THE RIVALS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES SERIES 2 [1973]

TACKLING THE SECOND AND FINAL SERIES OF THIS FINE ITV PROGRAMME.

S02E01 - THE MYSTERIOUS DEATH ON THE UNDERGROUND RAILWAY ★★★½ 

Our first detective of the second series is reporter Polly Burton from the works of the Baroness Orczy.  An anonymous young woman is murdered on an underground railway.  After extended efforts by the police to determine the identity of the woman, finally the victim's husband William Hazeldene and his sister Laura Stanley identify the corpse as that of his wife Beatrice.  Polly Burton, with the persistance and enthusiasm of an adult Nancy Drew enlists the help of her policeman beau Frobisher to help her crack the case.  They soon narrow it down to the prime suspect:  Frank Errington.  There is a ton of circumstantial evidence connecting Errington to the crime and he soon ends up on trial for the murder.  But there's something that just doesn't add up.

Big-time favourite Judy Geeson (10 RILLINGTON PLACE, A CANDLE FOR THE DEVIL, FEAR IN THE NIGHT, DOOMWATCH, BERSERK and THE LORDS OF SALEM) is typically wonderful as reporter Polly Burton who brings much more to the character through her performance than is in the script.  Polly, owing to the late Victorian/Edwardian time period of the story, is faced with plenty of male-chauvinist piggery and Geeson manages to portray subdued irritation combined with subtle determination to get to the bottom of things without resorting to firebrand pushiness or stereotypical weepiness.  Polly Burton is her own woman despite the often slightly-dim male characters around her.  Frobisher (portrayed by the late lamented Richard Beckinsale (PORRIDGE, RISING DAMP) plays his character of a naive tyro police officer who is also a little on the dull side; however, he is obviously smitten with Polly and willing to go along with whatever plan she cooks up.  One watches the episode feeling that Frobisher needs to propose to Polly already!  If there's one thing this rather straight-laced, plodding young man needs it's an example of superbly-confident and capable Polly Burton to follow.  

William Hazeldene is played by Anthony Corlan who is better known as Anthony Higgins (VAMPIRE CIRCUS, one of a seemingly-endless number of "Pauls" in Hammer Horror with his turn in TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA and as Gobler in RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK).  Cyd Hayman (who we've seen previous in the first series of RIVALS) plays Hazeldene's sister wonderfully as usual.  Supporting cast finds ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL's Christopher Timothy as well as Michael Sheard (ROGUE MALE -- what IS it with that movie??? Did they just take everyone who appeared in RIVALS and cast them?!?!? -- THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, Stephanie Beacham's SUPER BITCH as well as appearances in multiple DOCTOR WHO stories:  THE ARK, THE INVISIBLE ENEMY, CASTROVALVA, REMEMBRANCE OF THE DALEKS and PYRAMIDS OF MARS) and Simon Lack (whose own DOCTOR WHO credentials are for THE ANDROIDS OF TARA).  This is a terrific episode mostly carried by the great performances although the mystery at hand is quite good as well.

S02E02 - FIVE HUNDRED CARATS  ★★★

Our detective here is Inspector Lipinski from the works of George Griffith.  A diamond mine in Kimberley, South Africa has a diamond worth millions under lock and key with seemingly impenetrable security.  So how is it that the heavily-guarded diamond has disappeared from its safe?!?  Dogged Inspector Lipinski is determined to find out who stole it and how.  Guarding the diamond was the responsibility of Philip Marsden and his underling Charles Lomas and Lipinksi soon makes Marsden his prime suspect.  Class immediately comes into play as Marsden is a high-class gentleman and the inspector is viewed as a low-class yoik.  This episode is strong enough but really not my cup of tea as it feels more like a western than a Victorian-era mystery.  The cast is good, the pacing is good, the mystery of "how-dunit" is quite good as well; and there are in addition two killings so it's not just a stolen diamond caper.  I should probably give it another half-star but I'm just an old curmudgeon who misses drawing rooms and London fog.  

Inspector Lipinski is played with a dogged determination by Barry Keegan (Hitchcock's 1956 remake of THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH, PAYROLL, THE NAKED TRUTH, SATELLITE IN THE SKY and FOOTSTEPS IN THE FOG as well as a small role in GORGO).  Security chief Mr. Arundel is played by veteran Patrick Barr (THE DAM BUSTERS, THE SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA, HOUSE OF WHIPCORD,  and a DOCTOR WHO cred for THE MOONBASE).  Marsden is portrayed by Martin Jarvis (TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA and two DOCTOR WHO stories THE WEB PLANET and VENGEANCE ON VAROS).  Unlucky Charlie Lomas is played by Richard Morant (THE COMPANY OF WOLVES).  Probably my favourite role in the episode is widowed tavern-keeper Bridie Sullavan who finds both young Lomas and mature Marsden in love with her.  Bridie is played marvelously by Aideen O'Kelly who sadly doesn't seem to have had much of a Cv.  

S02E03 - CELL 13  ★★★½ 

This episode's detective is Professor Van Dusen from the works of Jacques Futrelle (who would sadly meet his death on the maiden voyage of the Titanic).  The detective's friend Fielding says he has designed an escape-proof prison.  Van Dusen bets Fielding that he can escape from the any prison cell in seven days by just thinking his way out.  The bet is taken up and the governor of Grangemoor Prison agrees to incarcerate the Professor in cell 13 for one week under the watchful eye of his gorilla of a chief warder.  Days go by and the Professor is still languishing in cell 13.  Can he in fact escape? 

This is the first of two appearances by Douglas Wilmer as Professor Van Dusen in RIVALS and the actor is a delight portraying the detective with a wicked twinkle in the eye.  Douglas Wilmer, a former Sherlock Holmes (as are several other actors appearing in RIVALS) brings an enormous sense of fun to this episode where no actual crime is committed; the fun derives from him matching wits with the supremely-overconfident prison governor (Hammer Horror veteran Michael Gough) as well as his brutish warder played by Ray Smith (veteran of 14 episodes of PUBLIC EYE as Detective Inspector Percy Firbank, the CALLAN episode ACT OF KINDNESS, an episode of Brian Clemens' THRILLER series LOOK BACK IN HAPPINESS and the film . . . wait for it . . . . ROGUE MALE!).  Van Dusen's friend Fielding is played by Donald Pickering (whose TV creds include OUT OF THE UNKNOWN, THE AVENGERS, LOVEJOY, THE PERSUADERS, SHERLOCK HOLMES AND DOCTOR WATSON as Dr. Watson, 2 episodes of YES, PRIME MINISTER as Sir Richard Wharton, 3 DOCTOR WHO creds in THE FACELESS ONES, THE KEYS OF MARINUS and TIME AND THE RANI plus film appearances in THE THIRTY-NINE STEPS and FAHRENHEIT 451).  Of course, the major joy of this episode is the appearance of Nicholas Courtney (DOCTOR WHO's beloved Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart) as reporter Hutchinson Hatch!  A very fun episode but I think I prefer the next Professor Van Dusen adventure better.

S02E04 - THE SECRET OF THE MAGNIFIQUE  ★★★★

Our detective (sorta) here is J.T. Laxworthy from the works of E. Phillips Oppenheim.  Laxworthy is another character in RIVALS that fits the gentleman rogue/Dorrington mold.  The French warship Magnifique is in port in the South of France with a revolutionary new torpedo on board and Mr. Laxworthy sniffs an opportunity to make some big money.  He enlists two convicts just released from jail:  the upper-class Sydney Wing and the thuggish Anderson.  Wing is to pose as a toff with Anderson as his valet.  This is all Laxworthy tells them at first; he doles out information and instructions as he needs to and demands total obedience from the two ex-cons.  Once in the South of France, Laxworthy instructs his two cats-paws in each step of his planned skullduggery so they all three might make a huge payday.

