancient Incan gold ring, a desperate South American government official, Jane's alluring aristocratic friend Victoria (guest star Joanna Lumley), and a kidnapping in Lovejoy's own backyard. Lovejoy is not quite the cad his reputation suggests in this episode, but his skills as a con man come to the fore in a ploy to save both the girl and the gold. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Another wonderful Lovable Lovejoy
In the opening episode of the third season, Divy Lovejoy find in all sorts of complications. When we last saw him, he had left everyone square money-wise, and was off for a much needed vacation. Now he is broke. All the money gone for various reasons and he is house-sitting for a sleaze Freddie the Phone.
He quickly gathers Lady Jane, Tink and Eric back and is ready for action.

Only Lady Jane has company, a old school chum, Victoria (Joanna Lumley). She is a widow of a South American political. Jane get him involved in brokering a deal for an ancient Inca gold ring for Victoria. For safe keeping, Eric convinces Lovejoy to use a new safe that works on eye identification instead of combination. Lovejoy sets up the deal, but find out there are some very nasty people after Victoria. This becomes apparent when Lady Jane is accidentally kidnapped instead of Victoria.

Lovejoy cannot get the safe to open, to get the ring as ransom for Lady Jane, so they pop over to Eaton to get the top safe cracker out of school. It's up to Lovejoy, knight-errant, to safe both damsels in distress.

First of four episodes to feature a romance between Lovejoy and Victoria.

Great fun. Just wish BBC would get off their duff and release lovejoy on DVD! ... Read more

Amazon.com

This is the Lovejoy we've come to fear and love. This fourth season episode finds the quick-thinking rascal broke, despondent, and uncharacteristically bored with antiques, but he suddenly comes to life when he plots an old-fashioned auction scam. Whetting his appetite by conning a naive young antique dealer (for a little operating cash), he proceeds to gather a group of retired pros to run a variation of an auction ring, but when a snag threatens the plan he pulls Lady Jane into the "only slightly illegal" scheme as an unwittingly accomplice. Lovejoy has always been at his best with his back against the wall and Ian McShane rises to the occasion with one of his most spirited performances. With a twinkle in his eye and barely suppressed grin on his face, McShane lets his audience know that the antique game is more fun when Lovejoy bends the rules. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (1)

McShane is a charming rogue
McShane took Jonathan Gash's books are made Lovejoy his own, a kinder, gentler character as it were. The Ring is one of the best episode of the series.

This picks up after Lovejoy is released from Jail (a set up) but he served time anyway with a roomie - a biker named Mavis. Lady Jane, Tink and Eric are concerned because Lovejoy seems rather depressed and not accepting help from them. He goes to an auction and find a series of watercolour in the cottage style. He decides if he can get one sold at a high price he can sell all 22 paintings so he resorts to his old shifty ways to bump the bidding. He goes to his old Ring - partners that conspire to drive up the price. Only one duffer takes a powder at the last instant leaving Lovejoy in the lurch. So he recruits Lady Jane without her knowing. And she is not a happy camper when she discovers how he used her.

It brightly written, with the devilish twinkle in McShane's eye...absolute gems for his fans. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Young women in strict Muslim households used to send their pledges of love to young men through messages woven through the knots of a carpet in an Arab tradition that continues to this day, explains a dryly intoning narrator. "What, you may ask, has this to do with Lovejoy?" Plenty, as it turns out, when he agrees to sell an Anatolian carpet for Lady Jane and winds up sniffing out a plot when the bidding war over a seemingly ordinary Berber rug is followed by that carpet's theft. Lovejoy shows that for a rascal he too has a heart. While he seems to lose money every time he turns around in this episode, he becomes Cupid to one young lover, a guardian angel to a high-spirited eccentric with a house full of antique treasures, and an uncharacteristically sensitive friend to Lady Jane when her rocky marriage is suddenly put on the line. Not bad for Britain's most notorious, trouble-prone antique hunter. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (2)

another Lovejoy treasure!
It's musical chairs with rugs for Lovejoy, Tink and Eric.

