A Taste for Death
DVD Cover
Main Cast
Character
Actor
Commander Adam Dalgliesh
Roy Marsden
Lady Ursula Berowne
Wendy Hiller
Lady Barbara Berowne
Fiona Fullerton
Inspector Kate Miskin
Penny Downie
Emily Wharton
Avril Elgar
Father Francis Barnes
Oliver Ford Davies
Stephen Lampart
Simon Ward
Sir Paul Berowne
Bosco Hogan
Dominic Swayne
Matthew Marsh
Sarah Berowne
Kate Buffery
A Taste for Death is a 1988 British detective 6-part mini series adapted from the 1986 novel by P.D. James and starring Roy Marsden as Adam Dalgliesh, detective of the Scotland Yard and talented poet. In A Taste for Death , Dalgliesh investigates the death of recently resigned Government Minister Sir Paul Berowne who is found murdered or complited suicide in a chirch.
A Taste for Death is the fifth installment in 1980s-1990s series starring Roy Marsden as Dalgliesh. The novel is also adapted into an episode of the Season 1 of Dalgliesh 2020s TV series.
The following weapons were used in the miniseries A Taste for Death :
Error creating thumbnail: File missing WARNING! THIS PAGE CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS!!!
Pistols
Smith & Wesson 39
In the final scene Dominic Swayne (Matthew Marsh ), Sir Paul's brother-in-law, holds a Smith & Wesson 39 pistol. The pistol is a model 39-2 with plain hammer.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Smith & Wesson 39-2 with plain hammer - 9x19mm
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Dominic Swayne, pretending to be a Special Branch detective, shows the pistol to young Darren Wilkes (Tat Whalley). Two screws in the frame below the barrel are supposed to be a part of deactivating of the pistol.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Swayne unloads the pistol before letting Darren hold the gun. The single stack magazine is seen.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Swayne takes the pistol back and inserts the magazine.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A view from the muzzle.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Swayne takes Inspector Kate Miskin's grandmother as hostage.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Swayne orders Kate Miskin to organise an escape for him.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A decent view of the pistol.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Kate Miskin manages to kick the pistol off Swayne's hand.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing When the pistol fires during the brawl, the spent cartridge is seen in the midair. Possibly a different gun is used in this scene, as the deactivated pistol cannot fire even blanks.
Unidentified pistols
During the hostage scene, several police detectives are armed with pistols that are seen mostly briefly.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A plainclothes officer at the far left holds a pistol.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Another officer holds an M1911 style pistol.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing An officer holds his pistol at Swayne's head.
Shotguns
Mossberg 500
One of the officers of the firearms unit is armed with a Mossberg 500 pump action shotgun. The shotgun has rifle front sight.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Mossberg 500AT Shotgun - 12 gauge. Note the wood furniture.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing An officer with a shotgun goes up the stairs.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing The pump is seen.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Despite the blurry view, it can be seen that the shotgun has rifle front sight.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Another view of the shotgun.
Rifles and Assault Rifles
Heckler & Koch HK33
During the hostage scene, several officers of the firearms unit are armed with Heckler & Koch HK33 assault rifles, some fitted with sniper scopes.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Heckler & Koch HK33A2 with 25-round magazine - 5.56x45mm
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A uniformed officer at the background right holds a HK33 with a 25-round magazine.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing
Error creating thumbnail: File missing A plainclothes detective holds a HK33 with a sniper scope.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing The same officer at the doors of Kate Miskin's apartments.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing The barrel with the flash hider is seen.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing The sniper scope on the HK33 is seen.
Ruger Mini-14
What is supposed to be a Ruger Mini-14 , fitted with long flash hider, is partially seen in the same hostage scene.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Blued Ruger Mini-14 Standard Model Semiautomatic Rifle (Pre-2005) with 30 round magazine - 5.56x45mm
Error creating thumbnail: File missing An officer with a supposed Mini-14 goes up the stairs.
Sniper rifles
Some more officers carry sniper rifles of unclear models.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing The barrel of a rifle is seen at the foreground. Judging by the shape of the front sight, this is a .22 sporting rifle, possibly some Anschütz model.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing An officer holds a bolt action rifle at the doors of Kate Miskin's apartments. This is a different rifle, with unhooded front sight, but it also seems to be a small caliber gun. The rifle seems to have a straight bolt handle which is uncommon for modern guns.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing Another view of the same rifle.
Error creating thumbnail: File missing The sniper scope is seen.