Rating: 
Summary: Solid entry
Review: An excellent entry in the Peter Whimsey series with all of the clever dialogue, twists and turns on expects from a Sayers yarn. I only knock off a star because the sound is a bit dodgy in places and I had to keep the remote at hand to continually adjust the volume up and down. It's also a bit pricey for the lenght; it could just as easily have been fit on to two videos instead of four and sold for half the price.
Rating: 
Summary: A most welcom release
Review: As many of us that were eternally grateful to Acorn Media for reissuing after too many decades the Lord Peter Wismey "Clouds of Witness," just so many and perhaps more can welcome back <The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club> with the incomparable Ian Carmichael whose idea it was to film the series in the first place and who almost did not get the part! Like the other four in this series, this is a low budget, shot mostly in the studio, affair; but it is impeccably "period" in décor, dress, and even idiom. The plot involves at first not a "who done it?" but a "when was it done?" Since the vast inheritance depends on the timing of the deaths of an elderly brother and sister, the hour if not the very minute of the former's demise is the Big Question. Surprisingly, that mystery is revealed half way through the story; but by then we have a murderer to find and...well, I will not spoil things for you and urge you to see for yourself. Carmichael's Wimsey is ever the aristocrat, here ready to quote W.S. Gilbert and W. Shakespeare (though not nearly as frequently as Rumpole will quote his favorite poets), even though he must apologize now and then for being over the heads of some of his less well-educated acquaintances. In this story the grinding poverty of one of the interested parties is shown in striking contrast to Wimsey's luxurious accommodations and ability to be very generous with his money (which after all was never earned by any workaday sweat of his brow exept when he posed as an employee of an advertizing agency). As with all of this series, the minor characters are extremely well drawn, right down to a patron of a tea shop who becomes all flustered in meeting "a lord." While the two opposing lawyers might border on the Dickensian, they are both shown to be intelligent and honestly working for the good of their clients. And even the villain is basically a very Good Person in all other respects! But such is the universe created by Dorothy Sayers and it is treated with respect and intelligence in this fine series. Now we can only hope that Acorn Media will accelerate the releases of "Murder Must Advertise," "Five Red Herrings," and "The Nine Tailors." Oh by the way, they are releasing at the same time some of the Poirots that have been butchered by A&E to make room for their insultingly frequent and overlong piggyback commercials. See the webpages for those. And by the way again, a comparison of Poirot and Wimsey would make a fascinating study.
Rating:
Summary: Ain't it just a good movie!
Review: I've read this series. I held off watching this because, frankly, Ian Carmichal doesn't fit my mental picture of Peter Wimsey. Now I'm glad I got it! It's four episodes on two DVD's. Ian Carmichal is terrific! He may not have the face or the figure I pictured (for some reason I think Peter is blondish, misplacing his hair in front, and much-much leaner) but he has the character down perfect. He's an extremely skilled actor and it's a delight to watch him. These are quite funny, the characters are all very individual, and I'mm looking at getting all the others in the series.
Rating:
Summary: Well made, highly entertaining detective fare.
Review: Lord Peter Wimsey's hobby is solving mysteries and here he is called into service to help ascertain the death of a "member of the Bellona Club." Initially, foul play is not suspected, but Lord Peter's eye for detail immediately helps him discover inconsistencies about the death of old General Fentiman that can't be explained. From this point on Wimsey and his servant Bunter begin an investigation which leads to the solution of the mystery of the "Unpleasantness of the Bellona Club." Few TV films can match the Lord Peter Wimsey mystery series for quality and care in the production of these programs which are genuinely entertaining for a literate adult audience. Let's hope that all the Wimsey mysteries are released soon. Some, like "The Nine Tailors," are true classics.
Rating:
Summary: Well made, highly entertaining detective fare.
