Rumpole at the Bar

Rating:
Summary: Rumpole Reads Rumpole
Review: John Mortimer wrote the Rumpole screenplays for Leo McKern, who portrays the portly barrister on the BBC TV series. On this audiotape, McKern reads two short stories from "Rumpole's Last Case." The chosen stories are "Rumpole and the Blind Tasting" and "Rumpole and the Old, Old Story."

In "Blind Tasting" Rumpole gets invited to an elegant blind tasting. As I understand it from the story, a blind tasting is a gathering at which a bunch of egotists gather to taste wine, guess what type the wine is, and otherwise attempt to impress each other with their erudition and sophistication. Being used to nothing better that Chateau Thames Embankment, Rumpole becomes an enthusiastic but unorthodox participant in the tasting. The tasting leads to a case, and the case leads Rumpole to uncover some lowbrow goings-on in the highbrow world of fine wines.

In "The Old, Old Story," Rumpole embarrasses She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed. She harasses Rumpole, and Rumpole leaves home. While the course of love runs not so true at Casa Rumpole, Horace gets an out-of-town case defending the odd man out in a lover's triangle. Things are looking rather bleak for the client, and Rumpole is not encouraged when he enters court for the first day of the trial and finds She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed sitting on the bench as a guest of the presiding judge. With his wife's help, Rumpole finds his way through to a fabulous victory, and nobody lives happily ever after.

Leo McKern was born to play Rumpole on the stage, and he gives it his all as he reads the stories, but an audiotaped reading is not the best way to enjoy any form of literature. If it is impossible to read the stories or watch McKern on video, this tape will slake your thirst for Rumpole.

Rating:
Summary: Rumpole Reads Rumpole
Review: John Mortimer wrote the Rumpole screenplays for Leo McKern, who portrays the portly barrister on the BBC TV series. On this audiotape, McKern reads two short stories from "Rumpole's Last Case." The chosen stories are "Rumpole and the Blind Tasting" and "Rumpole and the Old, Old Story."

In "Blind Tasting" Rumpole gets invited to an elegant blind tasting. As I understand it from the story, a blind tasting is a gathering at which a bunch of egotists gather to taste wine, guess what type the wine is, and otherwise attempt to impress each other with their erudition and sophistication. Being used to nothing better that Chateau Thames Embankment, Rumpole becomes an enthusiastic but unorthodox participant in the tasting. The tasting leads to a case, and the case leads Rumpole to uncover some lowbrow goings-on in the highbrow world of fine wines.

In "The Old, Old Story," Rumpole embarrasses She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed. She harasses Rumpole, and Rumpole leaves home. While the course of love runs not so true at Casa Rumpole, Horace gets an out-of-town case defending the odd man out in a lover's triangle. Things are looking rather bleak for the client, and Rumpole is not encouraged when he enters court for the first day of the trial and finds She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed sitting on the bench as a guest of the presiding judge. With his wife's help, Rumpole finds his way through to a fabulous victory, and nobody lives happily ever after.

Leo McKern was born to play Rumpole on the stage, and he gives it his all as he reads the stories, but an audiotaped reading is not the best way to enjoy any form of literature. If it is impossible to read the stories or watch McKern on video, this tape will slake your thirst for Rumpole.