An Unkindness of Ravens
1990: Adapted by Robert Smith from the Ruth Rendell novel.
DCI Wexford believes that the disappearance of Rodney Williams is a simple case of a husband who has run off with another woman. But when his body is discovered, buried in a wood, investigations reveal the victim’s amazing double life… Continue reading →
Background: Ruth Rendell was criticised for her portrayal of militant feminist group ARRIA: “I had a go at dotty-militant feminism. I have sympathy and support for feminism - if you’re a woman you must be a feminist - but at the time there were women who didn’t want anything to do with men. They wanted them to die out and to use sperm banks. I was described by one women’s magazine as the greatest anti-feminist since Dashiell Hammett.”
Audio Clip: “It’s a mean little house…”
Audio Clip: “It’s a mean little house…”
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Cast and Crew
- DCI Wexford
- GEORGE BAKER
- DI Burden
- CHRISTOPHER RAVENSCROFT
- Dora Wexford
- LOUIE RAMSAY
- Jenny Burden
- DIANE KEEN
- DS Martin
- KEN KITSON
- Sheila Wexford
- DEBORAH POPLETT
- Sylvia Fairfax
- CHARON BOURKE
- Edgar Ovington
- OWEN SCOTT
- Dr Len Crocker
- JOHN BURGESS
- Sara Williams
- KAREN WESTWOOD
- Jane Gardner
- CHLOE ANNETT
- Pat Burden
- EMMA SMITH
- Helen Blake
- NATASCHA TAYLOR
- Miles Gardner
- SIDNEY LIVINGSTONE
- Rodney Williams
- JAMES SNELL
- Paulette Harmer
- RACHEL ROBERTSON
- Colin Budd
- GARY MAVERS
- Edwina Fitzgerald
- JUDITH PARIS
- Wendy Williams
- CHERYL PRIME
- Joy Williams
- NORMA WEST
- Kevin Williams
- BRIAN MITCHEL
- John Harmer
- BRIAN SMITH
- Parson
- TIM MEATS
- Veronica
- IMOGEN BOORMAN
- Script Executive
- CORINNE CARTIER
- Original music composed by
- BRIAN BENNETT
- Casting Director
- DOREEN JONES
- Production Manager
- GRAEME MacARTHUR
- Location Manager
- IAN STRACHAN
- 1st Assistant Director
- JON OLDER
- P.A./Continuity
- SHAN PROSSER
- Stage Manager
- MIKE FISHER
- Production Secretary
- THERESA SMITH
- Graphic Designer
- JOHN HAMON
- Costume Designer
- JAN COLLINS
- Make Up Supervisor
- DEBORAH McKINLEY
- Production Buyer
- GRAHAM CURTIS
- Dubbing Mixer
- TONY CUNNINGHAM
- Dubbing Editor
- PETER DANSIE
- Sound Recordist
- MAURICE HILLIER
- Camera Operator
- JULIAN BARBER
- FIlm Editor
- NIGEL BATE
- Lighting Cameraman
- DAVID FEIG
- Designer
- CHRISTINE RUSCOE
- Executive Producer
- GRAHAM BENSON
- Producer
- NEIL ZEIGER
- Directed by
- JOHN GORRIE
- A Television South Production
Principle Characters
An Unkindness of Ravens
Rodney Williams (James Snell) - a middle-aged sales rep with a taste for teenage girls - is exposed as a bigamist when his disappearance is reported by two women, both claiming to be his wife. Joy Williams (Norma West) is Rodney’s first wife. Joy is a miserable woman who shows little interest in Sara, the couple’s academically gifted daughter. Sara Williams (Karen Westwood) is a member of the ultra-feminist group Arria and plans to study at medical school.
Wendy Williams (Cheryl Prime) is the younger, second wife. She married Williams at sixteen and has a teenage daughter by him. Wendy is convinced that Rodney was involved with another young woman. Both wives deny having any knowledge of the other’s existence.
The search for the missing man becomes a murder investigation when Rodney’s body is discovered buried in a shallow grave. Several sets of fingerprints, including those of his daughters, his niece Paulette (Rachel Robertson) and Jane (Chloe Annett) - the daughter of his employer - are found on his abandoned car. Paulette goes missing soon after Rodney’s funeral and Colin Budd (Gary Mavers) - a car-mechanic - is suspected of being involved in her disappearance.
Background notes | Cast & crew »
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