Bernard Hepton is suitably cool, calm and collected as the scheming Laxworthy who is always in control of every situation.  Hepton was a superb actor who appeared in the classic GET CARTER, BARRY LYNDON, GANDHI, THE DISPUTATION, THE WOMAN IN BLACK as well as the monumental telly series I, CLAUDIUS and the classic TV folk horror classic ROBIN REDBREAST. 

Sydney Wing is played by Christopher Neame (forever Johnny Alucard in DRACULA A.D. 1972) with Anderson played by Neil McCarthy ( WHERE EAGLES DARE, TIME BANDITS, THE MONSTER CLUB, ZULU, CLASH OF THE TITANS and veteran of telly shows DANGER MAN, PUBLIC EYE, THE EDGAR WALLACE MYSTERY THEATRE episode  SOLO FOR SPARROW, DIXON OF DOCK GREEN, THE AVENGERS, CATWEAZLE, SYKES and 2 DOCTOR WHO creds in THE MIND OF EVIL and THE POWER OF KROLL).  Also in the cast are Gary Watson (DOCTOR WHO: THE EVIL OF THE DALEKS, THE AVENGERS, PUBLIC EYE, CALLAN, Brian Clemens' THRILLER: ONCE THE KILLING STARTS and Nigel Kneale's BEASTS) and John Nettleton (A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS, AND SOON THE DARKNESS, JINNAH and DOCTOR WHO: GHOST LIGHT and many appearances as Sir Anthony Robinson on YES, MINISTER and YES, PRIME MINISTER).  Bruce Boa, the Canadian actor who specialised in playing Americans on British TV is perhaps best remembered around here for futilely trying to order a Waldorf Salad from Basil Fawlty!  I admit to being a sucker for the way the episode begins which, while now probably a cliche, still really works for me!  The two convicts Wing and Anderson walk out of the prison on their separate releases to find a carriage awaiting to take them to the mysterious, unknown Mr. Laxworthy where they will receive room and board and an allowance to follow instructions.  I just love that stuff!

S02E05 - THE ABSENT-MINDED COTERIE  ★★★

The detective here is Eugine Valmont from the works of Robert Barr. Inspector Hale of Scotland Yard employs the help of French amateur detective Valmont to help corral a gang of counterfeiters.  But does this case lead to something else entirely?  A little on the lightweight side; probably because author Robert Barr started out writing gentle parodies/pastiches of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories.  However, while most of the episode/story is entertaining enough if rather uninspired, there is a terrific hook to the episode as well as about half of Barr's original Valmont stories apparently as the detective lost as many cases as he won!  He wasn't infallible and in this episode, while he does correctly guess the "culprit", he still loses the case by a slip-up that's sort of the Victorian equivalent of failing to read the suspect their Miranda rights. A solid if unspectacular episode . . . but hey, there's lots of fog!

Charles Gray is, as always, wonderful as Valmont.  Gray, known around here from many many many films and TV roles is perhaps best loved as the narrator from THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW and the demonic Mocata from THE DEVIL RIDES OUT.  Barry Linehan (of the Lon Chaney Jr. spooker WITCHCRAFT) plays Inspector Hale and Suzanne Neve (Albert Finney's SCROOGE and BUNNY LAKE IS MISSING) appears as Miss Mackail.  

S02E06 - THE SENSIBLE ACTION OF LIEUTENANT HOLST   ★★★★

Our detective this time is the eponymous Lt. Holst from the works of Palle Rosenkrantz.  Russian Countess Maria Wolkinski appears at the Copenhagen police station claiming her brother-in-law Dimitri is stalking her and trying to kill her after kidnapping her son.  Lt. Holst is put in charge of the case of protecting the countess; he leaves her in the care of his wife Ulla while he tracks down Dimitri.  The brother-in-law is a (presumably Bolshevist) revolutionary and explains to Holst that the Countess is in fact an agent in the employ of the Russian Romanov government who has sent many men with revolutionary sympathies to their deaths.  Both the Countess and Dimitri seem believable but only one can be telling the truth.  And Lt. Holst is caught in the middle.

This is a rip-snorter of an episode which has an entirely different feel and mood to all the other episodes in RIVALS as it is more gritty and factual-feeling than the sometimes fanciful, cozy mystery stories the era produced.  We as viewers are as much in the dark as to who to trust as Lt. Holst and we feel his internal struggle to do the right thing.  Towards the end of the episode, it really gets pretty dark and we're left with a punch to the stomach not found in any other episode in the series.  John Thaw is wonderful as Holst with a nuanced, subtle performance which lets us feel what his character feels.  Thaw is probably best known for his perennial role as INSPECTOR MORSE as well as his tour of duty on THE SWEENEY.  Catherine Schell (probably still best known as the shape-changing Maya on SPACE:1999 as well as ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE, the CALLAN movie, THE BLACK WINDMILL, MOON ZERO TWO and the DOCTOR WHO classic CITY OF DEATH) is also superb as the Countess Maria.  Speaking of DOCTOR WHO, Philp Madoc (veteran of 15 episodes of DOCTOR WHO) gives arguably the finest performance of the episode as Dimitri Wolkinski.  Madoc appeared in the DOCTOR WHO stories THE KROTONS, THE WAR GAMES, THE BRAIN OF MORBIUS and THE POWER OF KROLL as well as the Peter Cushing DOCTOR WHO film DALEKS' INVASION EARTH 2150 A.D. besides appearing in the telly series THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO, THE AVENGERS, UFO, Z CARS, a celebrated appearance on DAD'S ARMY as a captured U-Boat Captain, PUBLIC EYE, THE GOODIES, SPACE: 1999 in the pilot episode "BREAKAWAY", PORRIDGE, GOOD NEIGHBOURS and the films THE QUILLER MEMORANDUM, DR. JEKYLL & SISTER HYDE, BERSERK! and JOURNEY TO THE FAR SIDE OF THE SUN).  All three leads in fact give excellent, measured performances.  Holst is pushed and pulled seemingly from all directions as his superiors in the police as well as higher up in the government want a quick and easy resolution whereas Maria and Dimitri are both equally convincing in their rightness.  Hell, even Holst's wife Ulla takes a side and starts giving Holst flak!  This is an absolutely top-notch episode

S02E07 - THE SUPERFLUOUS FINGER  ★★★½ 

Here we have the second appearance of Professor Van Dusen as played by the delightful Douglas Wilmer and, I think, possibly the better of the two episodes. I don't know though . . . it's really close.  This is also the one episode of RIVALS which I have the nagging feeling I saw back in the dim, dark days of my youth.  I don't know the broadcast history of THE RIVALS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES in the U.S. but the plot of this episode seems very familiar to me as if I'd seen it once as a child or teenager.  That plot being the appearance of a woman suddenly at a doctor's surgery requesting that he amputate one of her fingers.  There is nothing wrong with the finger in question so the surgeon refuses; however, on the way out of the office the woman slams her finger in the door thus requiring it's immediate amputation.  Puzzled, the doctor (Prescott) calls in his friend Prof. Van Dusen to solve the mystery.

