Rumpole von Old Bailey

It is hard to know who deserves the most credit for this courtroom series; author John Mortimer QC (a noted barrister himself), or actor Leo McKern.

Obviously, the series was written with the benefit of intimate knowledge of the English legal system, but almost every branch of it is portrayed very unflatteringly. Most Barristers are shown as smug and pompous, fencing with each other in Latin phrases while the defendant and jury look baffled; policemen are bent, solicitors are shady and judges are either more concerned with barristers' correct dress rather than the evidence, or sadistic and bigoted.

The seamier side of the profession is also shown; with prestigious barristers having to work from poky "chambers", at the mercy of clerks for their work ("briefs") and undervalued secretaries for their paperwork.

In such a world, a weary and introspective character such as Rumpole dominates the scene. McKern's booming delivery and range of facial expressions make this all too easy. The language is a delight, as Rumpole quotes Browning, Tennyson, Shakespeare at will. Some of the most hilarious scenes occur as lawyers take on their clients' personas and start arguing their cases with each other in the first person, in bars or restaurants.

Rumpole's home life with wife Hilda, "She who must be obeyed", is also shown as quite a caricature, as Hilda Rumpole is portrayed as having few interests beyond her husband's lowly position in the pecking order, and household cleaning agents.

Any one of the episodes makes good viewing.

Rarely has television fit a role and an actor together as perfectly as Rumpole and Leo McKern. (A couple of other examples would be Vic Morrow in "Combat!" and Derek Jacobi in "I, Cladius".) The singular pleasure these episodes afford is watching McKern act as the mildly cynical, but resolutely libertarian, barrister. It is easy to see why McKern came to loathe playing the part since it is the ultimate case of typecasting. One can less think of McKern sans Rumpole than he can Connery sans Bond. Better to rewatch Rumpole than the colorless blather on Court TV.

The scripts and additional cast are good enough to make repeated watching of McKern worthwhile.

Mortimer is such a clever writer and his creation Rumpole is a work of genius,and who better than to pull it all together than Mckern. The author always weaved in 3 stories within an episode, the case,the chambers & home life with She Who Must Be Obeyed.Every episode is worth watching and even some of the weakest bare strong comparison with any other drama. McKern is mesmerising and you cannot take your eyes off him when he is on screen.This is truly great entertainment and the supporting cast are magnificent. This series is probably the greatest of all time as courtroom drama.

Perfection.

Rumpole, a barrister spewing poetry and thunder and husband of She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed, entertains with a unique style of oratory, wit, and his own particular slant on the world. In a world drowning in political correctness, Rumpole is a life saver. Rumpole is also one of my favorite of all time characters. The stories and supporting cast are refreshingly British and the entire series is an absolute delight! I'm so pleased this was finally released on dvd.

I got into Rumpole when I discovered episodes on tapes I inherited from my grandfather when his hearing started to go and couldn't listen to them anymore. I was so enchanted that I started reading the Rumpole books I found at the library as well. Part of it, for me, is that Rumpole himself was very much like my grandfather-the same dry sense of humor, and the same sense of justice. I can see why he appreciated the stories and characters so much, and it gives me a greater connection to him to watch the show now, long after he's passed away.

The stories are solid mysteries that Arthur Conan Doyle might've appreciated, but what really makes the series special is the characters, both Rumpole himself and the supporting cast. It makes the series more accessible that the stories carry little in the way of political messages. This is because everyone in the show, apart from Rumpole himself, is an absurdity, regardless of their political leanings. Both left and right wingers are portrayed this way. Rumpole alone sees how ridiculous everyone in his life is, from his fellow barristers to his wife, and isn't afraid to comment on it. He is single-minded in his mission to carry out justice for his clients, which is refreshing.