Dvd/150: LADY KILLERS (Nicholas Ferguson / Philip Draycott / Kenny McBain / Joan Kemp-Welch / Brian Mills / Peter Moffatt, 1981. tv)

The second series of seven murder trial dramatisations, introduced by Robert Morley.

Where the first series concentrated on women criminals, this focusses on men killing women - except for Edith Thompson and Freddy Bywaters: he killed her husband but they were tried jointly, one of the great judicial miscarriages.

This series doesn't match the first, an obvious choice for the producer but it doesn't carry much conviction.

Chewing the scenery are Kenneth Haigh as brides-in-the-bath killer George Smith and Christopher Cazenove as mad Ronald True, while John Fraser as Crippen is colourless.

However Ian Charleson shines as fake posh cad Neville Heath, Michael Jayston is fine as arrogant Frederick Seddon, on trial for murdering his tenant, as is Carol Drinkwater as his edgy wife.

The best is the Thompson/Bywaters episode with touching performances from (miscast) Gayle Hunnicutt, Christopher Villiers and Margaret Tyzack as his stricken mother.

Shelf or charity shop? I will keep this as it's my Ian but it's also worth keeping for the Thompson/Bywaters episode and some fine supporting performances across the series from Heather Chasen, Michael Ripper, John Justin, Michael Byrne, Joan Hickson, and Joan Sims' voice-over as the virago Mrs Crippen.

Dvd/150: LADYKILLERS (Philip Draycott / Valerie Hanson / Nicholas Ferguson / Joan Kemp-Welch, 1980, tv)

A Granada series of seven dramatisations of trials of women killers from 1857 to 1955, each introduced by Robert Morley.

Trial records are used for the court scenes but supposition is used elsewhere.  Two are dull but others shine.

Elaine Paige is wonderful as vindictive Irish maid Kate Webster, particularly her last-night confession, when she relishes every gory detail with her horrified priest (Michael Kitchen).

Joanna David is also effective as hysterical Mary Pearcy, murderer of the wife and child of her lover (Paul Nicholas).

Joan Sims is an addled delight as Victorian baby-farmer/murderer Amelia Dyer while Rita Tushingham is touchingly pathetic as alledged husband-killer Charlotte Bryant

Overshadowing them all is Georgina Hale who is breathtaking as Ruth Ellis.  Maintaining her facade and clipped fake Mayfair accent until almost the end, she is magnificently brittle, kittenish, icy, and haughty allowing moments of pain to seep through.

Shelf or charity shop?  Shelf for the concise storytelling, excellent supporting performances - watch out for Doreen Mantle, Deborah Norton, Linda Polan, Leslie French, Belinda Sinclair and June Barry - but above all for Georgina Hale.