The Black Tower

The Black Tower DVD Cover Country UK Directed by Ronald Wilson Release Date 1985 Studio Anglia Television Distributor ITV Main Cast Character Actor Commander Adam Dalgliesh Roy Marsden Wilfred Anstey Martin Jarvis Henry Carwardine John Franklyn-Robbins Dot Moxon Carol Gillies Dr. Eric Hewson Richard Heffer Ursula Hollis Harriet Bagnall Maggie Hewson Pauline Collins Julius Court Art Malik

The Black Tower is a 1985 British detective 6-part mini series adapted from the 1975 novel by P.D. James and starring Roy Marsden as Adam Dalgliesh, detective of the Scotland Yard and talented poet. In The Black Tower, Dalgliesh recovers after a serious gun wound and accepts the invitation of his friend Father Baddeley to stay for some time in the Toynton Grange nursing home. Upon appearing in the Toynton Grange, Dalgliesh is informed that Father Baddeley died due to seemingly natural cases. Then more deaths follow, and despite they seem to be non-violent, the detective instincts drive Dalgliesh to find out what happens.

The Black Tower is the fourth 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 The Black Tower:

WARNING! THIS PAGE CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS!!!

Colt Commander

During the climactic sequence, Julius Court (Art Malik) is armed with a Colt Commander with a typical ring hammer. In the firing scenes this pistol is replaced with a full size M1911 (see below).

Colt Combat Commander - .45 ACP

Court draws his pistol and aims at Commander Dalgliesh.

Another view of the pistol. This is a more compact model that a full size 1911, and the ring hammer is seen.

Court holds Dalgliesh at gunpoint.

Another view of the pistol.

Court orders Dalgliesh to go on the coastal cliff. In the next scene the pistol switches to a full size 1911 with plain hammer.

Colt M1911A1 / Colt Government

During the police drug raid in the opening scene, a criminal (John Benfield) is armed with an M1911A1 pistol. In the final scene, Julius Court's (Art Malik) Colt Commander switches to an M1911A1 when the gun fires. Court's pistol has blued frame and white hammer which is more common for Colt Government Model.

Colt Government Model M1911A1 - .45 ACP. The screen gun has same combination of the blued frame and slide and the white hammer.

The criminal aims his M1911 at Commander Dalgliesh in the opening scene.

The criminal takes Dalgliesh as hostage.

Another view of the same scene.

Court fires at Dalgliesh. The plain white hammer is seen.

The pistol is seen firing. Strangely, it runs dry after only four shots.