Murder Ain't What it Used to Be
Encyclopedia
Murder Ain't What it Used to Be is the seventh episode
of the popular 1969 ITC
British
television series Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)
starring Mike Pratt, Kenneth Cope
and Annette Andre
. The episode was first broadcast on 2 November 1969 on ITV
. Directed by Jeremy Summers
.
from New York
to attend to "business" in London
. Behind most of the rackets in Chicago
, he hires Jeff to protect his daughter from any of his enemies whilst in London. However, Kirstner is being haunted by the white suited Bugsy "Smiler" Spanio (closely modelled on Al Capone
), a man he double-crossed and murdered after they stole a million dollars worth of alcohol
before they ended Prohibition
. Knowing that Jeff is being hired by Kirstner, Bugsy contacts Marty and begins to terrorise Jeannie unless Jeff kills Kirstner for him. His trademark cigar
, white hat and raucous laughter is stereotypical of a Chicago
gangster
of the 1920s, and he appears in the mirror several times to taunt Jeannie as she is taking care of her appearance.
With Jeff constantly stalling, Bugsy changes his tactics and asks Jeff to dial a number on the telephone
and tell the person on the other end that if there are any messages for Kirstner then he's with his daughter. Unbeknownst to Jeff, the man on the other end of the line is Jack Lacey, a rival criminal who also wants Kirstner dead. Lacey and his henchmen arrive at Kirstner's retreat, and they force entry and wait for Paul Kirstner to return at night fall. Shortly before he arrives, Jeff encourages Marty to make Bugsy mad by hitting him and throwing objects at him, so that Bugsy's attack on the property will distract Lacey and his armed henchman. After he does so, Kirstner arrives and gains the upper hand of the surprised enemies and leads them both outside in the dark to be murdered, planting a gun on Lacey and telling him he'll claim to the police it was self-defence. However, Kirstner is distracted by the ghost Bugsy, that only he can see and he finally gets his revenge on Kirstner by allowing Lacey to kill him.
are brought up several times this episode, particularly with Jeff who initially refuses to work for crime boss at least until heavy cash is pressed into his hand and he scolds Marty for suggesting Jeannie would sleep with another man. Jeff later justifies working for Kirstner by telling Jeannie that it's due to "extenuating circumstances" (referring to Bugsy threatening Jeannie's life) and seemingly believing it. This is an example of Jeff deluding himself in order to ease his guilty conscience.
In this episode with the appearance of another ghost, it is learned that ghosts can touch each other, and it appears that they can literally share memories, as Marty is taken into a 1920s black-and-white flashback by Bugsy. Marty is also seen to move a vase by telekinesis and can manipulate objects, such as a cigar
, a machine gun
and a hat. It also appears that he is connected psychically with Jeannie when he hears her scream in her apartment
.
Also for the first time since the debut episode, the effect of ghosts on the room atmosphere is commented on, with Paul Kirstner's sister Aunt Maddox complaining "it has turned cold" when Bugsy appears.
Episode
An episode is a part of a dramatic work such as a serial television or radio program. An episode is a part of a sequence of a body of work, akin to a chapter of a book. The term sometimes applies to works based on other forms of mass media as well, as in Star Wars...
of the popular 1969 ITC
ITC Entertainment
The Incorporated Television Company was a British television company largely involved in production and distribution. It was founded by Lew Grade.-History:...
British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
television series Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)
Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)
Randall and Hopkirk , first transmitted during 1969-70, is a British private detective television series starring Mike Pratt and Kenneth Cope as the private detectives Jeff Randall and Marty Hopkirk, respectively. The series was originally created by Dennis Spooner and produced by Monty Berman...
starring Mike Pratt, Kenneth Cope
Kenneth Cope
Kenneth Cope is an English actor. He is most famous for his roles as Marty Hopkirk in Randall and Hopkirk , Jed Stone in Coronation Street and Ray Hilton in Brookside.- Career :...
and Annette Andre
Annette Andre
Annette Andre is an Australian actress best known for her work on British television throughout the 1960s and 1970s. She was educated at Brigidine College, Sydney. Her father was an upholsterer....
. The episode was first broadcast on 2 November 1969 on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
. Directed by Jeremy Summers
Jeremy Summers
Jeremy Summers is a retired British television director and film director, best known for his directorship of ITC productions in the 1960s and 1970s, most notably The Saint.-Background:...
.
Synopsis
Crime boss Paul Kirstner flies over to EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to attend to "business" in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Behind most of the rackets in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, he hires Jeff to protect his daughter from any of his enemies whilst in London. However, Kirstner is being haunted by the white suited Bugsy "Smiler" Spanio (closely modelled on Al Capone
Al Capone
Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone was an American gangster who led a Prohibition-era crime syndicate. The Chicago Outfit, which subsequently became known as the "Capones", was dedicated to smuggling and bootlegging liquor, and other illegal activities such as prostitution, in Chicago from the early...