It starts with Lady Jane buying an expensive Anatolian carpet she really loved her bedroom. Her husband blows his stack, but we soon see the is only the "excuse" for the real problems in their marriage. Rug #1

Rug number #2 comes into play when an elderly lady buys a carpet for her dog, unaware that particular carpet held a special meaning for a lovesick lad. When it is stolen, Lovejoy, Tink and Eric have to suss out why an ordinary Berber carpet is causing such a flack.

Lovejoy must solve the riddle, sell Lady Jane's carpet and find a replacement for everyone. So, not only is Lovejoy a divee, an antique dealer like none other, but he is forced into being Sherlock Holmes, Dear Abby, Cupid and a Guardian Angel to a dear old lady and her dog. A man of many hats!

Charmingly directed, acted and written. JUST PLEASE PUT THEM ON DVD!!

Lovejoy is a Joy!
Lovejoy mysteries deal strictly with the world of antiques. There is plenty of British humor here as well as adventure and mystery. This episode is typical of Lovejoy finding his way into things to make a lot of cash only to blow it to satisfy curiosity and to help a friend in need (Lady Jane). This episode sees the end of Lady Jane's marriage which is unfortunate but not unexpected. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Running time 160 min. not 60 min.
I just finished watching Young Charlie Chaplin. The tape does say it is 60 min. long, but in reality it runs 160 minutes! Once you get to the part of the tape that says "to be continued", just fast forward a bit and the rest of the story is on the tape. The acting was very good. Twiggy was excellent, as was Ian McShane.

Re: This is only half the movie
This is not really a review, as I haven't actually viewed this version, but I can explain why you feel as though you have only seen half the movie. This was made in England as a six-part television series, with each part running thirty minutes - hence the running time of the entire thing would be three hours. If it is true that this tape only runs for a little over an hour, then it must be missing quite a large part of it.

This is only half of the movie
This is a fairly well done movie that shows just how hard Charlie Chaplin's growing up years were. The movie shows his family falling apart and him nearly living on the street most of the time. The acting is well done and there are some humorous parts in it.

One odd thing about this movie is that the package says it is 60 minutes long when it is actually at least an hour and a half. The movie is suddenly cut off at the end with the words "To be continued". As the words disappear and the tape stops you feel like you spent an hour and a half watching only half of the movie. They apparently were planning to make a part two. As far as I can tell they never did. Because of this fact I would not recommend this movie to most people. ... Read more

Description

One of fiction's most popular detectives comes alive in this scintillatingadaptation of Caroline Graham's bestselling Inspector Barnaby mystery. The beautifulrural area of Midsomer is filled with more than its share of intrigue and colorfulcharacters. Keeping an eye on it all is Inspector Barnaby, a contemplative, comfortablymarried man with a worrisome college-age daughter and a slow, bumbling assistant,Sergeant Troy.In THE KILLINGS AT BADGER'S DRIFT, an old lady witnesses a shocking event. Butbefore she can tell anyone what she has seen, she dies from what seems to be naturalcauses. Her dearest friend drags the unwilling Inspector Barnaby into the case. He soonbegins to see that certain things just don't add up, then a second gruesome killingconfirms his suspicions. Barnaby's investigations into the murders reveal an unexpectedsordid side to the sleepy village. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Poor Annabella...
Badger's Drift is the best kept village in Midsomer... at least, that's what the sign says. The mystery starts when Ms. Emily Simpson, an 80-year old retired school teacher, stumbles upon "something" in the woods. Her best friend and neighbor, Ms. Bellringer, knew something was wrong when Ms. Simpson came home that night - she didn't close her door, she slammed it. And she failed to padlock her tricycle... Emily was always afraid of thieves, you know. When Ms. Simpson is discovered with a broken neck, as from a fall, Ms. Bellringer just knows it must have been foul play.

Chief Inspector Barnaby and Sergeant Troy take up the investigation. Questions: Why does Dennis Rainbird, the local undertaker, seem so eager to get Ms. Simpson's body in the ground? What's really going on with Dr. Lesseter, who claims that Ms. Simpson was in perfect health? Isn't it odd that no one ever sees Mr. Henry Trace, the wealthiest man in Badger's Drift, out of his wheelchair? And just what is Michael Lacey "painting" in his studio?

