I’ve only watched a few episodes of this so far. And I’ve loved them. I had been thinking of getting hold of this classic old TV series for some time, and took the plunge after really enjoying seeing Leo McKern in the The Day The Earth Caught Fire.
I’ve always disliked ‘The Law’, seeing it as an overcharging enclave of Conservatism, in which procedure is more important than right or wrong (never mind the truth!), and money and power corrupt, if not absolutely, then enough to disgust and disillusion.
Rumpole was the creation of barrister and writer John Mortimer, who based his creation, in part at least, on real life QC James Burge (perhaps most famous for defending James Ward, in the Profumo scandal legal proceedings).
One thing that struck me whilst doing picture research for this post, more so than whilst watching the episodes, is that McKern, like Peter ‘Columbo’ Falk, is not only not archetypal leading man material, but they are both ‘boss-eyed’. With Falk it was childhood cancer that cost him his right eye, whilst with McKern it was an unspecified accident, aged 15, that robbed him of his left.
First off Leo McKern is great. Even when he portrays a character, as he does sometimes as Rumpole, who might occasionally be less than tactful. He’s always somewhat archaic, occasionally even a windy bore, and yet he’s always both sufficiently charismatic and charming to keep us interested. Some of the supporting characters take a little longer to acclimatise to, such as his wife Hilda, or ‘she who must be obeyed’.
But in addition to the joys of McKern as Rumpole, the individual episodes, at least so far, are interesting in ways I had hoped for, but half expected to be disappointed about by their absence. And it gives insight into both the legal profession, the processes of law, and a particular place and time. On that note, it’s amazing how this has dated, the opening episodes, from 1978, look older, at times like something from the ’50s or ’60s.
But so far, this is great, tackling such issues as legalism – I don’t know if that’s really a word, but it’s what I mean by when the legal system gets someone guilty off, or vice versa, i.e. law as a game rather than a quest for truth – and the practice of bullying witnesses, and so on. And other issues, such as class, with posh Oxbridge legal folk defending East London hoodlums, and drugs, contrasting Rumpole’s heavy boozing with hippies and their predilection for pot.
It’s really rather good. And, as they say, they don’t make ’em like this any more. I’m looking forward to lots more enjoyable viewing.