THE SILENT WORLD OF NICHOLAS QUINN

UK, 1986, 101 minutes, Colour.
John Thaw, Kevin Whately.
Directed by Brian Parker.

The Silent World of Nicholas Quinn is one of the earliest of the Inspector Morse series. It is set in the academic world of Oxford, exams held in foreign countries for positions in Oxford and the possibility of cheating and exploiting this market.

The film is strong, as usual, with John Thaw establishing his character and Inspector Lewis beginning to emerge as a strong character. The supporting cast includes Michael Gough as an Oxford academic.

1. The popularity of the Inspector Morse series, Morse as a character, ability as a policeman and as a detective? His work with Lewis? The background of the crime, characters, clues, the investigation, conclusions?

2. The Oxford settings, the university, the precincts, the streets, homes? Musical score?

3. The title, the world of the hearing-impaired, the lip-reading, the clues and the solving of the case?

4. The background of the Syndicate, the academics involved, the exams, the Gulf countries, the initial party, the potential for corruption, murder to preserve wealth? The importance of Ogilvy and his own detective work?

5. Morse and his attitudes towards the academics, his theories about them, the arrests and charges, the truth?

6. Lewis and his investigations, knowledge of academics, shrewdness, assisting Morse, the interrogations?

7. Quinn, his deafness, reading of lips, his becoming the victim? His uncovering the plot?

8. Bartlett and his running of the Syndicate, his personal eccentricities, his wife, the interrogations, becoming suspect, his having gone to see Last Tango in Paris, his being charged - and vindicated?

9. Martin and his home life, his affair with Monica, finding the body, his manner, Monica and he going to see Last Tango? Above suspicion - but arranging the cover, his involvement in the corruption with Roop? The final confrontation, his wife, the violence?

10. Roop, presence at the station, the poisoning of the sherry, his going to the offices, his being seen, his cover?

11. Ogilvy given the information by Quinn, his crosswords ability, his ringing the theatre, his own detection? Snooping at the office? His illness - the brutality of his death?

12. The interviews with Monica, her daughter, her lies about her affair with Martin, her friendship with Ogilvy, in hospital? Coming to the trial? Her vindication?

13. Morse and his charging people, the hearings, Morse's mistakes? Discovering the truth - visiting the institution and learning about lip-reading?

14. Oxford, academic jealousies, corruption, the truth? The background of people going to see films like Last Tango in Paris - and the comment by the woman at the theatre? A satisfying mystery?