DVD Review: The Helen West Casebook: Connor Mullen, Amanda Lee Burton: Movies & TV

Aug19

DVD Review: The Helen West Casebook: Connor Mullen, Amanda Lee Burton: Movies & TV

Posted by admin | on 19 August, 04:21 AM

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Steely-eyed Amanda Burton, star of Silent Witness and The Commander, also takes the lead in Helen West as a prosecuting attorney juggling emotionally draining cases and a tension-filled relationship with policeman Geoffrey Bailey (Conor Mullen, Island at War). Though it’s easy to see why this series only ran for three roughly 90-minute episodes–West lacks the quirks or the private crises that make for a distinctive character–it’s a shame these intriguingly plotted stories didn’t strike more of a nerve. Each episode skips lightly through a variety of seemingly incidental characters, gradually drawing the threads together into a compelling climactic knot. In the first, Deep Sleep, West finds the presence of chloroform in a dead woman’s bloodstream reason enough to buck her superior’s instruction to lay the case to rest–particularly since the woman’s husband is a pharmacist. Just as significant as the murder is the custody struggle between the pharmacist’s assistant and a hot-tempered cop. Shadow Play follows a man seemingly cursed by his creepy appearance, West’s promiscuous young clerk Rose, missing files at the law office, and Bailey’s flirtation with another woman; in fact, it’s not until over an hour into the episode that it’s even clear what mystery is being solved. Yet, the well-written and well-acted story is completely engaging. The final episode, A Clear Conscience, weaves in a buried knife, an eccentric young girl, a murdered boxer, domestic abuse, and the possible collapse of West and Bailey’s relationship. Again, the murder almost seems like a subplot until the script skillfully pulls everything together in the end. The excellent supporting cast includes Martin Freeman (the British version of The Office) and Nicholas Woodeson (Rome). Based on the novels of practicing attorney Frances Fyfield. –Bret Fetzer

Product Description

Based on the bestselling suspense novels by Frances Fyfield

She’s a workaholic lawyer with a conscience and a messy personal life. As a crown prosecutor, Helen West deals with domestic abuse, sexual molestation, and murder. Driven by a strong sense of justice and compassion, she pursues cases even when her boss insists she drop them and goes out of her way to offer victims a helping hand. Although she’s determined to right the wrongs in others’ lives, her own personal affairs could use some work, particularly her relationship with handsome policeman Geoffrey Bailey (Conor Mullen, Reckless, Holby City).

Amanda Burton (The Commander, Silent Witness) stars in three suspenseful, sophisticated feature-length dramas based on the acclaimed novels by former crown prosecutor Frances Fyfield.

Also starring Nicholas Woodeson (Rome), Anthony Howell (Foyle’s War), Dermot Crowley (Bleak House), and Rita Tushingham (The Knack, Dr. Zhivago).

DVD FEATURES INCLUDE biographies of star Amanda Burton and author Frances Fyfield.

A CRUSTY, ROMANTIC, LAWYER–A LAWYER YOU CAN LOVE,

By Harold Wolf “Doc” (Wells, IN United States) -
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)

“The HELEN WEST CASEBOOK” is a set of 3 full-length TV crime/mystery dramas with each episode simultaneously mixing person, professional, & romantic lives. Police crime fighting, prosecution, and after-office hours are packed into this British collection.

Frances Fyfield, English lawyer/author, worked for the Crown Prosecution Service and wrote the suspense book series “Helen West Novels”. The main character, Helen West, mimics the author’s life as a CPS lawyer and romance addict. Is it based on Fyfield’s own life and crime vocation?

Amanda Burton plays Helen West in the DVD set. She works in the office of Crime Prosecution Service as a Crown Prosecutor. She’s beautiful, a fanatic at law work, a raucous lover, sassy, tactfully insubordinate, and bent on justice. She’s a women’s libber that men could drool over–and they do. Burton wins awards with this type of character. See BURTON also in “THE COMMANDER SET 1″, another recommended DVD set (see my review.)

One of my favorite lines is Miss West brushing off her amorous police beau, “You’re adorable, and so is a large donkey.” Later he responds, “Could we not just be good lovers?” Marriage potential?

Vol 1. DEEP SLEEP is 93 min. (Adapted novel was published in 1991)
A death turns to murder since the victim could not have administered the final lethal dose of chloroform herself. CPS lawyer West seeks new evidence against her significant-other/lover/partner’s suggestion to “forget it.” Lover, ‘copper’ beau, police Chief Supt. Geoffrey Bailey, is played by Conor Mullen.
Other regulars introduced in this first story are CPS boss Brian Redwood (Nicholas Woodeson) and Dinsdale Cotton (Anthony Howell) a lawyer office romantic want-to-be toward West.

Vol 2. SHADOW PLAY is 98 min. (Adapted from a 1993 novel by same title)
A low-class man, Lycett (Robert Pugh), looks for his child, Ernie, (a 10-yr search) while continually getting arrested as a pervert. West has her frisky relationship with cop Goeffrey escalating. Miss West’s clerk, Rose Darvey (Jessica Dyelowo), is “working” her way through the police force causing fights among “the boys”. West is instructed to “have a talk with her.” They connect after both test negative for possible pregnancy.
There is a surprise, suspenseful conclusion you’ll enjoy.

Vol 3. A CLEAR CONSCIENCE is 98 min. (Adapted book from 1994)
West’s apartment spring cleaner can also help paint the planned redecoration. West and Chief Sgt. Bailey have cooled a bit. Troublesome cases at work. Bailey’s incomplete murder case may have a connection to West’s cleaning lady, Cath (Lynda Steadman.)
Again police investigation, lawyer cases, romances, and secrets go spinning like tops, bouncing against each other. One plot rubs against another till they fuse together to a climax. Good mystery stuff.

Extras: Burton and Fyfield bios. No subtitles for the dialect challenged or CC for the hearing impaired. Not for wee lads & lassies: violence, blood, and those semi-graphic ‘romantic activity’ situations.
Just really good crime, mystery, romance, police, and yes, lawyer drama.

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