Anthony Higgins in 2000s
2009
Law and Order: UK
Season 1, Episode 5
Buried
"Law and Order: UK " has nothing new in its plots, just a spirit of the place. Everywhere in the world, even in my country, "Law and Order" is on as if nothing was changed with rewriting the scripts for a new ground. "Buried" is a copy of the USA second season original episode, and the changes are small, too.
In short, the plot is: The skeleton of a boy was found in a basement of an old house. DS Ronnie Brooks and Matt Delvin are on their way to solve the mystery and find a real murderer, who killed the boy many years ago but a frank confession will not soften the penalty.
Twenty five years ago a publisher and an author of some children's books, Ralph Drake, was accused in the disappearance of a boy but, as police had no clues against him, they let him go. That time his name was Edward Connor and he was a volunteer at a church youth group. There was evidence he was the last person who saw the boy, so, he could have done it. But he did not. Connor spent the time the boy was killed with his lover, who was married. As a man of honor, he couldn't tell the police, where he was and who he was with that night, so he had troubles - police officer tried to get a confession by fists, but could get nothing. Later Connor got compensation. Homophobia plus police brutality was a common thing at that time. Truly, in our time, it's still the same.
Anthony Higgins delineates the tragic character of Edward Connor with deep seriousness. In this person you can find intelligence, sarcasm and an interesting story of a long and emasculated life.
At the end of the episode the Justice rejoices the Victory - the real murderer tells the truth but nobody is happy. Ed Connor meets this confession with applause. The weight of the charge had fallen but didn't bring the sense of relief to his soul. Only when this character leaves the court under the cold autumn rain, is his relief expressed with tears. The period of his living in constant tension is over, he has remission from his old sins and can stop blaming himself for things he couldn't foresee. Now, he can smoke his cigar and try to be happy.
In sum - good work.
P.S. In 2008 violet was extremely in fashion, and as the shooting of the episode was in autumn of that year, Anthony Higgins' character is dressed in violet shirts. In the last scene he appears in a warm, green raincoat with a red scarf © he is the one and only bright spot on a dull street. You can think his dresser was color-blind and decided these two things are gray, or maybe, the costume designer believes all gays dress like traffic lights. These ideas are funny. Maybe it's just a clever stroke?
P.P.S. This the third time Anthony Higgins plays gay character. Previous were "Something for Everyone" (1970) and "Alive and Kicking" (1996).
;)