Review: Lord Peter Wimsey's hobby is solving mysteries and here he is called into service to help ascertain the death of a "member of the Bellona Club." Initially, foul play is not suspected, but Lord Peter's eye for detail immediately helps him discover inconsistencies about the death of old General Fentiman that can't be explained. From this point on Wimsey and his servant Bunter begin an investigation which leads to the solution of the mystery of the "Unpleasantness of the Bellona Club." Few TV films can match the Lord Peter Wimsey mystery series for quality and care in the production of these programs which are genuinely entertaining for a literate adult audience. Let's hope that all the Wimsey mysteries are released soon. Some, like "The Nine Tailors," are true classics.
Rating:
Summary: Solid entertainment for anglophiles and sleuths....
Review: Okay these are tapes, and I prefer DVDs and usually I will not give a VHS recording five stars but THE UNPLEASANTNESS AT THE BALLONA CLUB is excellent. I read the book and enjoyed it enormously and was pleased to see this dramatization. Dorothy Sayer's plot is clever and the characters well developed and the actors and staging are surpurb. This BBC film version was made in the "olden days" (early 1970s) when live tv was more the norm than not and shown on PBS Mystery series. I have an idea the original enactment was recorded before a live audience. Ian Carmichael plays Lord Peter Wimsey, Sayers upper crust sleuth, graduate of Oxford and friend of copper "Parkerbird" who works for Scotland Yard. But Wimsey is no lightweight Bertie Wooster (not that I don't love Bertie too!!). He's a returned veteran from WWI, as are several of the other characters in this story. Bunter, Wimsey's man-servent was his sergeant during the war, and many of the members of the Bellona club are ex-military, some of whom experienced years in the trenches and madness. General Fentiman, found dead in his favorite easy chair by the fire place, is also a war veteran, though his war was the Boer War. When George Fentimen, the hapless grandson of the deceased goes "bonkers" after the General is found dead, Wimsey understands. He too had a nervous breakdown and Bunter nursed him back to health. Wimsey knows George spent many nights and days living in the trenches and saw his best friend hung up on barbwire and mowed down by the enemy. George is not unlike the sad veteran in another tale about life in England after WWI--MRS DALLOWAY. A major clue to the events surrounding the General's death (was it murder?) is tied to the day the General's body is discovered, Armistice Day 1922. Many old timers will "get" this clue, but some younger folks may not "have a clue" about its significance. Never mind, this is a great way to learn more about "war to end all wars." The film is a wonderful period piece and if you love faithfully recreated history like BRAMWELL (with a tad more sophisticated humor) you will enjoy this film. Emma Thompson fans will get a special treat. Emma's mother Phillida Law plays Wimsey's special female friend (he had not yet met Harriet Vane in this book). You may recall that an older Phillida played Emma's mother in THE WINTER GUEST.
Rating:
Summary: The best transfer yet!
Review: This has got to be the best transfer to DVD yet for the Carmichael Wimsey series. It is very crisp and clean. All you Wimsey will be thrilled! Buy it now, you will be pleased!
Rating:
Summary: Great Mystery
Review: This is a good one. A bit pricy since they chose to put it on 4 tapes instead of 2. Still it's hard to beat. So where is "The Nine Taylors"? That's the one we all want.
Rating:
Summary: Great Mystery
Review: This is a good one. A bit pricy since they chose to put it on 4 tapes instead of 2. Still it's hard to beat. So where is "The Nine Taylors"? That's the one we all want.
Rating:
Summary: Memorable characters, fascinating clues, unexpected twists.
Review: two outstanding BBC productions starring Ian Carmichael as the aristocratic amateur detective Lord Peter Whimsey on home video. The Unpleasantness At The Bellona Club (1-56938-352-9, $59.95, 180 minutes, four cassettes) finds Lord Whimsey being called upon by fellow club members when one of their number is found dead in a chair of the men's lounge on Armistice Day, 1922. A caste of memorable characters, fascinating clues, unexpected plot twists are the hallmark of this Lord Peter Whimsey mystery.
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