Douglas Wilmer is once again fantastic as Professor Van Dusen and he could have easily spun this character off into it's own series (although that can be said for many of the detectives found in the RIVALS series).  It's a shame that Nicholas Courtney doesn't return here as reporter Hutchinson Hatch as there is a reporter named Roderick Varley played by Mark Eden (CURSE OF THE CRIMSON CULT, DR. ZHIVAGO, HEAVENS ABOVE!, SEANCE ON A WET AFTERNOON and 2 DOCTOR WHO creds for the lost MARCO POLO as well as 2013's ADVENTURES IN TIME AND SPACE) who is quite important to the proceedings. Laurence Payne as Dr. Prescott appeared in VAMPIRE CIRCUS, THE CRAWLING EYE, Powell & Pressburger's ILL MET BY MOONLIGHT, THE TELL-TALE HEART, biblical epics BEN-HUR and BARABBAS as well as DOCTOR WHO creds for THE GUNFIGHTERS, THE LEISURE HIVE and THE TWO DOCTORS.  Rounding out the cast are Charles Morgan (CASH ON DEMAND with Peter Cushing and 2 DOCTOR WHO creds for THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMEN and THE INVASION OF TIME) and William Mervyn (CARVE HER NAME WITH PRIDE, CIRCUS OF HORRORS, the Miss Marple romp MURDER AHOY!, BLOODSUCKERS with Peter Cushing and the DOCTOR WHO adventure THE WAR MACHINES).

S02E08 - THE ANONYMOUS LETTERS  ★★★

The detective this time is Dagobert Trostler from the works of Balduin Groller.  Countess Nadja has received a series of blackmail letters which reveal some pre-marriage peccadillo she is desperate to keep from her husband the Viennese Archduke Othmar.  She comes to society detective Dagobert Trostler for help for herself and her best friend the Countess Tildi Leys who has also received letters from the same blackmailer.  There is quite a bit of over-the-top to this episode in it's courtly settings amongst royalty where one's societal status seems a matter of life or death.  However, given the episode's rather flighty mood, it's still an enjoyable time.

Ronald Lewis is here rather underwhelming but competent as Dagobert Trostler as he doesn't seem able to rise above the flowery script more than once or twice.  Lewis was a reliable, if again unremarkable, actor who sadly took his own life at the age of 53; he appeared in BILLY BUDD, SCREAM OF FEAR, MR. SARDONICUS, STOP ME BEFORE I KILL! and THE PRISONER with Alec Guinness.  Nicola Pagett probably gives the best performance here as the vulnerable Countess Nadja who conveys her sense of unworthiness to have married above her social class perfectly and you feel for her at times.  Pagett appeared in the TV workhorse UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS as well as in FRANKENSTEIN:  THE TRUE STORY and Hammer's THE VIKING QUEEN.  The proud and pompous Archduke who still truly loves his wife is played by reliable Michael Aldridge (CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT, CLOCKWISE) and Carolyn Jones (no not THAT Carolyn Jones) as Countess Tildi has appeared in Z CARS, THE SWEENEY, CROSSROADS and EASTENDERS on telly as well as playing a nurse in Clive Barker's NIGHTBREED.  An OK episode.

S02E09 - THE MOABITE CYPHER  ★★★★

Our detective this time around is Dr. John Thorndyke from the works of R. Austen Freeman.  Dr. Thorndyke and his friend Dr. Jervis are out and about when a man is suddenly kicked by a policeman's horse and quickly dies in an alley.  He is carrying a package wrapped in paper and a message written in some sort of secret code.  Is the parcel a bomb and was the man, who is possibly an anarchist, trying the assassinate the Austrian Archduke on a state visit?!?  Soon after, Alfred Barton consults Thorndyke because his brother is being poisoned by someone unknown; he's brings a sample of food which contains a buttload of poison.  As every moment counts because the brother is near death, Thorndyke and Jervis rush to the countryside on the last train out.  Does all this somehow tie together?!?

Thorndyke is played by Barrie Ingham (DAY OF THE JACKAL, A CHALLENGE FOR ROBIN HOOD and 2 DOCTOR WHO creds for THE MYTH MAKERS and the Peter Cushing film DR. WHO AND THE DALEKS) appropriately prim and acidic while Dr. Jervis is marvelously played by Peter Sallis (LAST OF THE SUMMER WINE, TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA, WALLACE & GROMIT).  Barton is played by the equally wonderful Julian Glover (QUATERMASS AND THE PIT, THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE, the fantastic but impossible-to-find Granada TV film INVASION as Alexander Dubcek, and 2 DOCTOR WHO creds for THE CRUSADES and CITY OF DEATH) who is always fantastic.  Derek Smith is back once again (after THE ASSYRIAN REJUVENATOR) this time as the wonderfully-named Prof. Poppelbaum and George Innes (THE ITALIAN JOB, SWEENEY 2, THE ODD JOB) appears as Adolph Schoenberg.

S02E10 - THE SECRET OF THE FOXHUNTER  ★★★

This time the detective is William Drew from the works of William le Queux.  There's a fox hunting do at an English country house and a couple spies from Russia and Germany are among the guests so William Drew comes along to find out what's what.  Drew is aided by Miss Baines who is undercover working as a governess for the German spy Count Krempelstein.  Also in attendance is Beatrice Graham, the lovely fiance of Drew's friend in the foreign service.  But she's acting kinda twitchy.  Can she and her far-away fiance be mixed up in foreign intrigue?

William Drew is played by the redoubtable Derek Jacobi who really needs no introduction; from I, CLAUDIUS and DOCTOR WHO to his many Shakespearean roles, Jacobi is a national treasure.  Lisa Harrow apparently makes her TV debut here; she is probably best known for her eponymous role in TV's NANCY ASTOR as well as appearing in the film THE FINAL CONFLICT aka THE OMEN III.  Denise Coffey steals the episode with her portrayal of the no-nonsense Miss Baines.  On telly, she appeared in the proto-Python series DO NOT ADJUST YOUR SET as well as the film GEORGY GIRL.  

S02E11 - THE LOOTING OF THE SPECIE ROOM   ★★★

Our amateur detective this time is Mr. Horrocks from the works of C.J. Cutcliffe Hyne.  The luxury liner RMS Oceanic is carrying a fortune in gold; it is also attempting to set a speed record crossing the Atlantic.  Protecting the gold is the responsibility of Chief Purser Horrocks.  When the ship docks in Liverpool, it's discovered the gold has been stolen.  Ship-owner Lord Altington gives Horrocks until they dock in Southampton to recover the gold and find the thief or else!

Mr. Horrocks Pursor is wonderfully played by Ronald Fraser; he can be found in such films as THE WHISPERERS, SEBASTIAN, THE BED SITTING ROOM and ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS as well as telly appearances in DANGER MAN, THE AVENGERS, THE SWEENEY, LOVEJOY  and a DOCTOR WHO cred for THE HAPPINESS PATROL.  Also in the cast is the wonderful Jean Marsh known for her Emmy-winning role in UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS as well as such films as CLEOPATRA (1963), UNEARTHLY STRANGER, Hitchcock's FRENZY, DARK PLACES with Christopher Lee, THE EAGLE HAS LANDED, THE CHANGELING, RETURN TO OZ as well as her DOCTOR WHO creds for THE CRUSADE, THE DALEKS' MASTER PLAN and BATTLEGROUND as Morgaine Le Fey.  

