IMDB Link: “Who Pays the Ferryman?” A Dead Man to Carry My Cross (TV Episode 1977) – IMDb
Synopsis: An Australian, Anthony Viglis, tries to bury his grandfather, Antonis Viglis, in the village of Dafnai, where he was originally from. But due to a conflict between the Matakis’ and Viglis’ 60 years prior, the villagers refuse to see him buried there. Haldane comes to Viglis’ aid in getting the villagers to finally allow him to lay his grandfather to rest.
The episode starts with a Boeing 737-200, registration SX-BCC “ΗΡΑΚΛΗΣ” [Hercules] landing on Heraklion airport’s runway 27 from the east, like Haldane’s at the beginning of the very first episode.
Anthony Viglis disembarks from the aircraft.
A coffin is removed from the aircraft.
The airline official speaks to Viglis and learns that he is to bury his grandfather in a village called Dafnai.
The scene where Viglis speaks to the clerk at the airport may well have been filmed at the airport, however, I can’t see any hangars there in Google Maps, although there are a few warehouses beside the apron to the west of the main airport building. In the background we see large doors, which do not really resemble those of a hangar (think about the wingspan of even a small aircraft like the 737 above, and I don’t think it would fit). This may also however have been filmed at a warehouse or film studio.
The next shot of Elounda is interesting, as it shows the town from behind and up in the mountains. You can see the construction of many buildings along the harbour and to the north of the church, so the increase in tourism in the area was already underway, but compared to today, it was still very underdeveloped.
The shot above was taken from up in the hills behind Mavrikiano. It’s not possible to mimic this with Street View unfortunately, so an on-site visit is required to emulate this shot with photos from the location itself. I found this early photo from the same general area on Facebook:
The caption says it was taken from the cemetery, so we can place the general area of the photo (and location) as being here:
Haldane is repairing the kaiki with Alexi. It’s logical to assume that this is near the Despina Taverna. One piece of evidence to support this is the presence of supporting struts in the background of the screen shot below.
In the next shot of Haldane and Alexi painting the kaiki, we know we are near the Despina Taverna north of the town. There are no buildings behind them, and the landscape is the same.
When he shouts across to Nikos about his repaired engine, the shot of the boat in the distance shows us the correct place. Next to the boat you see the same supporting struts seen in the previous shot, so the original ‘repair’ scene could well have been filmed here, just using another boat – there are 2 others in the screen shot below.
Matheos Noukakis visits Katerina Matakis to inform her of the arrival of Anthony Viglis, and his intention to bury his grandfather in Dafnai. This scene is the driveway off the main road up to the Kremasta Monastery near Vryses.
Katerina Matakis visits Dafnai to persuade the priest NOT to bury Antonis Viglis in the village cemetery. This location is outlined further down the page, when Annika and Haldane visit.
Annika takes Haldane to Dafnai to show him where she grew up. Interestingly, in this shot, this road is west of ‘Meligala’ village (Roussapidia), nowhere near their final destination, so I’m not entirely sure why this location was used – unless this shot was actually meant for Episode 6, which would make more sense.
This is the next shot. We’re back near Motorway 90 and on the way to Dafnai.
This is the bend where Hebden “attacks” the coach at the beginning of episode 2.
They arrive in Dafnai and park up. This is actually the village of Flamouriana.
The house in the screenshot above is in the centre of the Street View below. Haldane and Annika (and later on, Major Krasakis), drive into the village from the road to the right in the Street View below.
The green window on the corner belongs to what is now Sto Steki restaurant.
They get out of the car and start walking. After they encounter the woman that says, “It is a sin, not here”, the scene cuts to them standing in front of the church in the village of Fourni.
It’s called Kimiseos tis Theotokou and is to the south-east of Fourni. As you can see it’s hardly changed – only the cladding on the wall has been added, and even then the plaque above Haldane’s head is still there, still in white.
At this point, when Annika turns and says, “and later, we can eat there”, the shot of the old men waving is from the cafe in Flamouriana. So there’s a bit of creative editing that has gone on there to make it look like they’re in the same place.
They walk through the gate of the church and enter.
And the church as it is today, photo by Anna Pereboom.
They continue on a tour of the village.
And this is the archway nowadays. The old wall has sadly crumbled away now, leaving pretty much only the arch itself.
The pin in Google Maps below is where the archway is.
They turn and walk down the alleyway. This shot is just from the other side of the archway.
In the next shot, they are strolling down a narrow alleyway.
The camera position is located where the below pin is, pointed down the alleyway to the north-east.
And finally arrive at the house where Annika was born and lived.
They then go to eat at a local restaurant where they eat the Greek dish Keftedes, meatballs made with potato. We’re back in Flamouriana, in a restaurant called O Kritikos.