), a man he double-crossed and murdered after they stole a million dollars worth of alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
before they ended Prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
. Knowing that Jeff is being hired by Kirstner, Bugsy contacts Marty and begins to terrorise Jeannie unless Jeff kills Kirstner for him. His trademark cigar
Cigar
A cigar is a tightly-rolled bundle of dried and fermented tobacco that is ignited so that its smoke may be drawn into the mouth. Cigar tobacco is grown in significant quantities in Brazil, Cameroon, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Indonesia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Philippines, and the Eastern...
, white hat and raucous laughter is stereotypical of a Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
gangster
Gangster
A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Some gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from mob and the suffix -ster....
of the 1920s, and he appears in the mirror several times to taunt Jeannie as she is taking care of her appearance.
With Jeff constantly stalling, Bugsy changes his tactics and asks Jeff to dial a number on the telephone
Telephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
and tell the person on the other end that if there are any messages for Kirstner then he's with his daughter. Unbeknownst to Jeff, the man on the other end of the line is Jack Lacey, a rival criminal who also wants Kirstner dead. Lacey and his henchmen arrive at Kirstner's retreat, and they force entry and wait for Paul Kirstner to return at night fall. Shortly before he arrives, Jeff encourages Marty to make Bugsy mad by hitting him and throwing objects at him, so that Bugsy's attack on the property will distract Lacey and his armed henchman. After he does so, Kirstner arrives and gains the upper hand of the surprised enemies and leads them both outside in the dark to be murdered, planting a gun on Lacey and telling him he'll claim to the police it was self-defence. However, Kirstner is distracted by the ghost Bugsy, that only he can see and he finally gets his revenge on Kirstner by allowing Lacey to kill him.
Overview
Themes of moralityMorality
Morality is the differentiation among intentions, decisions, and actions between those that are good and bad . A moral code is a system of morality and a moral is any one practice or teaching within a moral code...
are brought up several times this episode, particularly with Jeff who initially refuses to work for crime boss at least until heavy cash is pressed into his hand and he scolds Marty for suggesting Jeannie would sleep with another man. Jeff later justifies working for Kirstner by telling Jeannie that it's due to "extenuating circumstances" (referring to Bugsy threatening Jeannie's life) and seemingly believing it. This is an example of Jeff deluding himself in order to ease his guilty conscience.
In this episode with the appearance of another ghost, it is learned that ghosts can touch each other, and it appears that they can literally share memories, as Marty is taken into a 1920s black-and-white flashback by Bugsy. Marty is also seen to move a vase by telekinesis and can manipulate objects, such as a cigar
Cigar
A cigar is a tightly-rolled bundle of dried and fermented tobacco that is ignited so that its smoke may be drawn into the mouth. Cigar tobacco is grown in significant quantities in Brazil, Cameroon, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Indonesia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Philippines, and the Eastern...
, a machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
and a hat. It also appears that he is connected psychically with Jeannie when he hears her scream in her apartment
Apartment
An apartment or flat is a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building...
.
Also for the first time since the debut episode, the effect of ghosts on the room atmosphere is commented on, with Paul Kirstner's sister Aunt Maddox complaining "it has turned cold" when Bugsy appears.
Cast
- Mike Pratt as Jeff Randall
- Kenneth CopeKenneth CopeKenneth Cope is an English actor. He is most famous for his roles as Marty Hopkirk in Randall and Hopkirk , Jed Stone in Coronation Street and Ray Hilton in Brookside.- Career :...
as Marty Hopkirk - Annette AndreAnnette AndreAnnette Andre is an Australian actress best known for her work on British television throughout the 1960s and 1970s. She was educated at Brigidine College, Sydney. Her father was an upholsterer....
as Jeannie Hopkirk
- Raymond Adamson .... Jack Lacey
- Joyce CareyJoyce CareyJoyce Carey, OBE was a British actress, best known for her long professional and personal relationship with Noël Coward. Her stage career lasted from 1916 until 1984, and she was performing on television in her nineties. Though never a star, she was a familiar face both on stage and screen...
.... Mrs. Maddox - Patrick Connor .... Harry
- Sue Gerrard .... Susan Kirstner
- Alan GiffordAlan Gifford-Selected filmography:* The Kangaroo Kid * A Yank in Ermine * The Flying Scot * Visa to Canton * Town Without Pity * Carry on Cowboy * Only When I Larf * Phase Four...
.... Paul Kirstner - David HealyDavid Healy (actor)David Healy was an American-born actor who starred in many British and American television shows. His credits include voices for the Supermarionation series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, Joe 90 and The Secret Service, as well as parts in UFO, The Troubleshooters, Randall and Hopkirk , Space...
.... Bugsy Spanio - Charles LambCharles Lamb (actor)Charles Lamb was a British film and television actor.His longest role was as Mrs Dale's gardener, Monument, in the radio soap opera Mrs Dale's Diary.-Selected filmography:* Once a Crook...
.... Hotel Porter