S02E12  -  THE MYSTERY OF THE AMBER BEADS  ★★★½ 

Our amateur detective this time around is Hagar from the works of Fergus Hume.  Rich old Mrs. Arryford is strangled with her favourite string of amber beads.  Said beads shortly show up in a pawnshop run by a Romany woman named Hagar; pawned by a woman who cannot speak and keeps to the shadows.  Later, Inspector Grubber happens by on his tour of local pawnshops to see if the beads have turned up there.  Hagar tells him they have and goes along to Mrs. Arryford's residence to see if she can identify the speechless woman who pawned them.  Hagar can't -- but Mrs. Arryford did have a maid who was dumb and happened to be in the vicinity of Hagar's pawnshop on an "errand" at the time the beads were pawned.  And Rose has now disappeared.

Hagar is wonderfully played by Sara Kestelman who appeared in the films LADY JANE and ZARDOZ as well as on telly in DIXON OF DOCK GREEN, THE NEW AVENGERS, INVASION: EARTH and narrated HINDENBURG DISASTER: PROBABLE CAUSE.  Superb actor Joss Ackland as Grubber has a long and distinguished career in films such as GHOST SHIP (1952) with Hazel Court, Hammer's RASPUTIN:  THE MAD MONK, THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD, THE BLACK WINDMILL, the John Cleese short THE STRANGE

CASE OF THE END OF CIVILIZATION AS WE KNOW IT, WATERSHIP DOWN, the bizarre Cannon Films musical THE APPLE, the superb original TV movie of SHADOWLANDS as C.S. Lewis, reunited with Sara Kestelman in LADY JANE, LETHAL WEAPON 2, THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER, CITIZEN X as well as TV appearances in MYSTERY AND IMAGINATION, THE AVENGERS, Z-CARS, THE PERSUADERS, THE PROTECTORS, THE SWEENEY, TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY, TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED, an episode of the Jeremy Brett ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES in "THE COPPER BEECHES", SHAKESPEARE: THE ANIMATED TALES, and TESTAMENT: THE BIBLE IN ANIMATION.  Unbelievably also in the cast is Kathleen Byron:  famous as the mad nun in BLACK NARCISSUS as well as A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH, THE SMALL BACK ROOM, NIGHT OF THE EAGLE aka BURN WITCH BURN, Hammer Horror TWINS OF EVIL, CRAZE with Jack Palance, THE ELEPHANT MAN and SAVING PRIVATE RYAN.  Also in the cast are Stephen Chase (CRY OF THE BANSHEE with Vincent Price, Polanski's MACBETH, as well as episodes of UFO andTHE PROTECTORS) and the delightfully slimy Philip Locke (THUNDERBALL, the film version of PORRIDGE, OTHELLO [1995] starring Laurence Fishburne as well as telly appearances on THE AVENGERS, THE OMEGA FACTOR, THE BOX OF DELIGHTS and his DOCTOR WHO cred for "FOUR TO DOOMSDAY").

S02E13 - THE MISSING Q.C.'s  ★★★

The detective for this final installment of the series is Charles Dallas from the works of John Oxenham.  Junior barrister Charles Dallas is taking part in the murder trial of George Wilson when first the barrister for the prosecution disappears . . . and then the barrister for the defense disappears.  At first it's thought the defendant causes the prosecutor to disappear; but why would he then cause his own defense barrister to disappear as well?!?  After the first season Carnacki episode with Donald Pleasence, this is probably the episode of RIVALS with the most horror elements.  While the first half of the episode plays like the majority of episodes in this series, the second half veers sharply off into horror territory with a spooky old lunatic asylum and mad experiments in brain transferal.  This is a very fun episode and enjoyable but, loathe as I am to say it, gets rather silly in the second half.  The sudden introduction of the horror element makes for quite an interesting turn of events but tend to come across (at least the way the actors play it and the director directs it) as rather ridiculous Saturday afternoon serial-like in tone.  It's still a good episode but rather tongue-in-cheek. 

Charles Dallas is quite nicely played by Robin Ellis who appeared on telly on ELISABETH R, CALLAN (in the final series storyline "The Richmond File"), the FAWLTY TOWERS episode "A TOUCH OF CLASS" and POLDARK.  Dallas' boss barrister Sir Revel Revell is played by the wonderful John Barron; best known 'round these here parts as Reggie's boss C.J. in the classic Britcom THE FALL AND RISE OF REGINALD PERRIN as well as for appearances in OUT OF THE UNKNOWN, THE AVENGERS, THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES (!), ACE OF WANDS, THE PROTECTORS, WODEHOUSE PLAYHOUSE, TO THE MANOR BORN, YES MINISTER, TERRY AND JUNE, YES PRIME MINISTER, BRUSH STROKES and THE LEGACY OF REGINALD PERRIN reprising his role as C.J.  Dotty old Professor Dyne is played by veteran character actor John Phillips who had a long career in films such as Olivier's RICHARD III, VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED, BECKET, Hammer Horror THE MUMMY'S SHROUD, Amicus' TORTURE GARDEN and many genre telly appearances in DANGER MAN, ONE STEP BEYOND, MYSTERY AND IMAGINATION, THE AVENGERS, DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE, THE PERSUADERS, WODEHOUSE PLAYHOUSE and the Michael Palin/Terry Jones series RIPPING YARNS.

And so THE RIVALS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES ended.  It's rather unusual and surprising that none of the characters introduced in this series were spun-off into their own series; as quite of few of them would have made fine television programmes on their own.  But here we have two immensely enjoyable series with even the "worst" of them being very worthwhile.  

THE RIVALS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES SERIES 1 [1971]

 "IN LATE VICTORIAN LONDON LIVED MANY DETECTIVES WHO WERE THE RIVALS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES."

 The Thames TV Colour Production of "THE RIVALS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES", based upon a short story collection of the same name, ran for two series:  the first in 1971 and the second in 1973.  There's nothing better than 1970's British television (c'mon, you know it's true) and this series is a particularly good example of funky freshness!  As the title suggests, the series features adaptations from the multitude of detective fiction produced in the late Victorian and Edwardian in the wake of the success of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's consulting detective.   "RIVALS" is also a prime example of the look and feel of 70's British television I love so well.  Add to all this the plethora of superb (and well-loved-by-me) British character actors (a healthy amount of DOCTOR WHO alums among them) and a hint of two of horror elements in a couple episodes, and you have a winner with me!  Even the "worst" episode here is fully entertaining and worth a watch.  Each episode below I'll try to rate out of the 5 star system.  

S01EP01 - A MESSAGE FROM THE DEEP SEA  ★★★★

Our first master detective is Dr. Thorndyke from the writings of R. Austin Freeman.  Thorndyke teaches criminology at University.  When a former student Dr. Hart (now assistant to the police surgeon) is assigned his first murder case, he decides to ask his old mentor and his assistant Dr. Jervis to tag along.  In a nearby rooming house, they find the body of woman lying in her bed stabbed in the throat and clutching a clump of bright red hair.  After taking note of all the clues in the room, the trio is joined by the supercilious police surgeon Dr. Davidson and rather dim  Detective Sergeant Bates who, after learning the deceased had an argument with an Irish woman in the house with bright red hair, they quickly declare it an open-and-shut case and ignore all evidence to the contrary . . . which Thorndyke fruitlessly attempts to point out.  

