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No Remorse

In March 2000, Chief Inspector Morse and Sergeant Lewis walked the streets of Oxford in the shoes of John Thaw and Kevin Whately for the last time. The on location filming of REMO started on March 13th. and ran for 10 days in and around Oxford. I happened to be in Oxford myself during that time. I had come seeking professional guidance with a story I’m writing from my friend, Colin Dexter, and before I knew it, I was invited to be right in the thick of things. It was a wonderful time I won’t soon forget. I thought that I’d share some of my experiences meeting the stars and crew on the set of REMO.

My first meeting with one of the actors from Inspector Morse came on the evening of 13th. March over drinks (of course!) in Chapters Lounge at the Randolph Hotel. I’d been sitting with Colin Dexter, author of the Inspector Morse novels, Chris Burt, the producer of the Inspector Morse films, and film director, Jack Gold. Having left the table briefly, I returned to find an attractive man with sparkling blue eyes and a boyish grin sitting in the chair next to mine. He was so familiar I though I had met him before, until Colin Dexter leaned over and introduced him. To my surprise, the sweet-faced man was Kevin Whately. It was the hair that threw me off. Without the slicked down ‘Lewis’ look, he was familiar enough, but not exactly. I should mention he is shorter than I expected.

Meeting the other star of the Inspector Morse films, John Thaw, came a day later. Tuesday evening to be exact. After meeting Kevin Whately, I was certain I would have no problem recognizing John Thaw, but sometimes reality can be a humbling experience. Can you believe I managed to walk right past him in the lobby of the Randolph Hotel? He was by himself, casually dressed, and was very low-key. Though we did smile at each other, it wasn’t until I met up with Colin Dexter and Chris Burt a few seconds later that I realized who he was. Enlightenment came when Colin Dexter mentioned that John Thaw would be arriving at anytime now. No wonder that man in the lobby looked so familiar! Can I say that John Thaw was taller than I expected?

Taller, or shorter, both men are sweet in their own unique ways. Kevin, with his boyish charm, and John, thoughtful and kind. It didn’t matter if they were in between takes or returning to the hotel after the day’s work - both actors always seem to find the time to graciously accept gifts from their fans, chat with them and/or sign books and photographs. They weren’t the only ones kept busy during the shoot in Oxford.

Colin Dexter was also hard at work signing books, doing interviews and visiting with fans. As the week wore on, it was getting closer to his big scene. In early drafts of the screenplay, he was to portray an ‘extremely intelligent’ man in a wheelchair who is part of a SAGA (Send A Granny Away - Assistant Editor) tour group. But when it was time for his scene, he’d been demoted to a mere ‘intelligent’ man in a wheelchair. No problem. The big scene was filmed on a sunny, but cool day at Magdalen Bridge. It went well, and the extremely intelligent Mr. Dexter managed to perform his role like a professional.

I have been asked if I was an extra in this episode. Alas, I wasn’t. However, my ageless black trench coat makes an appearance in the scene with Colin Dexter, so you might want to watch for it!

Though I wasn’t in REMO, I did manage to have an exciting moment in front of the cameras! I was in a Carlton Television cookery programme along with Colin Dexter (the mystery guest) and Ailesh Hurley (a legend in her own bar at the Randolph Hotel, who did have a small speaking part in REMO). We did ‘High Tea at the Randolph Hotel’ and it was wonderful fun!

At the start of filming in Oxford, everyone’s spirits were generally light, from the extras who’d been doing this for years, to the girl who calls out ‘Quiet on the set’. But as the week wore on, with actors bringing the emotions of their characters to life, the mood on set became subdued and reflective. The end was soon coming for this final filming; for Inspector Morse himself, and we were all well aware of it.

REMO will be the 33rd. episode filmed. Making so many high-quality films for our viewing pleasure takes a lot of high-quality work from many other talented people besides the stars. Roughly 66 of them. I thoroughly enjoyed observing the crew and the technicians do what they do best, and believe me, they are the best in the business. Thankfully, everyone was very patient with me and my multitude of questions about their work. It was fascinating to see the extra tender loving care they poured into this final production of Inspector Morse.

My last day on set was the 21st. March - the day they were filming in the chapel at Exeter College. There was still excitement in the air, but it was tempered with a sense of finality - of closure. Our own Antony Richards (late as ever - Assistant Editor) was there, along with Colin Dexter, Barrington Pheloung, Stephen Churchett - the screenwriter, photographers, several long-time fans, and a few others, including John Thaw’s wife, the elegant Sheila Hancock.

I’ll always remember John Thaw, standing on the steps of the chapel in the pale morning sunlight preparing for an emotional scene. He was in full Morse character, blue shirt bringing out the blue in his eyes, hands in jacket pockets, and to make the moment perfect, he was surrounded by the glorious sounds of Faure’s ‘In Paradisum’ being sung in the chapel behind him. That image seemed a fitting end to my memorable trip to Oxford. Though it was my last day, it wasn’t for the cast and crew. They went on to film for a few more weeks in London.

I am so thankful to have been able to see first hand all the careful work that goes into successfully bringing Inspector Morse from the pages of Colin Dexter’s novels to our television screens. And in case you’re wondering, I did manage to get some great pointers on my story, in spite of the excitement. Thanks, Colin!

Article supplied by Cyndi Cook who appears in REMO as ‘the widely acclaimed folk-singer’.