Melissa (1974– ) User Reviews

Murder in three acts

[MikeMagi · 8/10 · 18 March 2012]

"Melissa" has the feel of a stylish whodunit at a Shaftbury Avenue theatre -- with a dash of Cornell Woolrich thrown in. Made in a bygone TV era (1974,) the tantalizing mystery unfolds in three acts, largely set in the trendy flats of its principals with only an occasional saunter (to discover a corpse or a clue) into the countryside. At its center is Peter Barkworth as an ex-Fleet Street journalist, currently at liberty, working on a novel. When he gets a phone call from his pretty young wife, Melissa, pleading with him to take a break and join her at a party on Wimbledon Common, he reluctantly accepts. But the only thing on Wimbledon Common that night is her dead body. Barkworth soon discovers that the address she gave him for the "party" doesn't exist, that a neurologist he never met claims to have been treating him for emotional stress and that his late wife's purse has a nasty habit of vanishing and reappearing at awkward times. The result is a clever, thoroughly entertaining mystery, enlivened by strong scripting, surprising twists and solid support from such first-rate British players as Joan Benham, Ronald Fraser and Phillip Voss.

Brilliant 70's BBC drama

[Sleepin_Dragon · 10/10 · 9 August 2015]

Set over three parts, this is a treasure of a drama produced by the BBC back in 1974. From start to finish I will start by saying Peter Barkeworth is utterly outstanding as Guy Foster. A brief outline of the plot, Guy is unable to attend a party with his wife, Melissa, and her friends Paula and Felix Hepburn. Melissa, played by Moira Redmond, appears fairly briefly, as she is found murdered wearing Paula's coat. A wonderful web of mystery and intrigue is spun, as Guy together with the help of Chief Inspector Carter, beautifully portrayed by Philip Voss set out to unravel the mystery, but is guy tied up in his wife's murder. Secrets and red herrings are discovered. Where did Melissa get her money, and what was her relationship with dashing racing driver Don Page? I have loved this murder mystery since I first saw it, and would beg you to watch it if you enjoy a mystery. It does have a slight feeling of a stage play the way it's played out. Joan Benham who plays Paul Hepburn is utterly brilliant, such a socialite, she wears some wonderful outfits, so indicative of the 70's. Ronald Fraser, an actor I absolutely love is wonderful as bungling antique dealer Felix, he and Joan are a wonderful couple. Marcia Ashton's interpretation of Carol Stewart is a little bit over the top and worthy of the stage, but really good fun, and engaging. Melissa is desperately in need of a major remake, along with many other Frances Durbridge dramas. The Channel 4 remake from 1997 was a shambles in comparison, the original story could be wonderfully re-interpreted for today's mass audience.

I'd Forgotten How Good Peter Barkworth Was!!!

[kidboots · 10/10 · 6 October 2013]

Peter Barkworth was an ordinary looking bloke who ofter played harassed, pushed to the edge type of characters but what an amazing actor he was. For a while, in the seventies (with "Melissa" and "Telford's Change") he popped up pretty frequently but it was only rewatching "Melissa" last year that you realise how good Barkworth really was.

After a typical cheesy 70s introductory song - which definitely was not a prelude of things to come, the main characters are introduced. Fussy "silly ass" Felix (Ronald Fraser) and his high society wife Pauline (Joan Benham, acting not much different to her Prue in "Upstairs, Downstairs"), along with Melissa are all set to go to a party but "party pooper" Guy Foster (Barkworth) creates a bit of tension when he refuses to go. He is introduced before he even makes an appearance by the small talk of the others. He is a struggling writer who, despite being unemployed for a year, refuses lucrative job offers because it's not where he's at anymore (1970s lingo)!! Anyway he is left at his typewriter while the others go off but later that night he gets a call from his wife who immediately wants him to meet (at 11pm!!) someone she is sure will further his career. The only person he meets is an ambulance driver taking his wife's body from a car wreck and from then on he is plunged into a nightmare that takes him from narcissist playboy racing driver Don Page to churlish Dr. Swanley to the sleepy town of Elvingdale - always with the question - just who was Melissa and what was her game???

In a refreshing change he is not long considered a suspect and with the help of mild mannered Detective Inspector Carter, together they start unravelling the mystery suspect by suspect. There are a myriad of characters but believe me they all tie up at the end. We watched it all at one sitting (at only 3 one hour episodes it can be done) as the episodes leave you with cliff hanger endings. One of them has Guy in pursuit of a Peter Antrobus, a "would be" lover of Melissa's only to be confronted with a 13 year old boy. And how could she afford jewelry worth thousands of pounds when Guy only gave her 35 pounds to buy them!! All will be revealed in this superlative serial.