Dr. Thorndyke is wonderfully played by John Neville (star of Terry Gilliam's noble misfire THE ADVENTURES OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN).  The detective's Watson-like perpetually annoyed and exasperated Dr. Jervis is nicely played by James Cossins (probably best remembered around these parts for his role in the FAWLTY TOWERS episode "The Hotel Inspectors":  "This wine is corked.  The wine . . . has reacted . . . with the cork and gone off!").  Paul Darrow plays neophyte assistant police surgeon Dr. Hart; the actor being primarily known for his role on BLAKE'S 7 as well as twice appearing in DOCTOR WHO in the stories "Doctor Who and the Silurians" and "Timelash".  Pompous police surgeon Dr. Davidson is played by Bernard Archard who is also best known on this blog for his role as Marcus Scarman in DOCTOR WHO:  THE PYRAMIDS OF MARS.  Terence Rigby as Sgt. Bates appeared in GET CARTER in the same year as this episode.  Also in the cast is Nicholas Smith; ole Jug Ears himself Mr. Rumboldt from ARE YOU BEING SERVED?.  This is a nicely effective, strong episode to start the series.

S01EP02 - THE MISSING WITNESS SENSATION  ★★★½ 

Tonight's detective is Max Carrados from the works of Ernest Bramah.  In the realm of detective fiction, Carrados is rather unique in the fact that he's blind.  A man named Dennis Rank is on trial for attacking a woman during a robbery.  However, a witness named Mr. Thaxted claims to have been with the accused in Richmond Park at the time of the crime.  But Max Carrados knows it's all a lie because he himself met Dennis Rank at that same time in Richmond Park.  Unfortunately, when Carrados puts himself forward as a contradictory witness, the "Irish Republican Brotherhood" (of which Rank is a member), kidnaps Carrados and holds him prisoner so that he cannot testify.  Predicting this event, Carrados previous makes a sworn affidavit which is admitted in court after his disappearance.  An angry Irish Republican Brotherhood threatens to kill Carrados if Rank is found guilty.  

Robert Stephens plays Max Carrados with a slightly camp edge and a supreme confidence in his abilities as a detective.  However, his performance isn't one-note as 2/3rds of the way through the episode, Stephens plays it more apprehensively and self-chastising as Carrados begins to think maybe he's bitten off more than he can chew this time.  Sir Robert Stephens is known 'round here for his starring role in THE PRIVATE LIFE OF SHERLOCK HOLMES as well as THE ASPHYX.  Interestingly, of Stephens' 4 marriages, his last two wives were Maggie Smith and Patricia Quinn (Magenta of THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW)!  Another old favourite in the cast is Christopher Cazenove; forever known around here for playing Lord Charlie Hazelmere in THE DUCHESS OF DUKE STREET.

S01EP03 - THE AFFAIR OF THE AVALANCHE BICYCLE & TYRE CO. LTD.  ★★★½ 

In his first of two episodes, we have detective Horace Dorrington from the works of Arthur Morrison.  Dorrington as a detective is fascinating in that he's completely amoral and unscrupulous; he will lie and cheat everyone in order to turn a profit from his detective work!  He's just so lovable as played by the great Peter Vaughan that you can't help but root for him.  I'd describe Dorrington as a "cuddly snake".  Dorrington wants to invest in the Avalanche bicycle company since the impending rage for these new-fangled bicycles might make him a tidy sum.  But Dorrington senses something fishy and becomes friendly with Mr. Stedman of the rival Indestructible Bicycle Company to gain information.  A bicycle race which will determine which bikes are the best ends in a big crash as some unknown ruffian throws a folding chair on the track; the race is at night so no one sees it until it's too late and a massive pile-up occurs injuring superstar cyclist Gillet.  Who threw the chair and why?  And what's everybody up to?

Peter Vaughan is superb as the lovable lout Dorrington and, while you don't really care about the plot of this episode, you're glued to Vaughan's performance with delight.  Vaughan, beloved for his recurring role as Genial Harry Grout in the classic Britcom PORRIDGE also played Anthony Hopkins' father in REMAINS OF THE DAY as well as Giles Corey in THE CRUCIBLE plus well-remembered roles in TIME BANDITS, BRAZIL, the classic BBC Ghost Story for Christmas "A WARNING TO THE CURIOUS" and the music video for Kate Bush's EXPERIMENT IV.  Stedman is played by John Carlisle who I remember mostly from his role as iffy psychiatrist Roy Martindale in the BBC series THE OMEGA FACTOR.  Particularly wonderful in this and the upcoming second Dorrington episode are the long-suffering assistants Mr. Farrish and Ms. Parrott played by Kenneth Colley and Petronella Barker respectively.  Colley is most known to me as fantastically having played Jesus Christ in MONTY PYTHON'S LIFE OF BRIAN and from his turn in Michael Palin & Terry Jones' series RIPPING YARNS in the episode "The Testing of Eric Olthwaite" and ultimately as Admiral Piett in THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK and RETURN OF THE JEDI.  

S01EP04 - THE DUCHESS OF WILTSHIRE'S DIAMONDS  ★★★★ 

The detective for this episode is Simon Carne; however, like Dorrington, Carne is bent as a dog's back leg.  He basically hires himself out as a detective to solve crimes that he himself has committed; therefore he never recovers the stolen merchandise but instead provides the victim with a plausible-sounding explanation as to how the dingus was stolen.  In fact, Simon Carne himself is really a disguise of a hunchbacked aristocrat in false wig and facial hair.  Carne is met by his friend Lord Amberley on Carne's return to England.  On their way to Carne's newly-purchased flat, Amberley regails Carne with tales of the latest rage in London:  a dazzlingly mysterious detective named Klimo who has all of London abuzz.  To Carne's horror, his new flat is right next door to this glory-hound detective!  Carne takes his leave of Amberley, enters his new flat where his manservant Belton awaits and proceeds to removes his false mustache, beard and wig . . . as well as his fake hump!  He then puts on an outlandishly elaborate costume with a baldcap and adapts an Irish accent.  Simon Carne is, in fact, Klimo.  He sits in a desk which revolves over to the house next door and accepts clients as Klimo.  Carne is the "gentleman thief" who steals the loot and Klimo is the detective who solves (but not really) the crime without recovering the missing booty!  

This is an immensely enjoyable episode in which Roy Dotrice manages to pull off the nearly impossible; putting on a different voice in his Klimo disguise which ACTUALLY sounds nothing like Roy Dotrice's voice.  You can nearly always tell but in this case, you'd never know it was Dotrice's voice; it's so different not just in the Irish accent but the tone and timbre.  Another superb cast finds Lord Amberley played by John Standing who appeared in the Hammer Horror THE PSYCHOPATH, the Amicus portmaneau TORTURE GARDEN, ROGUE MALE as most prominently as Jason Mountolive:  the geezer who brings everyone together in THE LEGACY (1978).  Butler Benton is played by John Nettleton whose DOCTOR WHO creds come from his appearance in GHOST LIGHT; however, I most associate him with his recurring role as Sir Arnold Robinson in the classic Britcoms YES, MINISTER and YES, PRIME MINISTER.  

S01EP05 - THE HORSE OF THE INVISIBLE ★★★

The most "horror-themed" episode of the series features Carnacki the Ghost Detective from the works of William Hope Hodgson.  This is also the only instance where I have read the stories previously to watching RIVALS. The ancient curse of the Hisgins family states that if the first born child is female, she will be haunted and eventually killed at the hands (hoofs?!?)  of a ghostly invisible horse.  Captain Hisgins, patriarch of the family, has a first-born daughter Mary who is engaged to be married to Charles Beaumont.  The ghostly invisible horse has dutifully appeared and Beaumont has broken his arm defending Mary against it.  Captain Hisgins engages Carnacki the Ghost Finder to help.  

