From Doon with Death
- Episode 14 / Series 4
- First transmitted on the ITV network in two parts in November 1991
- Adapted from the Ruth Rendell novel by George Baker
- Directed by Mary McMurray
- Produced by Television South 1
- VHS
I’d always wanted to write a screenplay for the Rendell Mysteries, so I was delighted to get the opportunity. I don’t think it was easier for me to write From Doon with Death because I was in it. I just tried to think of how Wexford and Burden would act in certain situations. In fact, I never thought of myself as Wexford when I was writing, although I don’t suppose anyone is as well qualified as me—apart from Ruth herself—to know how Wexford thinks by now. I was very pleased with the way it turned out. Mary McMurray and I worked well together. We never had to worry about having the writer on call because I was there all the time!
Margaret Parsons was a shy, unexceptional woman who lived a Spartan existence with her dour husband in a decrepit Victorian house. So why was she murdered in such a vicious and passionate attack?
A search of the Parsons’ attic uncovers a collection of expensive books, all dedicated to Minna
and signed with love from Doon
. Wexford’s search to uncover the identity of the mysterious Doon takes him back to Margaret’s school days and her friendship with a group of girls who have all become successful figures in Kingsmarkham society.
Credits
- DCI Wexford
- George Baker
- DI Burden
- Christopher Ravenscroft
- Dora Wexford
- Louie Ramsay
- Jenny Burden
- Diane Keen
- Douglas Quadrant
- Geoffrey Bateman
- Helen Missal
- Amanda Redman
- Fabia Quadrant
- Elizabeth Bennett
- Mr Parsons
- Malcolm Storry
- Miss Fowler
- Petra Davies
- WPC
- Sasha Mitchell
- Sgt Willoughby
- Colin Campbell 2
- Clare Clark
- Sally Grace
- Di Stevens
- Amanda Mainard
- Peter Missal
- John Salthouse
- Dudley Drury
- Chris Fulford
- Moira
- Sandy McDade
- Margaret Parsons
- Julia Chambers
- Drury Senior
- Norman Tyrrell 3
- DS Martin
- Ken Kitson
- Janet Tipping
- Bridget Brammall
- Young Margaret
- Samantha Edmonds
- Young Fabia
- Rachel Rogaly
- Young Helen
- Eleanor Caird
- Young Clare
- Sophie Thursfield
- DCC Freeborn
- Dave Hill
- Debbie Davidson
- Amanda Walker
- Mr Burrow
- David Timson
- Bysouth
- William Ilkley
- Mrs Stibbs
- Jean Marlowe 4
- Newsagent
- Stanley Page 5
- Script Executive
- Corinne Cartier 6
- Casting Director
- Doreen Jones 7
- Original music composed by
- Brian Bennett
- Production Manager
- Lars MacFarlane 8
- Location Manager
- Martin Robinson
- 1st Assistant Director
- David Crabtree
- Continuity
- Gwen Hughes
- Production Secretary
- Sue Bailey
- Producer’s Secretary
- Cathie Willcocks
- Stage Manager
- Kerry Bignell
- Costume Design
- Rita Angell
- Makeup Supervisior
- Debbie McKinlay
- Production Buyer
- Alan Bates
- Camera Grip
- Alan Imeson
- Dubbing Mixer
- Tony Cunningham
- Dubbing Editor
- Peter Dansie
- Sound Recordist
- Maurice Hillier
- Camera Operator
- Julian Barber
- Designer
- Mark Ward
- Lighting Cameraman
- Michael D Smith
- Film Editor
- Nigel Bate
- Executive Producer
- Graham Benson
- Producer
- Neil Zeiger
Soundtrack
- Wexford’s Theme
- Love from Doon
- The Search for Mina
- Wexford’s Theme (Reprise)
Notes
-
The Wexford soundtrack was composed, performed, arranged and produced by Brian Bennett at Honeyhill Studios in Hertfordshire.
-
From Doon with Death is the first Wexford title adapted by George Baker and was nominated for a Writer’s Guild of Great Britain Award.
-
It took George eight weeks to write the screenplay for From Doon with Death during the winter of 1990. He started work at 5.30 am each day, writing before taking a daily six-mile walk, then returning to his study for several hours after breakfast.
I get a lot of my ideas when I’m walking. It’s the ideas that are the hard part. Once I’ve done the thinking and got an idea for a scene, the writing isn’t difficult. I discipline myself to sit down in my study and work for a certain number go hours each day, even if I only manage to write a page some days.
9
Footnotes
Doreen Jones 1940-2017: obituary by Derek Granger, The Guardian. ↩︎
The Stage, 1991 ↩︎
