Blue Murder (miniseries)

Blue Murder
DVD cover
Genre	Crime drama
Based on	In the Line of Fire by Darren Goodsir Neddy by Arthur Smith and Tom Noble
Written by	Ian David
Directed by	Michael Jenkins
Starring	Richard Roxburgh Tony Martin Steve Bastoni Gary Sweet Peter Phelps Joy Smithers Gary Day Steve Jacobs Marcus Graham Alex Dimitriades Loene Carmen Bill Hunter
Narrated by	Tony Martin Steve Bastoni Richard Roxburgh
Country of origin	Australia
Original language	English
No. of episodes	2
Production
Producer	Rod Allan
Running time	198 min (in total)
Production company	Southern Star
Release
Original network	ABC
Original release	14 September (1995-09-14) – 21 September 1995 (1995-09-21)
Chronology
Followed by	Blue Murder: Killer Cop

Blue Murder is a two-part Australian television crime drama miniseries produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in 1995, and is based on true events.^[1]

Set in the 1970s and 1980s in Sydney, the miniseries concerns the relationship between controversial former detective Roger "the Dodger" Rogerson and notorious criminal Arthur "Neddy" Smith. Rogerson and his colleagues were accused of giving Smith a "green light" to commit crimes without police interference, with the relationship fraying when Rogerson orders hitman Chris "Mr. Rent-a-Kill" Flannery to murder Police Officer Michael Drury. The murder of prostitute Sallie-Anne Huckstepp also features.

Blue Murder is narrated by the characters of Rogerson, Smith, and Drury, and focuses on the corruption allegations that plagued the NSW Police Force at the time. Rogerson and Smith achieved a kind of celebrity status during the Wood Royal Commission into police corruption.

The screenplay was written by Ian David, who has written extensively on the people and events featured. The miniseries was directed by Michael Jenkins and produced by Rod Allan.

Plot[]

Blue Murder consists of two 90-minute episodes, which are each divided into three individual "chapters". Each chapter is narrated by one of the three main characters, Neddy Smith, Michael Drury, and Roger Rogerson.

Episode one[]

"Green Light" (Narrated by Neddy Smith)

After a botched attempt at a payroll robbery, career criminal Arthur "Neddy" Smith (Tony Martin) is arrested by the NSW Police. He is brutally interrogated by Detective Sergeant Roger Rogerson (Richard Roxburgh), who attempts to coerce a confession from him. However, Smith maintains silence and is eventually released on the understanding that he will henceforth be operating under the paid protection of Rogerson and his colleagues.

Smith initially takes on work as a bodyguard for a prominent heroin dealer, but soon takes charge of his own drug business. One of Smith's underlings, Warren Lanfranchi (Alex Dimitriades), rips off and robs a dealer who is connected with Rogerson, which leads to Rogerson looking to find Lanfranchi, who immediately goes into hiding. Lanfranchi informs Smith of the ongoing situation and begs him to talk to Rogerson to smooth things over. But Rogerson and his colleagues tell Smith that Lanfranchi's actions will not be tolerated, referencing the fact that Lanfranchi pulled a gun on a policeman during a traffic stop (Although no round was discharged), before the robbery. Rogerson instructs Smith to set up a meeting with him and Lanfranchi. Smith convinces Lanfranchi to meet with Rogerson by reassuring him that he will face nothing worse than a verbal reprimand. Lanfranchi, however, fears that a worse fate awaits him, and he shares this fear with his girlfriend, Sallie-Anne Huckstepp (Loene Carmen). Smith delivers an unarmed Lanfranchi to Rogerson, who shoots Lanfranchi dead.

At the subsequent inquest, Rogerson claims that Lanfranchi had pulled a gun on him, forcing him to shoot him in self-defense. However, Huckstepp complicates the matter by appearing on television to voice her suspicion that Lanfranchi was murdered by Rogerson. To redress the accusation, Rogerson convinces Smith to testify that he had not disarmed Lanfranchi before the meeting. Smith reluctantly agrees to this, and Rogerson is consequently cleared of suspicion. Grateful for Smith's testimony, Rogerson and his colleagues award Smith a "green light", meaning that he is permitted to commit crimes in Sydney with full police protection and, at times, assistance. This arrangement also requires that Smith occasionally act as a hit-man for Rogerson and his colleagues.

"Hitting a Blue" (Narrated by Michael Drury)

Michael Drury (Steve Bastoni) is an undercover officer in the NSW police. He receives a tip from an informant that a Melbourne-based drug dealer, Alan Williams (Marcus Graham), has a large quantity of heroin to sell. Drury poses as a buyer and travels to Melbourne to entrap Williams. As the transaction is about to be completed, members of the Victoria Police, who are assisting Drury with surveillance, break cover prematurely and attempt to apprehend Williams, who consequently escapes arrest.