Don't worry - none of these are spoilers. They're just the sort of devilishly odd questions you might ask yourself while watching one of the best episodes in the _Midsomer Murders_ series.

Enjoy... ... Read more

Amazon.com

Lovejoy's independent-minded daughter Vicki (Amelia Shankley) finds an 18th-century Scottish commemorative sword in her attic and puts it up for auction, inadvertently bidding up her own dad. Lovejoy is about to chalk it up to experience when a Scot named Kinloch (Edward Hardwicke) offers him more than double the value, which only sets his opportunistic mind whirling with possibilities. After a series of robbery attempts Lovejoy decides to investigate Kinloch and witnesses a bizarre dinnertime ritual at his palatial estate. The episode rings with offbeat humor and irony as fate takes an even stronger hand than Lovejoy in the final revelations of the sword's secrets. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A gem of a Lovejoy episode
This episode finds Lovejoy at odds with his grown daughter. To make up for not being the best of absentee fathers while Victoria was growing up, Lovejoy creates a London showroom for his antiques and set daughter up in the showroom as helper and a place for her to live. Victoria wants a real job and to own her own apartment, which sets daughter and father on collision course.

Further complicating matters, Victoria discovers a very rare and unusual Scottish claymore, which she puts up on the sly at an auction and Lovejoy buys not knowing his daughter is the seller!

18th-century Scottish commemorative sword draws the interest of a Scot named Kinloch (Edward Hardwicke) who offers him more than double the value. Instead of taking the officer, Lovejoy -ever ready to turn a sale into an even better sale - sets about to suss out why someone would be offered 3 times the price for the Sword. This leads to Lovejoy being followed, a break-in of the London flat where Lovejoy has to climb on the roof to escape, and in turn leads Lovejoy to break into Kinloch's castle. It's Men in Kilts and Lovejoy out to find out wha' ha' ye!

Great fun - especially when Eric and Victoria trade clothes to fool the people spying on Lovejoy and Eric ends up with a Pink t-shirt saying "so many men...so little time". Sharply, directed, acted and written. Vintage Lovejoy where McShane shines!

Just PLEASE release all the Lovejoy's on DVD....NOW!! ... Read more

Description

In sleepy Midsomer, a rural English hideaway, life moves with easy,predictable rhythms. But when the secretary of a local writer's circle is discoveredmurdered, the village is overcome with rumor and speculation.It is up to Inspector Barnaby to cast light on the case, but what the calm and collectedpoliceman discovers only deepens the mystery. It seems that the victim was a man ofmany secrets no marriage certificate is found to match the wedding photos in his home,no relatives come forward and he has no national insurance number. And when thewoman he was wooing admits that she saw a blonde stranger arrive at his house twonights before the murder, Barnaby is faced with quite a quandary. Who was this woman,and who was the victim really?Based on the bestselling Barnaby novels by Caroline Graham, Midsomer Murders isclassic British crimedrama in the grand tradition of Agatha Christie. ... Read more

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Well worth watching
Midsomer is one of those quasi-mythical areas in the heart of England that everyone would like to believe exists. Rolling green countryside, small villages with thatched cottages, rose gardens, well-tended farms, and a population with more than its fair share of quirkiness and a tendency to commit murder.

The local police seem to have plenty to do, the investigations ably led by Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby and his sidekick Sgt. Troy. Barnaby is somewhat unusual for a TV detective in that he doesn't seem to have any quirks - he's a straightforward, decent, happily married cop. He has a beaming smile and a pleasant manner. But his mind is sharp and let a suspect or witness push his or her luck with him and they soon get a glimpse of the steel beneath the surface.

The basic formula is that pioneered by Morse. Feature length episodes give plenty of time to set up the characters, let the viewer see something of what is going on around the place and admire the scenery, and allow several more inter-linked murders to take place before the initial case is solved.