Frankly, an invisible horse isn't the scariest or most threatening thing I can think of and I wish they had chosen another story to adapt.  As this is the only close-to-horror episode in the series, it's unfortunate that the whole thing seems rather silly.  The acting and proceedings are rather overheated and melodramatically played but thankfully Donald Pleasence is there to underplay and basically carry the episode on his shoulders making this worth watching in the long run.  The character of Mary played by Michele Dotrice (from Hammer Horror THE WITCHES, AND SOON THE DARKNESS and BLOOD ON SATAN'S CLAW) is willfully stubborn in a kind of stupid way; at one point (after clearly encountering the invisible horse who broke her fiancee's arm) she still insists (against Carnacki's strong objections) to take her fiancee for a long walk out in the woods AT NIGHT!!!!!  I mean, really!  She kinda deserves whatever she gets at this point!  And the "baddie" is pretty obvious the second the character appears on screen.  However, the episode is still well worth watching for some moments of gothic atmosphere as well as the ever-dependable excellence of Donald Pleasence.

S01EP06 - THE CASE OF THE MIRROR OF PORTUGAL  ★★★★ 

Here we have the second appearance of our friend Dorrington as played by Peter Vaughan and this one I like even better than the first one!  A destitute French ex-Pat named Jacques Bouvier seeks Dorrington's help in recovering a diamond called "The Mirror of Portugal"; an old family legacy passed down from the French Revolution when it was "liberated" from the French crown jewels by Bouvier's ancestor.  The diamond is currently in possession of Bouvier's cousin Leon who refuses to share it.  Dorrington, indignant at the suggestion that he should steal the diamond, throw's Jacques out of his office. . . then promptly goes about scheming to steal the diamond for himself.  

Peter Vaughan is, if possible, even better in this episode and Colley & Barker are even better here as Farrish & Parrott as well!  This episode is just so damned enjoyable as we follow the amoral antics of Dorrington . . . and there's a terrific twist at the end too!  In the cast, Michael Forrest as Jacques Bouvier had an extensive TV career appearing in LOC&H favourites like THE AVENGERS, DANGER MAN, UFO, CALLAN and DOOMWATCH.  Oscar Quitak as cousin Leon also had a busy career in films such as REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN, BRAZIL and BLOODBATH AT THE HOUSE OF DEATH as well as appearances in TV shows like YES, PRIME MINISTER, OPEN ALL HOURS, ACE OF WANDS, DOOMWATCH,  and LOVEJOY.  Most prominently featured is Paul Eddington as Hamer whose roles include the Hammer Horror THE DEVIL RIDES OUT as well as his well-loved starring roles in THE GOOD LIFE and YES, MINISTER/YES, PRIME MINISTER.  Also in a walk-on is a ridiculously young Jeremy Irons!

S01EP07 - MADAME SARA  ★★ 

Dixon Druce is our featured detective this episode from the works of L.T. Meade and Robert Eustace.  Jack Selby has just married his beautiful Spanish wife Beatrice.  But there's a problem.  There is an inheritance of two million pounds up for grabs but it will only be given to the last survivor of Beatrice, her sister Edith or their step brother Silva.  Last one alive gets the grisbi!  The sisters' older step brother is estranged from the family and lives in distant Brazil.  Silva has a bad reputation and the sisters may be in serious danger.  Somehow mixed up in all this is a mysterious woman known as Madame Sara who in in the "beautifying" business and claims to be able to prevent aging as well as being a deft hand at surgery, dentistry and a host of other medical practices.  Edith seems terribly afraid of Madame Sara . . . but in awe of her at the same time.  Unfortunately, when one of the sisters dies of poisoning, everyone's worst fears are realised.  

For a story crammed with such interesting elements, it's a shame this episode is rather limp.  I'm not sure what it is; whether its the melodramatic, overheated acting which seems particularly artificial, the rather bland lead portrayal of Dixon Druce or the ridiculously over-emphatic music soundtrack.  This is definitely my least favourite episode so far but, having said that, its STILL well worth watching; which goes to the general high quality of the entire series. 

John Fraser is not bad in the lead role of detective Dixon Druce; he's just rather unmemorable.  Fraser was good in his roles in EL CID, REPULSION, TUNES OF GLORY and THE DAM BUSTERS as well as getting cred from his appearances in favourite TV series DANGER MAN and DOCTOR WHO:  LOGOPOLIS.  Fraser simply doesn't have the forceful personality to lift the material which is rather overwrought and hand-wringy.  Marianne Benet (SHAKE HANDS WITH THE DEVIL) is very good as the mysterious Madame Sara who was the Moriarty to Dixon Druce's Holmes in a series of six stories for the detective.  But the biggest joy of the episode (and one that makes it worthwhile to watch) is the appearance of two major DOCTOR WHO actors in prominent roles:  Caroline John (Liz Shaw in Jon Pertwee's first series) as Edith and Roger Delgado (The Master also during Jon Pertwee's tenure) as Silva.

S01EP08 - THE CASE OF THE DIXON TORPEDO  ★★★½ 

Jonathan Pryde is this episode's detective.  Although it should've been Martin Hewitt from the works of Arthur Morrison.  This is one of three detective Martin Hewitt stories adapted for this series of RIVALS; which rises to five Arthur Morrison stories this series when you include the two Dorrington episodes!  That's a lot of Morrison!  And I guess they invented the detective character of Jonathan Pryde (Hewitt's partner/assistant) two cut down the amount of Martin Hewitt episodes from three to two.  It IS rather baffling to me that they chose to broadcast the Jonathan Pryde episode before ANY Martin Hewitt episodes aired.  I would've thought airing a Hewitt episode followed by this Pryde episode would've made more sense.  The client in this episode is actually looking to hire Hewitt (who we've never seen so far in RIVALS) and is told by Pryde that Hewitt's out of town on a case so he'd have to settle for Pryde.  Odd.  Anywho, the British Admiralty hires Pryde to watch inventor F. Graham Dixon who is working on plans for a new-fangled miracle torpedo so that it doesn't fall into the hands of naughty foreign powers (this is pre-World War I).  Of course, while Dixon is testing a model of the torpedo in a secluded lake, Pryde notices a sneaky Pete spying on him from the trees.  Of course, before you it, the plans are stolen.

Jonathan Pryde is played solidly by Ronald Hines with a more modern-seeming world-weariness which, by the end of the episode, reach the level of disillusionment of a Callan!  Hines can be seen in the 1958 film DUNKIRK, SEANCE ON A WET AFTERNOON, and the 1988 Michael Caine JACK THE RIPPER as well as in the POIROT episode "The Kidnapped Prime Minister".  Jacqueline Pearce (Hammer's THE REPTILE and PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES as well as, of course, BLAKE'S 7) has one scene as Pryde's wife.  Derek Francis as the crusty old F. Graham Dixon has many Hammer horror creds in films like THE TOMB OF LIGEIA, CAPTAIN CLEGG aka NIGHT CREATURES, RASPUTIN THE MAD MONK and TO THE DEVIL -- A DAUGHTER as well as the Norman Wisdom vehicle PRESS FOR TIME and my beloved CARRY ON DOCTOR.  Francis' also has a DOCTOR WHO cred for his appearance in THE ROMANS as Emperor Nero during the William Hartnell era.  This episode reminded me quite a bit of the Sherlock Holmes story "The Bruce Partington Plans" but apparently Morrison's story was written before Conan Doyle's.  A good, solid episode enlivened by fine performances as well as the feel of disillusionment towards the end.

