内容简介
BenedictCumberbatchplaystheyoung,feisty,devastatinglyacuteHoraceRumpoleinthiscollectionofcrackingcases,alsostarringTimothyWestastheolderRumpole.RumpoleandthePengeBungalowMurders:Itisthefifties,andtwowarheroeshavebeenshotdead.Defendingthesuspectisdeemedhopeless,sothecaseishandedtoanovice.Butthenovice'ssuperiorsdidn'tcountonthetenacityandwitoftheyoungandhungryHoraceRumpole,ashedefendstheaccusedaloneandwithoutaleaderfortheveryfirsttime.Thistwo-partadaptationofthenovelbyJohnMortimeralsomarksthebeginningofRumpole'slife-longliasonwithHilda("SheWhoMustBeObeyed").RumpoleandtheFamilyPride:WerejoinRumpoleandHildainthelate1950s,whentheyhavebeenmarriedforayearortwo.Hilda'scousinliveswithherhusband,the17thBaronSackbut,inSackbutCastleontheYorkshireMoors.HildaandRumpoleareinvitedtothecastlewhenabodyisfoundinthegrounds.Meanwhile,inLondon,Rumpoledefendsatrampwhohasconfessedtoatriple-murder.RumpoleandtheEternalTriangle:WhenRumpoleandHildaattendaconcertperformedbyTheCasteriniTrio,RumpoleissurprisedtobeapproachedbyElizabethCasterini-thetrio'sbeautifulviolinist.ButthentheTrio'scellist,TomRandall,ismurdered.Elizabeth'shusbandisarrested,andRumpoleagreestodefendhimattheOldBailey.Duration:3hrsapprox.
作者简介
JohnMortimerwasbornon21April1923.Hisfatherwasasuccessfuldivorcelawyer,andwastobeaconsiderableinfluenceonhisson'slife.SchooledatHarrow,MortimerwentontostudylawatBrasenoseCollege,Oxford.Onfinishinghisdegree,hewascalledtotheBarin1948andenteredhisfather'schambers.Atfirsthefollowedhisfatherandspecialisedindivorcecases,buthesoonswitchedtocriminallaw,ashemaintainedthatmurderersandthelikewerenicertoworkwiththandivorcingspouses.In1966hebecameaQueen'sCounsel,andhecontinuedtoworkasabarristeruntil1979.Alifelongchampionoffreespeech,hehasarguedforthedefenceinsomeofthemostfamousobscenitytrialsinBritain,includingtheonebroughtagainsttheundergroundmagazineOzforitsnotorious'SchoolKids'issue.JohnMortimerstartedwritingbeforehebecameabarrister.Hislegalcareerinspiredhisfiction,however,withhisfirstradioplay,TheDockBrief(1957)dealingwiththesubjectofanageingbarristerwhoisaskedtodefendamanaccusedofmurderinghiswife.ItwontheItaliaPrizeandwasadaptedforthestage,televisionandafilmstarringPeterSellersandRichardAttenborough.HealsohadgreatsuccesswithhisautobiographicalplayAVoyageRoundMyFather,whichranintheWestEndstarringJeremyBrettandAlecGuinness.ItwassubsequentlyadaptedforTVstarringSirLaurenceOlivierandAlanBates.HefirstwroteaboutRumpoleinaBBCTVPlayforTodaycalledRumpoleoftheBailey.CentringonalovableOldBaileyhackwithapenchantforcigarsandclaretandadomineeringwife,SheWhoMustBeObeyed,theplaywasaninstanthit,andin1978thefirstThamesTelevisionserieswasairedunderthesamename,starringLeoMcKernasRumpole.Itbecamehugelypopular,andfivemoreseriesfollowed.ThefirstcollectionofRumpolestorieswaspublishedin1978,andwasfollowedbyafurthertwelvevolumes.HisothernovelsincludethetrilogyofTitmussnovels,ParadisePostponed,TitmussRegainedandTheSoundofTrumpets,andhehasalsowrittenthreevolumesofautobiography(ClingingtotheWreckage,MurderersandOtherFriendsandSummerofaDormouse)andnumerousTVandfilmadaptations,includingBridesheadRevisited,CiderwithRosieandTeawithMussolini.JohnMortimerreceivedaknighthoodforhisservicestotheartsin1998intheQueen'sbirthdayhonourslist.Hediedin2009.
