''Malice Aforethought'' is a 1979 BBC TV adaptation of the novel of the same name. It is a four-part serial It later aired in 1981 when it was featured in the US PBS series, '' Mystery!'', introduced by Vincent Price. It was praised as a faithful adaptation, which retained the atmosphere and 1920s setting of the book. Cheryl Campbell was nominated for a

BAFTA Award for Best Actress Best Actress in a Leading Role is a British Academy Film Award presented annually by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding leading performance in a film. * From 1952 to ...

for her role as Madeleine Cranmere, along with her performance in

Testament of Youth ''Testament of Youth'' is the first instalment, covering 1900–1925, in the memoir of Vera Brittain (1893–1970). It was published in 1933. Brittain's memoir continues with ''Testament of Experience'', published in 1957, and encompassing th ...

, winning for the latter at the 1980 Baftas. There was a later adaptation of the novel by

ITV Granada ITV Granada, formerly known as Granada Television, is the ITV franchisee for the North West of England and Isle of Man. From 1956 to 1968 it broadcast to both the north west and Yorkshire but only on weekdays as ABC Weekend Television was it ...

in 2005, starring Ben Miller and

Megan Dodds Megan Lynne Dodds is an American actress. She played Kate in the 2006 series ''Not Going Out'', alongside Lee Mack and Tim Vine, and has appeared in the series '' Spooks'', ''House'', ''Detroit 1-8-7'', and ''CSI: NY'', and the films ''Ever Afte ...

. This version has been released on DVD, but the 1979 adaptation has never received either a video or DVD release, and has not been repeated on TV since 1981.

Plot summary

The central character is a Devon physician, Dr. Bickleigh, who is in an unhappy marriage to a domineering wife, Julia. Initially he has some hopes of divorcing Julia and marrying a younger woman, Madeleine, who he is flirting with. However his hopes of divorce fade, and he uses his medical knowledge to murder Julia, to marry Madeleine. His method is a devious and some would say unusually cruel one: he slowly feeds her a chemical which gives her blinding headaches, which leads to her taking

opium Opium (or poppy tears, scientific name: ''Lachryma papaveris'') is dried latex obtained from the seed capsules of the opium poppy ''Papaver somniferum''. Approximately 12 percent of opium is made up of the analgesic alkaloid morphine, which i ...

painkillers, so that she apparently dies of an accidental overdose of opium. He appears to get away with it, but one person who suspects the truth is Madeleine, who marries another man, and some people in the local community wrongly suspect that Julia committed suicide because of problems in their marriage. As Dr. Bickleigh realizes that Madeleine suspects what happened he attempts to poison her and her new husband, they survive, but this leads the authorities to become suspicious about the death of Julia some time earlier. Her body is exhumed and Dr. Bickleigh is put on trial for her murder.

Cast

* Hywel Bennett as Dr. Bickleigh * Cheryl Campbell as Madeleine Cranmere * Judy Parfitt as Julia Bickleigh *

Belinda Carroll Belinda Carroll (born 22 July 1945) is an English stage and television actress. Background and early career Born in Oxfordshire, Carroll's parents were John F. Carroll, a flying instructor with the Royal Air Force, and actress Hazel Bainbridge ...

as Ivy Ridgeway * Christopher Guard as Denny Bourne * David Ashford as William Chatford * Harold Innocent as Rev. Hessary Torr *Elizabeth Stewart as Mrs Torr *

Briony McRoberts Briony McRoberts (10 February 1957 – 17 July 2013) was an English actress. Career On television, she played Tessa Kilpin in "No Stone", the 57th episode of '' The Professionals'', and appeared in television programmes including ''The Bill'' ...

as Quarnian Torr *Susan Porrett as Florence, the Bickleigh's maid *Vivienne Moore as Madeleine Cranmere's maid *

John Woodnutt John Edward Arthur Woodnutt (3 March 1924 – 2 January 2006) was an English character actor, often cast in villainous roles. Early life and education The younger son of Harold Frederick Woodnutt and brother of the Conservative MP Mark Woodnutt ...

as Dr Lydston *

James Grout James David Grout (22 October 1927 – 24 June 2012) was an English actor of radio and television. Early life Grout was born in London, the son of Beatrice Anne and William Grout. He trained to be an actor at RADA. Career His BBC Radio 4 appear ...

as Chief Inspector Russell *Antony Brown as Superintendent Allhayes *Rohan McCullough as Gwynyfryd Rattery *

Shirley Cain Shirley Cain (born Shirley Roberts; April 30, 1935) is a British actress of film and television. She graduated from RADA The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA; ) is a drama school in London, England, that provides vocational conservatoir ...

as Miss Peavy *Mary Laine as Miss Wapsworthy *Anthony Woodruff as Mr Gunhill * Thorley Waters as Sir Francis Lee-Bannerton * Michael Aldridge as Sir Bernard Deverell *

Doreen Mantle Doreen Mantle (born 22 June 1926)"Remarkable Highgate Women"
(P ...

as Hilda *Michael Lees as Victor

References

External links

*{{IMDb title, 0162096 BBC television dramas 1979 in British television Television shows based on British novels