User Reviews

Local gangster Brian Gamage ( Nicknamed Brain Damage ) commits a violent crime which means Arthur Daley and his minder Terry McCann have to disappear for a while . So far so good but what lets down this feature length edition of MINDER ( Probably the most entertaining show from ITV in the early 1980s ) is the characterisation . I don't know how many scripts writer Andrew Payne contributed to the series but he seems to have a problem getting the characters of Arthur and Terry correct . The beauty of Arthur Daley is that he's a tight fisted spiv who always ends up getting Terry Mccann into trouble , Terry being a former criminal who is trying to go straight . But this character interaction doesn't translate to MINDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS . Arthur happily buys Terry drinks something he loath to do in the series : " Now Terrance you're working " and we see Terry offer a gangster top dog a fight " Oi do you fancy me or something ? " . Very unlikely that Terry would be so free with his fists from what we've previously seen from him

Where Payne does succeed is when he writes for other characters . Series regular Inspector Chisholm who has made it his life's work to bring Arthur and Terry bang to rights and send them down for a long time arrogantly believes that because he's a copper he's exempt from paying on the Orient Express and hasn't brought any money with him so he ends up in Arthur's debt . Highly unlikely but a very amusing scenario . Payne also manges to bring the other characters to life like this exchange between Ronald Lacey's gross and anorakish train enthusiast and Honor Blackman's prim and proper sardonic passenger

"Just show me a bogey and I'm in heaven "

" Yes I expect you probably are "

A very amusing one off edition of MINDER but one that doesn't capture the essence of the two regulars which leads me to believe that the script wasn't originally written for Arthur and Terry in mind

This is a pure treat for any Minder fan. Nearly 2 hours in the company of Arthur, Terry and other less desirable characters. It's a shame that we see next to nothing of Arthur's selling abilities, but it's still extremely entertaining. There's visual comedy as well as the more subtle and funny one liners from George Cole and Dennis Waterman. Lines such as 'I am of course married....to my wife" and when learning about Terry's trip on the Orient Express: "What do you want tickets to a Chinese takeaway for?", just are magic. Delivered by Cole in such a way that everything goes smoothly. Very funny, very witty, extremely good performances from all cast members. It's brilliant. Chisholm is also a welcome extra.

This film spin off from the brilliant series Minder, is a classic. I have this film on video & DVD and have watched it many times. Brilliant performances from all, especially Cole, Waterman & Malahide (Chisholm). The soundtrack to the film is spot on too. This is an absolute "must have"

This is the pinnacle , you've reached the top ma' san. Awesome script and as funny as ever. I've saved this for 20 years and today the the stars aligned with er' in doors popping art wiv the sprog, so I took my chance. The look on my boat race at the end was priceless 😜 10/10

This was the Christmas Day special of Minder which was shown by ITV. About the same time the BBC broadcast the festive feature length special of Only Fools and Horses.

In the latter, the Trotters went to Amsterdam. Here Terry and Arthur go to Europe on the Orient Express.

Minder on the Orient Express is very much like a feature film. Like those sitcoms in the 1970s that spawned a movie. I actually did wonder if there were initial plans to release this in the cinema.

Although Minder was always shot on film, this is upgraded to better film stock. You have aerial shots of the Orient Express going through London and the English countryside.

The story is Terry helps out a woman called Nikki getting mugged and he gets two tickets on the Orient Express. He plans to take his girlfriend but Arthur connives to invite himself. Arthur is evading the police who are trying to summons him as a witness.

Nikki is the daughter of the notorious London gangster Jack South who died some years ago. Many of the passengers on the train are associated somehow with Jack South.

All of them are after Nikki for some information relating to his criminal proceeds. Detective Sergeant Chisholm turns up on the train as an observer, helping out Interpol as they are after some of the criminal associates of Jack South.

It is very glossy with actors such as Honor Blackman, Adam Faith, Amanda Pays, Maurice Denham. However it is less gritty than the earlier episodes of Minder. It plays out like a farcical version of Murder on the Orient Express.

It loses focus along the way and the story never really gels or is even believable. Even at 90 minutes this feels like a flabby extravaganza. It does have some good lines.

In the ratings war. It was trounced by the boys from Peckham with the vastly superior To Hull and Back.