[Annika to Christo, serving the food] – “Thank you very much, Christo”
[Annika to the gentlemen on the other table] – “To our health!”
Anthony Viglis makes his way into Dhafnai.
He parks up outside the priest’s house, and news quickly spreads of his arrival.
The yellow building below is the priest’s house, where the Beetle is parked.
And is confronted outside the restaurant by the locals, and subsequently attacked.
The door they come out of, which was the main entrance to the restaurant, has since been relocated to around the corner to the right out of shot.
In the screenshot below, the main road actually runs across the front of the houses behind him. You can just about see the road behind Haldane’s shoulders.
This is the property behind Haldane in the above shot on the left.
Annika visits Haldane at his apartment to tell him the story of the Viglis / Matakis vendetta.
Meanwhile, Major Krasakis visits the village to find out what has happened. Here, the Land Rover is parked outside the restaurant. The big diagonal wall directly behind the Major is still there today – it’s visible in the first Street View image above, next to the house Haldane and Annika park outside. He then goes to see Haldane and check up on how Viglis is doing.
And an up-to-date screenshot from Google. Where the characters drive into the village is on the left hand side. The entrance that the characters use is behind the trees – now the main entrance is on the right-hand side.
Viglis and Haldane dine at the taverna that evening where Haldane tells him the story of the vendetta. Haldane agrees to help, so enlists Babis Spiridakis, whom they go to see the next day.
Major Krasakis goes to see Katerina Matakis to warn her about starting any trouble at the funeral. The external shots are of course, from the Kremasta Monastery near Vryses.
She then receives further bad news when she is told by the priest that the Archbishop has ordered the funeral to go ahead, thanks to Babis pursuing the proper legal channels. Again, the shot of the priest leaving is of the Kremasta Monastery.
Major Krasakis visits Haldane only to find that the funeral directors have pulled out. The Major tells him he’ll provide the transport. But he also says that the funeral will go ahead with little fuss with the backing of one of the Matakis family.
Before the funeral, Haldane goes to see Annika to set her straight.
The Police escort is on its’ way to the Church.
Strangely, we find the funeral procession driving along the road just to the west of a village called Hamilon, which is nowhere near the final destination. Again, more editing magic. In the first shots, the cars are driving westbound away from the village.
However, in the next shot, the procession is driving toward it. The village in the distance (Hamilon) is supposed to represent Dafnai.
The escort stops at the Church. This is actually Ayios Titos Church just on the eastern outskirts of Fourni.
In the Google maps image above, the burial happens adjacent to the rear of the church (which is on the right hand side of the main building), and the villagers are gathered behind.
The following are photos taken by Anna Pereboom.
Annika and her brother Petros finally support the burial of Viglis and the villagers are appeased, as this is seen to have the approval of the Matakis family.
The funeral is peaceful and Anthony Viglis fulfils his grandfather’s wish to be buried in the village of his birth.
The production created a cross for the grave with the correct information in Greek. The name across the top reads ΑΝΤΩΝΗΣ ΒΙΓΛΗΣ (Antonis Viglis), with the abbreviations ΕΓΕΝ (Born) 1899 and ΑΠΕΒ (Died) 1977.
The end credits follow on from Viglis placing a wreath over the cross on his grandfather’s grave. The camera pans to the right slightly as Viglis walks out of shot.
The roses on the left are just behind the grave – this shot was taken from the corner of the church facing away from it. Viglis’ grandfather’s grave is just out of shot to the left.
Credits
| Alan Haldane | Jack Hedley |
| Annika Zeferis | Betty Arvaniti |
| Matheos Noukakis | Takis Emmanuel |
| Katerina Matakis | Patience Collier |
| Tony Viglis | Gareth Thomas |
| Babis Spiridakis | Neil McCarthy |
| The Major | Stefan Gryff |
| Petros Matakis | Steve Plytas |
| Customs Official | John Eastham |
| Father Nikolaos | Costas Baladimas |
| Elena Vassilakis | Maria Sokali |
| Nikos Vassilakis | Nikos Verlekis |
| Production Assistants | Andrew Morgan |
| Michael McDermott | |
| Production Unit Managers | Colin Dudley |
| Petros Raptis | |
| Costume Designer | Tudor George |
| Make Up Artist | Gwen Arthy |
| Studio Lighting | Barry Hill |
| Studio Sound | Ramon Bailey |
| Film Cameraman | Max Samett |
| Film Recordist | Arthur Chesterman |
| Film Editor | Barrie Johnston |
| Composer | Yannis Markopoulos |
| Series Creator | Michael J. Bird |
| Designer | Myles Lang |
| Producer | William Slater |
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