On returning to Sydney, Drury is informed that the prosecution against Williams can proceed, but only if Drury testifies against Williams in open court. Drury is soon contacted by Roger Rogerson, who offers Drury $25000 to change his testimony. Drury politely refuses, claiming that he would be unable to change his testimony without implicating himself. He also advises Rogerson to exercise caution as believes that the NSW police are being investigated by the Australian Federal Police.

When Drury's initial informant in the investigation mysteriously turns up dead, Drury becomes concerned that his own life might be in danger.

"Brotherhood" (Narrated by Roger Rogerson)

Since the Warren Lanfranchi shooting, Roger Rogerson has lost some of his prestige in the NSW Police, and he is transferred to Darlinghurst to take up a menial desk job. Feeling resentment towards his superiors, he deepens his connections with the criminal world, becoming acquainted with hitman, Chris Flannery (Gary Sweet), who is a friend of Alan Williams, and becomes proactive in the Drury-Williams case. Williams is determined not to go back to prison, and makes it clear that he is prepared to pay large sums of money to ensure that Drury is unable to testify.

When one of Williams' associates is found dead, Drury again informs Rogerson that he will not be changing his testimony, leading to Flannery suggesting to Williams and Rogerson that he kill Drury, but he wants Rogerson to help with the plan. Williams agrees to pay Flannery and Rogerson $50,000 each to eliminate Drury. Neddy Smith advises Rogerson to reconsider the hit on Drury, but Rogerson refuses, instead he drives Flannery to Drury's house at night, with Flannery shooting Drury through his kitchen window.

Episode two[]

"Black Angus" (Narrated by Michael Drury)

Chris Flannery shoots Michael Drury twice, with both rounds hitting him in the torso. However, the wounds are not immediately fatal, and Drury is able to call emergency services before collapsing. He is taken into surgery and the bullets are removed.

The investigation into the shooting is assigned to local detectives under the supervision of the acting head of CIB, Detective Superintendent "Black" Angus Macdonald (Bill Hunter), who is a long-time friend and colleague of Roger Rogerson. When Drury regains consciousness, he tells the investigating detectives that Rogerson had approached him with the offer of a bribe in the Alan Williams investigation, and that he therefore believes that Rogerson will have knowledge of why he was shot. Drury's claims are corroborated by fellow officer Lewis Roussos ([Bogdan Koca]) pl, who had established the initial contact between Drury and Rogerson. Macdonald is highly sceptical about Drury's accusations. He prevents the investigating detectives from questioning Rogerson, and instead subjects Drury, who is still in intensive care, to a heavy-handed and intimidating interrogation.

Despite Drury's accusations, Macdonald makes a very public display of his faith in Rogerson's innocence by bringing him to an official police dinner, to which all other invitees have brought their spouses. Macdonald is brought before the police commissioner (Bruce Barry), who states that he will not allow Macdonald to protect Rogerson. He informs Macdonald that the Director of Public Prosecutions believes there is sufficient evidence to lay charges of bribery against Rogerson, and instructs Macdonald to charge him. Rogerson is formally charged with attempted bribery and is suspended from duty.

"The Dodger" (Narrated by Roger Rogerson)

Angus Macdonald gives Lewis Roussos a significant promotion in exchange for reversing his testimony against Rogerson, and this leaves the prosecution against Rogerson with a damaging lack of evidence. The prosecution assigns an investigator, Bruce Kerrison (Dennis Miller), to investigate new leads.

At this time, Chris Flannery has become embroiled in a mob war and is involved in a number of public shootings. Rogerson begins to doubt Flannery's ability to maintain his silence on the Drury shooting, and later discovers that Flannery has boasted to a number of criminal associates that he had shot Drury. One of these associates, Tony Eustace (Marshall Napier), faces legal troubles and is consequently compelled to inform against Flannery to Kerrison. When Flannery becomes aware of this, he confronts Eustace and shoots him dead. Rogerson organises a hit on Flannery, confident that the shooting will likely be interpreted as a mob reprisal. Flannery is subsequently shot to death.

Rogerson's barrister, Chester Porter QC (John Hargreaves) advises him that, since the prosecution is now relying solely on Drury's testimony, the best strategy for the trial is to undermine Drury's credibility with the jury. Porter proposes that they argue that Drury, since he is an undercover officer, is skilled in the art of deception, and thereby raise the issue of whether his testimony can be trusted. This strategy is successful and Rogerson is exonerated. However, after the trial, Alan Williams confesses his involvement in the Drury shooting to Kerrison, and the Federal investigators continue to build their case against Rogerson.

