So we come full circle: the conclusion of the third 'cycle' of reruns of Rumpole from Alpha to Omega (excluding, for some reason, 'Rumpoles Return' and more understandably, the 'Fascist Beast' episode from Series 2) on UK 'Talking Pictures TV'.
There's a good storyline, which pretty much subsumes any B plot or C plot because it involves Chambers' members and Hilda directly.
Rumpole has become irascible because he has toothache. We start at the dentist, who is carrying out temporary work.
This doesn't work and Rumpole is clearly still suffering when performing later at the Bailey defending his client on a murder charge. The client (Mr Tong) is nicely played by Peter Sallis- yet to become Wallace of 'Wallace and Gromit' fame- here playing a rather meek and mild civil servant with a strong religious turn of mind who claims that his wife routinely attacked him with her fingernails but finally sustained head injuries which killed her. Sallis' character claims that she slipped on a rug and hit her head.
Judge Ollie Olliphant, presiding, seems to take a dislike to Rumpole's client, so much so that he inadvertently slips in.a comment made about 'getting on with the manslaughter'. Rumpole objects strongly to Olliphant's comment as prejudicial to the defence and a matter for the jury: however while Olliphant appears to apologise Rumpole just doesn't seem to know when to stop biting. Nevertheless, Olliphant lets things go with warnings.and adjourns for lunch with a reminder that a defendant still under cross examination cant be talked to by legal counsel.
Nevertheless, Claude Erskine-Browne sees.the client, Mr Tong sitting on a bench and hears Rumpole talking angrily telling someone to 'get it out' and 'get on with it'.
Erskine Browne is standing well back and Rumpole isn't visible, behind a wall. Erskine Browne takes note and duly reports Rumpole to Judge Olliphant.
Given that Erskine-Browne is himself something of an 'Old Bailey Hack' , an habituee who attends the place often, it is frankly astounding that he isn't aware of the telephones behind that wall. Not much in the way of mobile phones smaller than a suitcase in 1992! Given all that Rumpole has done for him over the years to sustain his marriage despite Erskine-Browne's many efforts to scupper it, it is surprising also that Erskine-Browne doesnt take the trouble to walk forward and check his facts.
Rumpole has actually been on the phone to his dentist. His client is cleared (and promptly runs off with a Polish neighbour) but Rumpole is summoned to appear before the Bar Council for misconduct and faces disbarment.
We see a scene of the Council enjoying a very leisurely dinner, Olliphant is looking forward to seeing Rumpole gone; Judge Graves is being his usual suave self chatting to a Bishop who is being passed the port by none other than John Mortimer himself, in a final cameo! Bollard is also there and doesn't say anything to support Rumpole.
Rumpole himself seems fed up and ready to give it all up.
When Hilda is told, she is distraught. She had been seeing Marigold Featherstone to try to cadge a Circuit Judge position for Rumpole but now his future seems bleak. Hilda goes to buttonhole Sam Ballard and forces him to act for Rumpole at the hearing.
Fred Timson finds out about Rumpole's predicament via Mr Bernard and offers some of his family to make up an alibi for him! Rumpole thanks Fred, but declines.
Ballard appears at the hearing supported by Liz Probert. Ballard is his usual ineffective self, but Liz has being doing a little behind the scenes work. Judge Graves presides. Rumpole is not inclined to give the apology that Olliphant demands.
Upbraiding Claude for not checking his facts, Liz ascertained that Rumpole had been talking with his dentist (Richard Vernon) and he duly appears at the hearing, exonerating Rumpole of the charge of breaking Court rules. The council breaks for lunch.
At lunch Hilda puts in an appearance, Liz Probert has been talking with her too and thus prompted, Hilda explains the future she envisages if Rumpole is disbarred - Rumpole running errands and shopping for ever and ever!
After lunch, a chastened Rumpole duly apologises to Olliphant and this is accepted. Rumpole emerges free to practise again.
And then at the end there was the party,. Officially it's to celebrate Phyllida being elevated to the Bench and Claude becoming a QC.
But we all know that this is it, the swansong.
Judge Graves appears, to comment that if Claude Erskine Browne is getting a QC, they must be giving them away with pounds of tea. He also remarks that he feels the world would be dull without Rumpole and he's pleased he got off. I always felt Judge Graves had a sneaking admiration for Rumpole, despite their spats.
Olliphant is there, invited by Rumpole, a nice touch. Featherstone J and his Marigold are there and Guthrie tries even now to chat up Phyllida. The only absentee is George Frobisher, whom Rumpole drove away by his own pig-headedness.
We even see Henry's wife, ex lady Mayor or Bexleyheath. Henry has tried to elope with Dot but Dot isn't interested and now Henry's wife has full charge of her ever-whining, always dissatisfied spouse.
Rumpole has also invited Fred Timson. When Sam Ballard asks for attention to toast Phyllida and Claude, Rumpole overrules him, taking Fred by the hand and explaining how many in this chambers owe their livings to men like Fred and his family- particularly Rumpole of course. Rumpole proposes a toast - "To the criminals of England!"
Judge Graves takes this as his cue to leave, with an aside to Ballard: "Will he never learn?"
"I don't think so, Judge!" Ballard giggles uncomfortably.
And that's that.
With the final scene we see our last of Leo McKern's Rumpole of the Bailey, the definitive version to be sure.
We shall never see his like again.
John Mortimer continued to write stories, with his hero always ageless but his history needing to be consistently retconned: but we can never see the McKern take on these.
And now - with Talking Pictures TV to show a 1980 series called Kessler in next week's 'Rumpole' spot, I am already feeling Rumpole withdrawal symptoms. Perhaps they will show the round again soon!
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