Search - The Beiderbecke Tapes on DVD

EVEN BETTER THAN "THE BEIDERBECKE AFFAIR"

Harold Wolf | Wells, IN United States | 08/05/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"NOW FINALLY available, #2 in Alan Prater's made-for-TV trilogy. This comical "live together" pair have a fun relaxed relationship; better than most married couples. But mystery is in the making when Trevor (James Bolam) receives an audio tape (from John the Barman but intended for Dave the Wimp), which was to be Bix Beiderbecke music, but in reality is a discussion by men plotting the disposal of nuclear waste in the Yorkshire Dales. Dastardly!



Trevor had moved in with colleague, Jill. Headmaster Wheeler calls it co-inhabiting. Disapprovingly! Jill (Barbara Flynn--you'll love her in "Cranford" and "The Forsythe Saga") sees the just need to get to the truth of the tape. Dangerous! The headmaster blackmails the pair into chaperoning the school's student trip to Holland. Despicable!



Thus the action begins, that ends up mysterious, adventurous, a nuclear espionage thriller, but centered around the humorous activity of the amiable couple which occasionally becomes closer. Amorously!



The trail to Amsterdam, Edinburgh, and Yorkshire seeking the secret of the tape leads the pair into a hive of others more ruthlessly desiring the tape. Sounds scary but there's more laughs than fears.



A list of some of the oddball characters in "The Beiderbecke Tapes":

Trevor Chaplin...not quite grown-up shop teacher who slouches, mutters, and needs a haircut, but is a gentleman to Jill

Jill Swinburne...radical environmentalist and English teacher, gutsy & swanky divorcee, male magnet

Mr. Carter...teaches history and laughs at the other's school misfortunes

Mr. Peterson...dubbed 'man with no name', a breaking & entering government man, and 'the neighborhood CIA-KGB'

Mr. Wheeler...the headmaster that NOBODY likes

Sylvia...Oldest Suffragette in town

Pronk...Dutch innkeeper with a terrified Rottweiler

The Ancient Order of Elks from San Diego...seniors touring Europe for action

The Scotch drinking fighting-Scots bagpipe band

Oh, the crazies list is endless...



The wonderful background music, 1920's Bix Beiderbecke jazz style, was nominated for an award. Bonus material is filmographies of Flynn and Bolam.



Sleuthing, scenery, and comedy in one well written package.

"

EXCELLENT FOLLOW-UP

sabu | u.s.a. | 02/27/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"THIS 2ND SET IS SUPERIOR THAN THE 1ST SET AS WE AGAIN FOLLOW THE EXCITING,DRAMATIC AND HUMOROUS ADVENTURES OF THIS PAIR OF "CO-INHABITORS". CAN'T WAIT TO VIEW FINAL SET."