THE RIVALS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES “A Message from the Deep Sea.” 19 September 1971 (Season 1, Episode 1.) Thames Tv, UK. John Neville (Dr. Thorndyke), James Cossins, Bernard Archard, Terence Rigby, Eve Pearce. Based mostly on the story by R. Austin Freeman. Director: James Goddard. At present streaming on PBS/Masterpiece.
The title of the total two-season British sequence will let you know most of what would possibly must know, even when it’s managed to overlook your consideration the entire time because it first appeared. The tales introduced have been based mostly on numerous detective tales written on the time Sherlock Holmes was round and fixing mysteries, penned by numerous authors who have been Conan Doyle’s contemporaries, largely forgotten or not, justified or not. Comparatively talking, I hasten so as to add.
This one’s by R. Austin Freeman, whose books are nonetheless typically accessible, and to the extent that they’re nonetheless being reprinted at this time. On this first episode of the sequence, Dr. Thorndyke, his most well-known detective, solves a case of younger girl who’s discovered murdered in her room in a semi-reputable rooming home, her throat reduce.
The setting of the story is luxurious, as is nearly at all times the case in British TV productions reminiscent of this, whereas Dr. Thorndyke – who is far youthful and extra good-looking than I’ve ever pictured him – regularly rags on the police as fixed tramplers of the proof, saying that it’s the information that matter, not preconceived and half-cocked concepts that depend for nothing.
In that regard, I confess to being responsible of following the information nicely sufficient, as introduced, however having little thought what to do with them. Irrespective of. It’s nonetheless a pleasure to comply with a story that has the best thought, accomplished greater than nicely sufficient.
