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The Singing Detective (TV Series)

The Singing Detective

1986

Jon Amiel

Michael Gambon, Patrick Malahide, Janet Suzman, Joanne Whalley ...

7.5

193

TV Series. Film noir. Musical. Thriller Detective novelist Philip Marlow suffers from the crippling disease of psoriatic arthropathy. Confined to a hospital bed, Marlow mentally rewrites his early Chandleresque thriller, "The Singing Detective," with himself in the title role, drifting into a surreal 1945 fantasy of spies and criminals, along with vivid memories of a childhood in the Forest of Dean. As past events and 1940s songs surface in his subconscious, Marlow's voyage ... [+]

	Author	Review
United Kingdom	Stephen Armstrong The Guardian	"Addictive (...) Dennis Potter's masterpiece is 25 years old but still feels avant garde (...) This is one of the best pieces of TV you'll see in your life."	POS
United States	John J. O'Connor The New York Times	"It is an astonishing tour de force (...) 'The Singing Detective' is strong stuff (...) This is not just another serving of television escapism."	POS
United States	Jeremiah Kipp Slant	"Dennis Potter’s brilliant teleplay, Jon Amiel’s precise and humanistic direction, and Michael Gambon’s powerful central performance combine to form something quite profound."	POS
United Kingdom	Caroline Westbrook Empire	"[It] is still as compelling as it was (...) Director Jon Amiel does a terrific job of creating three very different worlds, while the acting is brilliant all round (…) Rating: ★★★★★ (out of 5)"	POS

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