Campion:
The Complete Collection
“Coming
to DVD for the first time as
one stunning collection, the celebrated
BBC crime drama Campion stars
Peter Davison (Dr Who, All Creatures
Great And Small) as gentleman
detective Albert Campion who solves
the most perplexing of mysteries in
1930s England...”
ADAPTED FROM MARGERY ALLINGHAM'S incredibly popular crime novels,
Campion: The Complete Collection follows the aristocratic and unorthodox
detective as he unravels all manner of crime and intrigue in this successful
crime drama series.
The bespectacled Albert Campion is ably assisted by his loyal manservant, the
former burglar Maggersfontein Lugg, played by much-loved British character-actor
Brian Glover (Bottom, Porridge) and a vast network of allies —
from policemen to professional criminals —
in his fight against crime.
In one of the most complicated of all Campion's investigations, the elderly
Miss Harriet HuntingForest (Joan Heal) of Pontisbright (pronounced Ponsbury)
arrives home to find an intruder has broken in. Nothing was stolen and from
her description Campion deduces it was Brett Savanake (a menacing Ian Cuthbertson).
At the mansion of his friend Cuffy Randall (David Haig), Campion meets with
Eager Wright (Valentine Pelka) and they discuss Miss HuntingForest —
who owns the old mill at Pontisbright and is related to the Fitton family —
and her burglary.
The Earls of Pontisbright used to be hereditary rulers of Aebera, a small kingdom
on the shores of the Adriatic Sea where an earthquake brought about a natural
harbour and the discovery of oil. The last earl was killed in the Crimean War
and the Fittons tried to lay claim to the title some years ago —
there was a crown, a set of deeds drawn up and signed by Henry IV and, in 1815,
the 15th Earl was secretly backed to reinforce his title to the kingdom and
money changed hands. A receipt, decides Campion, must exist for it somewhere
and it could be that the thief was after it. Just the sort of thing that multi-millionaire
Savanake —
a thorn in the government's side —
would be interested in.
When Campion reaches Pontisbright, he meets Miss HuntingForest and her family
—
the kittenish Amanda Fitton (Lysette Anthony), her sister Mary Fitton (Sally
Spencer-Harris) and young Hal Fitton (Christopher Haley). Campion is told that
they are desperate for money which is why they take in "PGs" —
paying guests. But how does Peaky Doyle (Barry Summerford) fit into the plot?
The HuntingForest burglary is full of intriguing twists and turns and also features
Richard Pearson as Dr Galley and Frank Mills as Scatty Williams.
Developed for television by John Hawkesworth, the series sees Campion pursue
the perpetrators of foul play in 1930s stately homes throughout the series,
which has some highly amusing tricks up its sleeve. The atmospheric music is
composed and conducted by Nigel Hess.
• The
perfect set for budding super-sleuths and armchair detectives, Campion: The
Complete Collection is presented in one spectacular set and contains every
feature-length episode of the well-loved detective drama. Released on 12 May
(2008), courtesy of Acorn Media, with a total running time of 800 minutes. The
four-disc set costs £29.99. Catalogue No: AV9903.
DVD Extras include: Cast Filmographies | A Margery Allingham Biography and Bibliography
and Picture Galleries.