"Two Dogs" (Narrated by Neddy Smith)

As the evidence against Roger Rogerson mounts, many of his former colleagues abandon him, but Neddy Smith remains loyal. After Sallie-Anne Huckstepp obtains tapes that implicate members of the NSW Police, Smith murders her to prevent the evidence from surfacing.

Rogerson appears on television to address some of the accusations laid against him. During an interview with Ray Martin on Willesee, Rogerson reveals that Smith has worked for him as an informant. Smith is angered by this, as he feels it will damage his criminal reputation. Soon after, an attempt is made on Smith's life, and he afterward suspects that Rogerson was involved. Rogerson denies involvement, and Smith accepts this. However, Smith criticises Rogerson for the many foolish decisions he has made in the past, including the Warren Lanfranchi and Michael Drury shootings. Nonetheless, the two reconcile and continue to work together, often drinking heavily and becoming increasingly anti-social in their behaviour.

Rogerson is dismissed from the NSW Police, and is later charged by the Federal Police for white-collar offences. Without Rogerson's protection, Smith's "green light" privileges are terminated. Afterward, Smith is involved in a drunken traffic altercation, during which his accomplice stabs a motorist to death. The next day, Rogerson meets with Smith to convince him to surrender peacefully to the police, and reminds him to maintain his silence about their dealings. Smith concludes that Rogerson had, after all, been behind the attempt on his life, but he realises that this was just the nature of the lives they led, and that he feels no resentment towards his long-time friend. Smith surrenders to the police.

"Epilogue"

In the epilogue, it is revealed that Alan Williams received a 14-year prison sentence for conspiring to murder Michael Drury, Roger Rogerson was convicted for perverting the course of justice in relation to a bank account on a false name, although he was acquitted of conspiring to murder Drury, despite evidence given by Williams, and Neddy Smith received an indeterminate life sentence for multiple murders (which he served until his death on 8 September 2021). The updated epilogue in the 2001 broadcast and subsequent DVD releases also reveals that Michael Drury retired from the NSW Police in 2000, and that Neddy Smith was acquitted of the murder of Sallie-Anne Huckstepp.

Cast[]

• Richard Roxburgh as Detective Sergeant Roger Rogerson
• Tony Martin as Arthur "Neddy" Smith
• Steve Bastoni as Michael Drury
• Gary Sweet as Chris Flannery
• Peter Phelps as Graham 'Abo' Henry
• Joy Smithers as Debra Smith
• Gary Day as Detective Bill Crofton
• Steve Jacobs as Detective Mal Rivers
• Loene Carmen as Sallie-Anne Huckstepp
• Alex Dimitriades as Warren Lanfranchi
• Marcus Graham as Alan Williams
• Laurie Foell as Pam Drury
• Richard Carter as Detective Lyail Chandler
• Paul Sonkkila as Detective Superintendent Noel Morey
• Bill Hunter as Detective Superintendent "Black" Angus McDonald
• John Hargreaves as Chester Porter QC
• Dennis Miller as Detective Inspector Bruce Kerrison
• Marshall Napier as Tony Eustace
• John Jarratt as Jack Richardson
• as Brian Hansen
• Geoff Morrell as Detective Les Knox
• Aaron Jeffery as Constable Bobby Williams
• Ian Bliss as Bobby Chapman
• Ray Martin as Himself*

* Footage of Ray Martin used in the miniseries was taken from his TV interviews with the real Sallie-Anne Huckstepp (taken from 60 Minutes in 1981) and Roger Rogerson (taken from Willesee in 1986).

Production style[]

The style of production was very similar to Jenkins' earlier series Scales of Justice, particularly the "observational" use of multiple hand-held cameras and the density of semi-improvised dialogue, which was further extended in his subsequent series Wildside.^[2]

Classification[]

Given its confronting content, the DVD release was classified MA 15+. An injunction brought during Arthur "Neddy" Smith's appeal against his life sentence saw its broadcast delayed in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory for six years, until 2001. In New Zealand the DVD release was classified R 18+ for graphic violence and offensive language.

Home Media[]

Awards and nominations[]

Sequel[]

Blue Murder: Killer Cop is a miniseries sequel first broadcast on the Seven Network in August 2017, with Richard Roxburgh and Tony Martin reprising their roles as Rogerson and Smith.^[3]

References[]

External links[]

• Blue Murder at IMDb
• Blue Murder at Australian Screen Online