S01EP09 - THE WOMAN IN THE BIG HAT ★★★½  

This episode's detective is Lady Molly from the works of the Baroness Orczy.  A man has been monopolising a booth in a London tea shop for quite a long time nursing his hot chocolate.  When a waitress goes to him, he falls forward on the table . . .dead!  When the man first sat down he was in the company of a woman wearing an extremely large hat who left him to "go shopping" and never returned.  Surely, this woman in the big hat poisoned him.  Lady Molly is brought into the case by her assistant Mary Grandard who was in the tea shop at the time of the murder.  

Elvi Hale is marvelous as Lady Molly:  a detective who has some position at Scotland Yard but it's not made clear exactly in what capacity.  She is however, expertly capable in her detective work and suffers the pompous condescension of her male colleagues with strained patience.  One of these pompous fellas is her colleague Inspector Saunders played by Peter Bowles best known 'round these parts for his starring role in the classic Britcom TO THE MANOR BORN.  Unfortunately, Bowles' performance here is wildly over-the-top as if he's appearing in a pantomime!  I've seen Bowles in a great deal of other things where his acting is subtle and appropriate so I'm not sure what happened here.  The actor also appeared in scads of favourite TV series including DANGER MAN, THE PRISONER, THE AVENGERS, SPACE: 1999, RISING DAMP and I, CLAUDIUS.  Mary Grandard is played by Ann Beach known mostly to me as Lottie in CITY OF THE DEAD as well as appearing in SEBASTIAN and TV series STEPTOE AND SON, TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED, RISING DAMP and of course FRESH FIELDS.  Francis White as the murdered man's widow appeared in the DOCTOR WHO story THE MYTH MAKERS as well as in I, CLAUDIUS as Augustus Caesar's daughter Julia.  Veteran actress Catherine Lacey plays the murdered man's elderly aunt; she appeared in everything from Alfred Hitchcock's THE LADY VANISHES to Michael Reeves' THE SORCERERS.  But among this terrific cast, the laurels have to go to the marvelous Una Stubbs (Mrs. Hudson to Benedict Cumberbatch's SHERLOCK) as the ex-maid and full-time strumpet Katie whose performance is laugh-out-loud hilarious!      

  

S01EP10 - THE AFFAIR OF THE TORTOISE  ★★★½ 

Here we finally have the first appearance of Martin Hewitt from the works of Arthur Morrison after being unceremoniously replaced in "The Dixon Torpedo".  Miss Chapman is living in a rather seedy, rundown boarding house when detective Martin Hewitt informs her that she has just inherited a sizable inheritance.  While there, Hewitt hears a chaotic racket coming from outside Miss Chapman's room; it arises from the frequently drunk and abusive Haitian lodger named Rameau who is caterwallling, sliding down the banister and tormenting handyman Goujon with endless practical jokes.  When one joke results in the death of Goujon's treasured pet tortoise, Goujon threatens to kill Rameau.  One night on the floor of his room, Rameau discovers a voodoo doll which puts the freak out into him.  In time, Millie the maid discovers Rameau's body lying on the floor of his room with his head drenched in blood and a bloody axe nearby.  A note pinned to the body declares in French that this is the vengeance of the tortoise!

Peter Barkworth's first outing as detective Martin Hewitt shows him in fine form.  The actor is splendid in everything I've seen from WHERE EAGLES DARE and PATTON to TV appearances in THE AVENGERS, the "Silver Blaze" episode of Granada's SHERLOCK HOLMES, the PUBLIC EYE episode "Nobody Kills Santa Claus" and in DOCTOR WHO:  THE ICE WARRIORS as Leader Clent.  Miss Chapman is played by Cyd Hayman who, besides appearing in the aforementioned film ROGUE MALE also featured in TV series like THE TWO RONNIES, SPACE: 1999, THE PERSUADERS, TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED . . . and another appearance in THE RIVALS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES coming up.  Stephan Kalipha, who appears as the anarchic Rameau, appeared in the films BLACK JOY, FOR YOUR EYES ONLY and INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE as well as an episode of CALLAN entitled "Amos Green Must Live".  Timothy Bateson as the meek Goujon appeared all over the place from Laurence Olivier's RICHARD III, horror-comedy fave WHAT A CARVE-UP!, TORTURE GARDEN, THE ITALIAN JOB, EVIL OF FRANKENSTEIN, LABYRINTH, DANGER ROUTE and HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX.  Bateson was also a well-known face in TV appearing in THE DUCHESS OF DUKE STREET,  THE GOOD LIFE, Q.E.D., ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL, LAST OF THE SUMMER WINE and DOCTOR WHO as Binro in "The Ribos Operation".  Old seadog Captain Cutler is played by Powell and Pressburger favourite Esmond Knight who appeared in CONTRABAND, A CANTERBURY TALE, Olivier's HENRY V, BLACK NARCISSUS, UNCLE SILAS, Olivier's HAMLET, GONE TO EARTH, THE RED SHOES, Jean Renoir's THE RIVER, Olivier's RICHARD III, THE PRINCE AND THE SHOWGIRL, SINK THE BISMARK! and PEEPING TOM among many others.  

S01EP11 - THE ASSYRIAN REJUVENATOR  ★★★½ 

This time our detective is Romney Pringle from the works of Clifford Ashdown.  A confidence trickster who this week is going by the name of Henry Jacobs is peddling a quack remedy called the Assyrian Rejuvenator to the well-to-do that claims it will restore youth, vim and vigor.  When the remedy proves to be so much balloon juice, Police Sergeant Hawkins calls on Pringle to catch the blighter.  In the words of Hawkins:  "set a thief to catch a thief".  It seems that Pringle is a detective in the same mold as Dorrington and Klimo in that he's out for all he can get.  Disguising himself as doddering old Major Parkins, Pringle visits Henry Jacobs at the Assyrian Rejuvenator Co. and scares him into taking a runner.  Then, Pringle (still disguised as Major Parkins) takes over the company as well as secretary Doris who quickly falls for the Major.   Pringle/Parkins is a whiz at fleecing customers with his snake oil and piles up a tidy sum.  Until . . .Henry Jacobs shows up again  . . with a gun.

Donald Sinden as Romney Pringle shows the same gleeful delight in his devious plans as he did when playing Robert in the classic TV Britcom TWO'S COMPANY while outsmarting Elaine Stritch.  Derek Smith as smarmy Henry Jacobs has been seen all over the telly in MYSTERY AND IMAGINATION episode "The Flying Dragon", THE PROTECTORS episode "The Big Hit", ARE YOU BEING SERVED? episode "Dear Sexy Knickers", two episodes of Brian Clemens' THRILLER series "Screamer" and "The Carnation Killer", THE DUCHESS OF DUKE STREET episode "The Outsiders", LOVEJOY episode "Day of Reckoning" and DOCTOR WHO episode "Human Nature".  The wonderful Alethea Charlton is a standout as Doris Pratt; the actress appeared twice in DOCTOR WHO in the first storyline "An Unearthly Child" as Hur the cavewoman and as Edith in "The Time Meddler".  She also did two episodes of PUBLIC EYE ("Honesty is the Best Policy - But Who Can Afford the Premiums?" and "The Beater and the Game") but she will forever be known to me for her role as creepy Mrs. Oxhey in the superb episode of Brian Clemen's THRILLER series entitled "Someone at the Top of the Stairs".  

