Harm Done
2000: Adapted by Christopher Russell from the Ruth Rendell novel.
Wexford is investigating the disappearance of a teenage girl when she suddenly turns up, unharmed. Meanwhile, news that a convicted paedophile is being released into the community causes unrest in Kingsmarkham. Then, when the three-year-old daughter of a local businessman vanishes, the crowd takes matters into its own hands… Continue reading →
Background: Harm Done was filmed in April 2000 at Bray Studios and at RAF Northolt on the outskirts of London. The producers enlisted the help of the Hampshire Constabulary who ensured that the police incident room and press conference looked as realistic as possible. They set up dummy Police National Computer pages and provided the press releases and the press conference backdrop for a crucial scene in the film.
George Baker: “The story is really about abuse, not only the abuse of children but also the abuse of a wife by her husband, and the hurt caused to children and family. It also addresses the prejudice caused by misunderstanding the nature of an abuser. It’s a very cleverly interwoven plot and I believe Ruth Rendell is making something of a political statement. She’s bringing up something that should be addressed by society as a whole, even though some people might prefer to push it under the carpet.”
Audio Clip: “And the police have nothing to be proud of”
Audio Clip: “And the police have nothing to be proud of”
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Cast and Crew
- DCI Wexford
- GEORGE BAKER
- DI Burden
- CHRISTOPHER RAVENSCROFT
- Dora Wexford
- LOUIE RAMSAY
- Jenny Burden
- DIANE KEEN
- Colin Crowne
- RUSSELL MABEY
- Debbie Crowne
- ANNETTE BENTLEY
- Stephen Devenish
- SIMON SHEPHERD
- Fay Devenish
- CLARE HOLMAN
- Sanchia Devenish
- SCARLETT JENKINS
- Edward Devenish
- NICK ROBINSON
- Robert Devenish
- ELLIOT HENDERSON-BOYLE
- DS Vine
- MATTHEW MILLS
- Lizzie Crowne
- STACEY HART
- Sylvia
- CHARON BOURKE
- Brenda Boswell
- EVE BLAND
- Carl Meeks
- RAYMOND TRICKETT
- Trevor Ferry
- IAN BARTHOLOMEW
- Gillian Ferry
- SUSIE BAXTER
- Suzanne Smith
- CAROL HARVEY
- DS Malahyde
- SASHA MITCHELL
- Thomas Smith
- BRYAN PRINGLE
- Moira Wingrave
- SARAH BADEL
- Vicky
- RUTH MITCHELL
- Jerry
- KEITH NEWBY
- Jane Andrews
- SIAN WEBBER
- Tracey Miller
- REBECCA MANLEY
- Pathologist
- BEE JAYE
- Casting Director
- DOREEN JONES
- Casting Assistant
- HELEN BENGER
- Associate Producer
- GRAEME MacARTHUR
- Script Supervisor
- MARISSA COWELL
- Ist AD
- PAUL JUDGES
- Location Manager
- PETER CHADWICK
- Art Directors
- PAUL COWELL
VICTORIA NELSON - Set Designer
- PAUL CRIPS
- Production Buyer
- GRAHAM CURTIS
- Camera Operator
- JOHN HEMBROUGH
- Focus Puller
- IAN CLARK
- Key Grip
- DOUG NEWTON
- Gaffer Electrician
- JOHN DONAHUE
- Sound Recordist
- RUDI BUCKLE
- Boom Operator
- JOHN CASSALI
- Dubbing Editors
- MARK LAWES
JAMIE CAPEL - Dubbing Mixer
- BILLY MAHONEY
- Costume Designer
- JAN COLLINS
- Make Up Designers
- TONI LEE
DEBBIE McKINLEY - Stunt Co-ordinator
- NICK POWELL
- Production Designer
- CHRISTINE RUSCOE
- Director of Photograghy
- ALAN M TROW BSC
- Film Editor
- CHRISTOPHER WENTZELL
- Executive Producers
- CHRISTINE BENSON
GRAHAM BENSON - Producer
- NEIL ZEIGER
- Directed by
- BRUCE MacDONALD
- A Blue Heaven Production for United Productions
- MERIDIAN BROADCASTING
Principle Characters
Harm Done
Lizzie Crowne (Stacey Hart) - a sixteen-year-old with learning difficulties - sparks an extensive search when she goes missing from her home on the run-down Muriel Campden Estate. When Lizzie reappears, unharmed, she tells the police an unlikely story of how she was abducted and then taken to a boarded-up house where she was forced to do housework by a woman called Vicky (Ruth Mitchell). Then, when another young woman is kidnapped, DS Karen Malahyde (Sasha Mitchell) defies Wexford’s orders and sets out to catch the perpetrator.
The Muriel Campden Estate residents are enraged when Thomas Smith (Bryan Pringle), a notorious paedophile is released from jail and comes to live on the estate with his daughter (Carol Harvey). Tensions mount into a full scale riot when gossip spreads that several children have been abducted.
Stephen and Fay Devenish are a wealthy young couple who live with their three children on Kingsmarkham’s equivalent of millionaires row. One morning, Stephen Devenish (Simon Shepherd) wakes to find that their youngest child - three-year-old Sanchia - is missing. Suspicion falls upon Trevor Ferry (Ian Bartholomew), Devenish’s disgruntled former employee who now lives in reduced circumstances on the Muriel Campden Estate.
Wexford is uneasy about the controlling relationship Stephen Devenish appears to have with his vulnerable wife Fay (Clare Holman). He consults his daughter, Sylvia (Charon Bourke) who now works at The Hide, a refuge in Kingsmarkham for victims of domestic violence. Sylvia’s insights into the relationship help Wexford solve the mystery of Sanchia’s disappearance but will he be able to help the Devenish family before more harm is done?
Background notes | Cast & crew »
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