The Mind of Mr JG Reeder S2 Eps 1-4 (1971)

 

The Duke (19 Apr 1971)

Two years after the first season, during which time Hugh Burden had scared viewers as the first villain faced by the third Doctor Who, the chilling Channing, The Mind of Mr J.G. Reeder returned. Its easy to overlook the fact that it was seen as a prestigious show with a 9pm slot on Monday evenings.  The title sequence this time is slightly different and suggests that all that is on Reeder's `criminal mind` are dancing girls  but the banjo led Twenties theme music remains. The opening story concerns a Chicago gangster, Duke Dorsey who has become the unlikely tenant of a country estate. When an attempt is made on his life, Reeder is assigned by Sir Jason to offer him official protection. Once there, the unassuming prosecutor discovers all is not as it seems. The episode is a little slow at first as Ray McAnally as Duke and Toby Robins as his much younger wife and former showgirl Sadie both struggle with Chicago accents and the somewhat stereotypical Chicagoan characters they play. Things liven up when Reeder arrives, his firm but polite Englishness rubbing against their brashness.

The whodunit aspect is more of a who might do it so it’s not until near the end that a character is murdered. All of the elements you’d expect are there- a butler who is taking money to pass messages between Sadie and her secret boyfriend, secret passages and a Major who really should have inherited the estate and walks around shooting pheasants. All the while out suspicions are pointed towards this Major or perhaps the butler but the antagonist turns out to be someone as unlikely to undertake such action as Reeder appears to be to solve it. They are well matched and the civil conversation they have in lieu of a more obvious confrontation is delightful.

The proceedings would be a bit droll where it not for Hugh Burden whose light touch and witty responses work so well here, notably a sequence where while being frisked, he manages to take the henchman’s gun and al the end his ingenious escape from a seeming incarceration.  Amusingly his boss Sir Jason now only has to speak Reeder’s name quietly rather than bellowing when summoning him. Willoughby Goddard’s reaction shots are always fun. As with the first season there are some excellent sets, here the hallway and staircase of a house, a generous drawing room and a lengthy cellar are well utilised and lit. Director Mike Vardy makes good use of these spaces.

 

Man with the Strange Tattoo (26 Apr 1971)

The episode opens with a rich lady being threatened by an Indian who is after a sacred ruby; she tricks him and shoots him dead with a tiny pistol hidden in her desk drawer. It’s a case of self-defence says Sir Jasn and the family, being the very rich and influential Rothbards, need a quick resolution. Delving deeper, Reeder discovers a connection to another crime committed over forty years ago in colonial India. Notably the episode uses actual Indian actors when needed rather than, as the first season did, something that didn’t always happen in UK drama back then.

There’s a lighter air to parts of this episode despite the subject matter which actually work well as a juxtaposition. Early scenes in the office take on the air of farce when Si Jason’s generous girth is being measured for a suit while he bellows at Reeder. Willoughby Goddard is terrific in the whole episode; whether his increased frustration at Reeder’s methods or later when he’s grovelling to the Rothbards after a second burglary. The involvement of an Indian love goddess, scenes in an incense filled temple as well as some location work around a large country house give the episode unexpected breadth.

This was one of only two episodes that were filmed in colour, an opportunity director Peter Deguid maximises both in the locations and also some spacious interiors. Unlike many period dramas the Rothbard’s drawing room looks at a scale to the house exterior we’ve seen and is shot with confidence from a high angle to emphasise its scale. The temple too is sufficiently large and given some ampere courtesy of very mobile camera work and some Indian music.

The plot though is less easy to like not just because Lady Rothbard gets away without even any manslaughter charges but that, because of the love story from decades back this is all connected to, Reeder is pleased about it. In the end she did kill the intruder because of what the ruby he was trying to take meant something personal to her. Yet it was a stolen item. Dubious morals perhaps but maybe in keeping with the time period. Or perhaps Reeder himself is suffering from the love bug; the cheery Miss Bellman is back and even a lady at the library – played with great timing by Daphne Goddard (check her looks of rivalry at Miss Bellman) seems to be fluttering her eyelids at the prosecutor. It’s a great cast with Jane Baxter a standout as Lady Rothbard, all charm and manners yet with just flashes of deeper secrets and guilt noticeable in her face. There’s another new secretary too, in the form of the nervy Miss McCoustra whose perpetually worried face adds to the feeling that the office scenes are step away from a sitcom and all the better for it.