S01EP12 - THE RIPENING RUBIES  ★★★½ 

Our detective this time around is Bernard Sutton from the works of Max Pemberton.   A rash of jewel robberies has terrorised London society women.  A habitual criminal named Jaffee enters the shop of jeweler Bernard Sutton wanting to sell a ruby necklace which he says he bought from a Dutch sea captain with a wooden leg.  Unfortunately for Jaffee, the ruby necklace is on the list of stolen items and was in fact made by Sutton himself for Lady Faber as an anniversary present from her husband.  The police allow the necklace to be returned to Lady Faber by Sutton who is then invited to act as "security" at the ball she is throwing that evening in case the jewel thief strikes again.  And the thief does.

Robert Lang is quite good as Bernard Sutton but his voice sometimes reminds me of how Jackie Gleason sounded when playing his aristocratic character.  I kept expecting him to say "Mmmmmm-and awaaaaaaay we goooooooo!"  Lang made TV appearances in THAT WAS THE WEEK THAT WAS, TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED and THE NEW AVENGERS and appeared in the films THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD and that catch-all movie ROGUE MALE!  Lally Bowers as Lady Faber is a delight and Richard Hurndall as Lord Faber is the starchy aristocrat to a tee.  Bowers appeared in the TV series GOING STRAIGHT (sequel to PORRIDGE), A FINE ROMANCE and Hi-De-Hi as well as in the film DRACULA A.D. 1972.  Hurndall is perhaps best known to the folks around here for playing the First Doctor in the DOCTOR WHO 20th anniversary special THE FIVE DOCTORS.  Ron Pember played hapless crook Jaffee; the actor almost unbelievably also appeared in the film ROGUE MALE (!) as well as CURSE OF THE CRIMSON ALTAR aka THE CRIMSON CULT, DEATH LINE and MURDER BY DECREE as well as on TV in THE TWO RONNIES and RED DWARF.  Pember's DOCTOR WHO cred comes from his appearance in the 1985 radio drama "Slipback".  Also in the cast is bewitching Moira Redmond who appeared in Hammer Horror film NIGHTMARE as well as TV series I. CLAUDIUS, DANGER MAN, THE EDGAR WALLACE MYSTERIES and THE SWEENEY.

S01EP13 - THE CASE OF LAKER, ABSCONDED  ★★★½ 

The final episode in the first series of RIVALS features the return of Martin Hewitt along with his partner Jonathan Pryde from the works of Arthur Morrison.  A "walk-clerk" working for the bank of Liddle, Neal & Liddle makes his rounds collecting money from various area banks which he then brings back to his own bank; only Laker has disappeared with fifteen thousand pounds.  Absconded!  Martin Hewitt's detective firm has been retained by the City Guarantee Society to find Laker and the money.  Emily Shaw, Laker's fiance, is convinced he is innocent and asks Hewitt for help proving it.  Unfortunately for Ms. Shaw, the first bank teller Laker visited that day is a personal friend who says positively that it was Laker he saw that morning.  Now, even Ms. Shaw is doubting whether her fiance is indeed a criminal.  Hewitt and Miss Shaw follow Laker's trail from bank to bank until ending up at a travel agent's where Laker booked passage to France.  Laker left his unusual-handled (and very memorable) umbrella leaning on the desk of the lost articles dept. and insisted on giving his full correct name to the travel agent even though he was specifically told it was not required to do so.  Is your boyfriend a dope, Hewitt asks Ms. Shaw.  No, she assures him, Laker is very intelligent.  Then why leave such an obvious trail?

Peter Barkworth's portrayal of Hewitt is even better and more nuanced than his previous appearance.  Ronald Hines as Pryde only has a small amount of screen time here but is great nonetheless.  Jane Lapotaire as Emily Shaw is terrific as the confused and devastated but loyal fiance.  Lapotaire has had a long and successful career on stage, screen and television with appearances in LADY JANE and THE ASPHYX as well as appearing in TV's CALLAN.  However, she will always be in my heart for her unhinged performance in THE DARK ANGEL alongside Peter O'Toole.  Also in the cast is venerable Charles Lloyd-Pack whose many appearances include QUATERMASS 2, NIGHT OF THE DEMON, HORROR OF DRACULA, THE REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN, THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH, CORRIDORS OF BLOOD, TERROR OF THE TONGS, THE REPTILE, BEDAZZLED, FRANKENSTEIN AND THE MONSTER FROM HELL and THE MIRROR CRACK'D.  I suppose this could be onsiders RIVALS' Christmas episode; there is a lot of light (studio) snow falling and the end of the episode finds Hewitt wishing Ms. Shaw a "Merry Christmas" before a final shot of his office Christmas tree.

So now we bring down the curtain on the first series of THE RIVALS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES.  An altogether terrific programme.  I'll be along in a little while to tackle the second and final series.

CONAN DOYLE PICKS 'EM

MY TWO OBSESSIONS THIS WEEK ARE ODDLY ENOUGH RICHARD NIXON AND SHERLOCK HOLMES. 

I can't tell you why these two now in this week -- things just happen like this sometimes.  I've recently re-watched the superb AMERICAN EXPERIENCE dvd on Nixon, I'm listening to the Smithsonian Folkways 5 volumes of WATERGATE albums (featured soon on Nov. 12th at my sister blog "THE DARK FOREST") and am reading Stanley Kutler's "THE WARS OF WATERGATE".  That's Tricky Dick spoken for.  But as for the world's greatest consulting detective, I've been re-listening to some of the exquisite 1950s radio series THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES starring Sir John Gielgud and Sir Ralph Richardson as well as re-watching the complete Granada TV series of THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES starring Jeremy Brett.  In that spirit, I thought it would be fun to find out what Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's favourite Sherlock Holmes stories were.  And we can by consulting the 1927 issue of THE STRAND MAGAZINE in which the author tell us his opinion that the best Sherlock Holmes stories were:

• THE ADVENTURE OF THE SPECKLED BAND
• THE ADVENTURE OF THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE
• THE ADVENTURE OF THE DANCING MEN
• THE FINAL PROBLEM
• A SCANDAL IN BOHEMIA
• THE ADVENTURE OF THE EMPTY HOUSE
• THE FIVE ORANGE PIPS
• THE ADVENTURE OF THE SECOND STAIN
• THE ADVENTURE OF THE DEVIL'S FOOT
• THE ADVENTURE OF THE PRIORY SCHOOL
• THE ADVENTURE OF THE MUSGRAVE RITUAL
• THE ADVENTURE OF THE REIGATE SQUIRE

In an aside to this article, Sir Arthur also notes that it's a shame he cannot choose stories from the not-yet-published CASE-BOOK OF SHERLOCK HOLMES or else he'd have included THE ADVENTURE OF THE LION'S MANE and THE ADVENTURE OF THE ILLUSTRIOUS CLIENT.  Author Peter Haining has suggested that the mention of these two might be an attempt to boost the sales of the forthcoming book.  Either way, these are the stories the creator of Sherlock Holmes himself picked.  

And what are MY favourite Sherlock Holmes stories?   Hmmm, that's a good question.  Perhaps if I re-familiarise myself with the "Canon", I'll be able to get back to you with an answer to that.  I can say without fear of contradiction that quite a few of those mentioned above will be on my list as well.  Watch this space.