Prime Suspect (1991) (TV)

Director:

Christopher Menaul

Writer:

Lynda La Plante (written by)

Release Date:

23 January 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

A female police detective investigates a series of serial murders while dealing with sexist hostility from her male comrades.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Investigation | Suspect | Prime Suspect | Murder Investigation

Awards:

11 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Helen Mirren	...	DCI Jane Tennison
Tom Bell	...	DS Bill Otley
John Benfield	...	DCS Michael Kernan
John Bowe	...	George Marlow
Zoë Wanamaker	...	Moyra Henson
Bryan Pringle	...	Felix Norman
Tom Wilkinson	...	Peter Rawlins
John Forgeham	...	DCI John Shefford
Gary Whelan	...	DS Terry Amson
Jack Ellis	...	DI Tony Muddyman
Craig Fairbrass	...	D.I. Frank Burkin
Ian Fitzgibbon	...	DC Jones
Mossie Smith	...	WPC Maureen Havers
Philip Wright	...	DC Lillie
Andrew Tiernan	...	DC Rosper

Also Known As:

Mobil Masterpiece Theatre: Prime Suspect (USA) (pre-release title)
Prime Suspect 1
Prime Suspect 1: A Price to Pay (Europe) (DVD title)

Runtime:

207 min (2 parts)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M | UK:18 | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-15

Filming Locations:

Covent Garden, London, England, UK

Company:

Granada Television

Trivia:

Lynda La Plante made this film after watching reality-TV crime shows. After calling Scotland Yard and learning that there were only four female DCIs, she interviewed one of them (Jackie Malton), who impressed her so much that La Plante decided to base the plot on Malton's experiences during her career.

Quotes:

[Searching Moyra Henson's house]
DI Frank Burkin: Where's your bathroom?
Moyra Henson: [voice] This is harrassment you know! You've already been here two days on the trot! What are you looking for this time? I've got an appointment to keep you know!
[Moyra comes into camera view]
Moyra Henson: How long are you going to be this time?
[Frank picks up her laundry basket]
Moyra Henson: And you can put that laundry back, sonny! Unless your a perverted crotch sniffer. Those are my dirty knickers! And I know how many there are!
DCI Jane Tennison: How'd you feel about your boyfriend picking up prostitutes?
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Drama Connections: Prime Suspect (#1.6)" (2005)

Excellent show

Detective Chief Inspector Jane Tennison (Helen Mirren) is in charge of the investigation to uncover a serial killer who rapes, tortures, and brutally murders prostitutes in London. Tennison is put in charge after one of her fellow DCIs has a heart attack and dies. She inherits the murder case and soon comes across the connected second murder. If trying to solve not one but two rape-murder cases is not enough, Jane's work is complicated by the hostility of her staff. The members of the male-dominated police department feel humiliated and have problems following the orders of the female boss, no matter how intelligent, tough, organized, and fit for the position she is. Tennison's obsession with the cases and fighting for credibility and respect from her colleagues don't help to her relationship with the boyfriend Peter Rawlins (Tom Wilkinson), either. Helen Mirren is superb as DCI Tennison playing the character that is sympathetic, tough, vulnerable, bright, very clever, and sexy - all at the same time. Mirren was voted the sexiest 60+ star in the world few months ago. I think she's been always incredibly attractive and desirable - and always will be. She definitely lit the screen at 46, in her first season of "Prime Suspect" (1991). Creator of the show, Lynda La Plante wrote the story that ranks among the best police procedures and it is terrific - complex, dynamic, with unexpected turns, and interesting multidimensional characters. Ralph Fiennes played one of his first roles as a boyfriend of a murdered girl and he was memorable in a very emotional scene opposite Mirren. I look forward for more DVDs with the rest of the seasons coming from Netflix.