DIAL M FOR MIDDLESBOROUGH
UK, 2019, 88 minutes, Colour.
Johnny Vargas, Sian Gibson, Anette Crosby, Phil Davis, Sally Lindsay, John McMillan, Joanna Page, Jason Donovan, Georgie Glen, Sheila Reid.
Directed by Ed Bye.
This is the third in a series of three lightweight comedy murder mysteries, the first, Murder on the Blackpool Express, the second, Death on the Time. They can be described as very broad both in their comedy and in the murders and detecting.
As with the other films, the focus is on bus driver, Terry, comedian Johnny Vargas, and his co-worker, fiance, Gemma, Sian Gibson. By the time of the third film, audiences have accepted them and become used to their style, she very forward, he somewhat dithering but always trying to solve the murders.
This film goes slightly upmarket with the inclusion of Anette Crosby, Phil Davis and Jason Donovan in the cast.
While the murders in the previous films were on trains and on ferries, this time they are at a caravan park isolated by floodwaters, Terry and Jim is than breaking down and their being stranded. The cast is limited to those at the caravan park, a bird watcher who is about to make a discovery of a rare sighting and nesting, and the Prof in charge of the research. There is a couple where she does all the talking incessantly, he silent until he asked the murderer to kill off his wife first and give him 10 seconds of peace before his own death! There is an elderly lady, permanent resident, fortuneteller, played by Annette Crosbie. And, because Gemma came to the caravan park for holidays in the park, there is an admirer, Jason Donovan. There is the issue of selling the caravan park, differences of opinion between the owner, Phil Davis, and his wife, Sally Lindsay, and their put upon cook, Joanna Page.
It must be said that several of the murders are particularly gruesome, especially the opening killing of the birdwatching woman. There is a complication of an African-American mysteriously present – and revealed to be a hitman for an American gang.
So, the murders, the mixed motivations, Terry and Jim is banned die up in flames, sunlight, graffiti threats about deaths on the caravans… And, an ultimate revelation of the murderer and the motivations.
A bit better than Death on the Tyne.
