Morseistakenseriouslyillatamuseumreceptionandishospitalized.Inthehospital,Supt.Strange,visitsMorsetopushhimtotakeearlyretirement,whileDr.Millicent'Millie'VanBurengiveshimherbookona140year-oldcourtcaseknownastheOxfordCanalMurders.Thecaseinvolvedthemurderandrapeofayoungwoman,MrsJoannaFranks,travelingbycanalboatfromCoventrytoLondon.Thecaseresultedinthreeboatmenbeingsentencedtodeathandtwoofthemhanged.MorsestartstoreadMillie'sbookanddreamsaboutit.Hesoonhasanumberofproblemswiththecase导演选择克制的艺术语言。现代修复技术激活历史影像，全彩上色丰富视觉体验，画面呈现增强空间感。但影片不炫耀技术，整体色调保持沉稳。整体场景处理含蓄深刻。色彩管理体现历史意识，声音设计追求简约表达。　　Whyweren'tthethreemenalsochargedwiththeft?WhydidMrsFrankstakeaboatinsteadofatrainthatwasmuchfasterandcomfortableandonlyslightlymoreexpensive?Whydidn'tsheabandontheboataftershecomplainedaboutlewdbehaviorofthecrewattheshippingofficeinBanbury?Whydidshethendrinkand'socialise'withthecrew?Whathappenedtoher'carpetbag'withwhichshearrivedontheboatbutwhichwasnotmentionedinthecourtcase,norwasitstoredinthearchiveswithher,almostempty,trunk?Thetrunkwasmarkedwithinitialsofherfirsthusbandwhohaddied.Howdidithappenthathershoeswerefoundontheboatbutnobodysawherreturntotheboatfromtheforest?　　PCAdrianKershawdoessomebrilliantlegworkforMorse.Hestudiedhistoryandhasinvaluablebackgroundknowledge.Forinstance,hementionsthattheboatmenhadbadreputationbecausetheyworkedonSundaysanddidnotattendchurch.LaterachapelwasbuiltfortheminOxford.　　Thedeadwoman'sclothesandtheshoesfoundontheboataresubmittedtomodernforensicinvestigation.Theresultisthattheshoesdidnotbelongtothedeadwomanfoundinthewaterbecauseshewasmuchtaller.Theshoeswereneverusedintheforest.　　OnlyMrsFranks'husband,CharlesFranks,wascalledtoidentifythebodyofthedeadwoman.Heclaimedthat,whileherfacewasdarkenedanddisfigured,hefoundabirthmarkbehindherear.Theprosecutorwelcomedthatinformation"thatonlyahusbandoraloverwouldknow".Theaccusedwerenotshownthebody.Thedefenseattorneymerelyclaimedthattheguiltofthethreemenwasnotproved.Allthreeaccusedclaimedtotheendthattheywereinnocent.OneofthemwasnotexecutedbecauseheembracedChristianityinprison.　　MorseinstructsKershawtoinvestigateifCharlesFranksbenefitedfromhiswife'sdeathand,indeed,hepocketed300poundsinsurancemoney.Caseclosed:CharlesFranksmurderedatallwomenanddroppedherinthecanalaftermeetingJoannaintheforest.IfJoannaFranksjumpedofftheboatatthesametimeasthedeadbodyhitthewater,sheswamtothebankandjoinedherhusband.Thecouplechangedtheirnames,inthecaseof'CharlesFranks'asecondtimeafterhe'died'asJoanna'sfirsthusband.Thefourthboatman,ayoungsterwhowasnotcharged,wasprobablypaidbyJoannatogivefalsetestimony.　　MorsetravelstoIrelandandhasagraveofJoanna'sfirsthusbandexhumed.Thecoffincontainsbagsofsandandsomestones.