Malice Aforethought

When Malice Aforethought was first published in 1931, it was met with both outrage and acclaim. Written by Anthony Berkeley under the pseudonym Francis Iles, the novel broke all the sacred rules of the Golden Age detective story. Rather than revealing the killer in the final chapter with a grand drawing-room denouement, Berkeley boldly disclosed the identity of the murderer in the opening paragraph. It was a radical departure from convention - one he would repeat in his later psychological thriller, Before the Fact.

But it wasn't just the subversion of narrative structure that marked Malice Aforethought as groundbreaking. Berkeley infused his characters with psychological depth, presenting them not as mere vehicles for plot mechanics, but as fully realised individuals. This emphasis on character over cleverness made the story ripe for adaptation - especially for television, where intimate portrayals can thrive.

That adaptation came in March 1979, produced by the BBC and written by Philip Mackie, who had previously brought Raffles to ITV audiences. Directed by Cyril Coke and produced by the seasoned Richard Beynon, the series brought a faithful and colourful version of the novel to the small screen. The story centres on Doctor Edmund Bickleigh, portrayed by Hywel Bennett, a downtrodden country doctor trapped in a joyless marriage to the domineering Julia (Judy Parfitt). After ten years, their relationship has degenerated into little more than mutual disdain and quiet desperation.

Into Bickleigh’s grey existence comes Madeleine Cranmere (Cheryl Campbell), a vivacious presence who rekindles his desire for love and escape. Their affair gives Bickleigh hope - but when he reveals it to Julia and demands a divorce, she refuses. In a desperate attempt to liberate himself, Bickleigh murders her, carefully orchestrating it to appear as a natural death. But just as he believes he’s free, Madeleine unexpectedly marries another man, Denny Bourne (Christopher Guard), leaving Bickleigh once again isolated.

His subsequent attempts to sever links to the crime - by poisoning Madeleine and her companion William Chatford (David Ashford) - only serve to unravel his schemes. Ironically, it is the seemingly innocuous detail of potted-meat sandwiches that ultimately seals his fate, leading to his arrest and the collapse of his carefully constructed facade.

The 1979 series was lauded for its sharp writing, compelling performances, and faithful rendering of the novel's dark humour and psychological insight. Bennett brought a delicate mix of pathos and menace to the role of Bickleigh, which he described in a 1973 interview with Radio Times as “a bit like a soufflé-a much funnier piece than the subject would suggest.” Supporting performances from Harold Innocent, Briony McRoberts, James Grout, John Woodnutt, and others added further depth to the ensemble.

Despite its quality and reception, this adaptation has never been released on video or DVD and has not been rebroadcast since 1981. In contrast, a later version aired in 2005 on ITV Granada, starring Ben Miller and Megan Dodds, has been made available on DVD.

With its one-in-a-million twist ending and its innovative approach to crime storytelling, Malice Aforethought remains a seminal work in both literary and television crime fiction - a chilling reminder that the most dangerous minds often hide behind the most respectable faces.