At first I was not too taken with Midsomer. The set-up was a bit predictable and seemed engineered with an eye to the export market, and Barnaby somewhat bland after the dysfunctional Morse and the dyspeptic Dalziel (do you get "Dalziel and Pascoe" on American TV? If not, you're missing something - watch out for it). But the place and the man have grown on me and now I'm a fan and a regular watcher. Give them a chance.... ... Read more

Description

One of fiction's most popular detectives comes alive in this scintillatingadaptation of Caroline Graham's bestselling Inspector Barnaby mystery. The beautifulrural area of Midsomer is filled with more than its share of intrigue and colorfulcharacters. Keeping an eye on it all is Inspector Barnaby, a contemplative, comfortablymarried man with a worrisome college-age daughter and a slow, bumbling assistant,Sergeant Troy.A master of a New Age commune is prematurelytransported into the Other World, and all fingerspoint to a ruthless tycoon who had visited thecommune to see his long lost daughter. But Barnaby is not convinced that the billionaireis to blame and, ignoring pressure to close the case, delves into the past lives of thecommune's inhabitants. Eventually, Barnaby discovers that one of them is not who hepretends to be. ... Read more

Description

The Causton Amateur Dramatic Society is preparing to performAmadeus, and Inspector Barnaby is persuaded to paint the set. In the final act the scriptcalls for Salieri, played by Esslyn Carmichael, to slit his throat. In rehearsals the blade ofthe razor is wrapped in plastic, and the effect is convincing. But on opening night, theaudience is amazed at the reality of the death scene--until they realize it is not brilliantlystaged, but horrifyingly real!Barnaby is immediately called on to make some sense of the tragedy. Could Esslyn'ssuspicion of his wife's affair have drove him to suicide? Or was it murder? It is up to theredoubtable Barnaby to uncover the truth. ... Read more

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If you love British murder mysteries...
then check out the "Midsomer Murders" series. "Death of a Hollow Man" is set in a community playhouse which provides a wonderful backdrop for egos, back-biting, romance and eventually, murder. All the clues are there if you watch and listen. John Nettles brings a warmth to Chief Inspector Barnaby that is quite engaging as you watch him comfort his wife and then interrogate the witnesses. The characters are very interesting with plenty of human foibles and you will find yourself wishing "well" to some and "bad" to others. Very enjoyable. ... Read more

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A rare treat for sociologists and soap opera lovers.
I think I once caught about 10 seconds of a "Coronation Street" episode on BBC America, and had I known it was the longest running TV serial in history, I would have paid closer attention. Look at the statistics. It was scheduled to run for 13 episodes in 1960 and is still going strong! In all, there have been (according to a bonus feature on my DVD copy) over 4,000 episodes, 35,000 characters, 55 marriages, 25 births, 82 deaths, 51 weddings, and 32 barmaids, all of which have been watched by 17,000,000 UK viewers. And one of the actors, William Roache, has been with the series since it began.

So what is the incredible draw this show seems to exert? As one viewer said during an interview, we love to watch people who are doing the same thing we are doing in homes just like ours. (Remember how popular "The Honeymooners" was?) Now that Acorn Media (bless 'em) has released a two-DVD set called "This Is Coronation Street" (AMP-6196), I had the chance to watch the first 5 black and white episodes and a 75 minute documentary about the history of this remarkable show.

When the fifth episode ended with the police at the door and looking for one of the younger characters, I have to admit I was angry that I could not see the sixth one and after that the seventh, right up to wherever they are now. The only actress I recognized was a daughter who just left her Polish husband and announces she is pregnant, which reunites them. (Her name is Anne Cunningham and I remembered her from an old "Avengers" episode and one from "Are You Being Served?"). The rest were unknown to me, and I found this a great advantage since I was able to see them as real people and not as actors whom I recognized from other roles.

First of all, I would recommend this as a Must to all sociology and British history majors since it accurately portrays life in northern England as it was in 1960 and as it changed down through the years. Obviously film and drama majors must watch to see how a writer can "get them where they live." Psychology majors will love to see the public's reaction to the jailing of one of the main characters. (If any of you has seen the bonus material on the 1967 "Forsyte Saga" tapes I so highly recommended a while ago, you will recall how the Brits reacted to the Rape Scene. Funny what people consider to be worth arguing about.)

As for the rest of us, lovers of good soap operas will adore not only the first five episodes but also the history of this show. In short, there are very few who will not love this Acorn Media set. Perhaps they will now issue a companion set about "East Enders." ... Read more