 The Shadow Man (3 May 1971)

During the course of this feisty episode, a man is shot on Reeder’s doorstep. “Get him inside” urges housekeeper Mrs Houchin, “what will the neighbours think.”  Such is the tone of a story that despite containing more than the average numbers of murders has an air of playfulness about it, rather like early Midsomer Murders did some twenty-five years later. Tere’s also more than a touch of The Avengers about this too, especially in the opening sequence. Trevor Preston’s adaptation of Edgar Wallace’s story becomes a cracking tale of murder, fraud, and deception given energy by director Peter Deuguid notably during a sequence when a man is chased around deserted midnight suburban streets by an assassin on a motor bike. He keeps the cameras comparatively fluid for what is mostly a studio bound series but takes full advantage when it does go outside.

Some of the touches can seem almost surreal. Early on we meet the four-man board of a major bank whose upper-class bewilderment at what might be going on is underscored by Duguid having Hugh Burden flit around the room as he delivers his information. What could be a dry scene thus becomes something to entertain and this is followed through all the way. There’s a running theme concerning mothballs, an alcoholic scientist, and the return of Mrs Houchin whose interactions with Reeder are so amusing thanks to the two’s expressions as she tries to mother him and give him terrible food and he’s too polite to refuse. This episode sees her gift him a very long scarf!

The plot twists and turns, holding back on the reveal that the doctor is actually renowned criminal mastermind Redsack till as late as possible. It all eventually leads the villains of the piece to bait Reeder into a confrontation which happens one night at a private club. They realise Reeder knows all about their operation and he knows they know. John Stratton makes a terrific antagonist whether posing as a Dutch surgeon or in his true persona as a smooth-talking calm villain who would be fit to go up against 007. Some viewers will recognise a youthful Colin Baker as one of the gang’s victims and there’s also some excellent boggle eyed incredulous shouting from Willoughby Goddard whose larger-than-life presence reinforces the feeling that this series would work just as well as a comedy. This is the highest rated episode on IMDB and I wouldn’t argue with that, it’s a great watch knocking aside the notion that vintage tv drama can’t mix humour, action, and seriousness in one package.

 

Death of an Angel (10 May 1971)

A priest involved in blackmail connected to the nascent film industry is the unlikely premise of this episode which delights in showing how the silent movie studio functioned with clunky cameras, busy sets and a director who shouts all his instructions! The oddities in the script call to mind Midsomer Murders especially a sit includes a murder when a giant statue falls on an unfortunate victim. The story has to work hard to establish a believable link between a film studio and an ecclesiastical film society that is engaging in blackmail using an actress to extract money. It’s a story that would probably work better these days with more emotive acting from those who are preyed upon; here everyone is just a bit too jolly about even the grimmest matter.

The most enjoyable part though is when Reeder discovers an ex-con (the brilliantly named Shiner Bright) he helped put away is working at the studio and is able to persuade him to put his safe cracking talents to use for the benefit of the case. Playing Shiner, Victor Maddern is a lot of fun playing up the Cockney villain and the interplay between him and Hugh Burden works really well. Its also amusing to see Burden’s comedic talents to the fore as he pretends to be fooled by an actress to get her to agree to provide evidence. The affronted look on Miss Houchin’s face is only rivalled by Sir Jason’s eye-popping reaction to the photographs of Reeder and the girl. A younger James Grout is also good value as the shouty film director Sam Cobb while Amanda Barrie is but a smidgeon removed from the performance you’d expect in a Carry On film. An episode that is a lot of fun provided you don’t examine the plot anywhere near as closely as Reeder studies the case.