The Mouse in the Corner
Episode 18 / Series 5
First transmitted in two parts in 1992
Adapted from a novella by George Baker
Directed Rob Walker
A Blue Heaven Production for TVS
I was asked by Southampton police to go to a dinner night. The inspector sitting next to me told me this story about a case where he was very concerned for one of the protagonists, who was a young woman. Now you give somebody like Ruth a story, and she kept about an infinitesimal part of it. All the rest was Ruth Rendell.
A local farmer is found beaten to death in his kitchen. Wexford believes that the prime suspects include the man’s family: three generations of women who all appear to have alibis at the time of death.
Credits
- DCI Wexford
- George Baker
- DI Burden
- Christopher Ravenscroft
- Dora Wexford
- Louie Ramsay
- Jenny Burden
- Diane Keen
- Eva Peterlee
- Elizabeth Spriggs 2
- DS Martin
- Ken Kitson
- Dr Crocker
- John Burgess 3
- Heather Peterlee
- Victoria Fairbrother
- Pat Burden
- Emma Smith
- Arlene Heddon
- Katrina Levon
- PC Malahyde
- Sasha Mitchell
- Sgt Willoughby
- Colin Campbell 4
- Gary Wyatt
- Che Walker
- Mr Hughes
- Raymond Mason
- Mercedes owner
- Nicholas Hutchinson
- Mr Tool
- Michael Stroud
- Joe Peterlee
- George Innes
- Monica Peterlee
- Lyn Farleigh
- Carol Fox
- Belinda Sinclair
- Max Fox
- Michael Irving
- Forensic Officer
- Philip McGough
- Tom Peterlee
- Pip Donaghy
- Original music composed by
- Brian Bennett
- Production Associate
- George Baker
- Casting Director
- Doreen Jones 5
- Stunt Arranger
- Peter Brayman
- Production Manager
- Peter Hider
- Location Manager
- Roland Caine
- 1st Assistant Director
- Phil Hartley
- 2nd Assistant Director
- Stephanie Sullivan
- 3rd Assistant Director
- Justine Noakes
- Continuity
- Alison Black
- Production Co-ordinator
- Susan Irish
- Producer’s Secretary
- Lesley Courley
- Costume Design
- Rita Angell
- Wardrobe Mistress
- Sheryl Brittain
- Wardrobe Assistant
- Erika Pharaoh
- Makeup
- Toni Holmes, Deborah McKinlay
- Production Buyer
- Graham Curtis
- Art Director
- Peter Bull
- Design Assistant
- Anthony Howell
- Graphics
- John Hamon
- Camera Operator
- Julian Barber
- Focus Puller
- Bruce Barraclough
- Camera Grip
- Alan Imeson
- Sound Recordist
- Maurice Hillier
- Boom Swinger
- Liam Ryan
- Gaffer Electrician
- John Donoghue
- Best Boy
- Steve Philps
- Electricians
- Mick Lay, Roy Robberts
- Prop Master
- Paul Kearney
- Construction
- Colin Bradbury, Mike Swanston
- Standby Craftsman
- Max Grant
- Assistant Film Editors
- Steve Branscombe, Steve Crabb
- Dubbing Editor
- Peter Dansie
- Assistant Dubbing Editor
- Mark Newson
- Dubbing Mixer
- Dave Fallon
- Production Accountant
- Peter Harvey
- Assistant Accountant
- Gay Huse
- Music recorded by
- Dick Plant at Honeywell Studios
- Film shot on
- 16mm Eastmancolor
- Processed by
- Rank Film Labs
- Lighting equipment supplied by
- Michael Samuelson Lighting Limited
- Grip Equipment supplied by
- Snowdonia Films
- Film Editor
- Nigel Bates
- Production Designer
- Christine Ruscoe
- Director of Photography
- Ken Brinsley BSC
- Executive Producer
- Graham Benson
- Producer
- Neil Zeiger
Soundtrack
- Wexford’s Theme
- The Mouse in the Corner
- Wexford’s Theme (Reprise)
Notes
The Wexford soundtrack was composed, performed, arranged and produced by Brian Bennett at Honeyhill Studios in Hertfordshire.
The Mouse in the Corner was adapted from the short story Blood Lines (1996) and is the only Ruth Rendell story to be transmitted before publication.
The police control centre was recreated in Sherfield English Village Hall, near Romsey.
Southampton University campus was used as the setting for the fictional University of Hilldene, where Burden’s daughter Pat is a student.
Footnotes
Wexford and Me, ITV3 2008. ↩︎
Elizabeth Spriggs 1929-2008: obituary by Dennis Barker, The Guardian. ↩︎
John Burgess 1933-2010: obituary by Mike Leigh, The Guardian. ↩︎
Doreen Jones 1940-2017: obituary by Derek Granger, The Guardian. ↩︎