A lot of good things about this episode. The plot's quite simple - Steed's former batman (that's an Army valet in case you're wondering) Wrightson leaves to his wife more money than he could possibly have earnt in his lifetime. Steed, Cathy and Wrightson's son John (David 'first incarnation of Granada Watson' Burke) are all intrigued as to where the money came from, and whether it had anything to do with possible services rendered by the deceased to the merchant banking firm of Teale and Van Doren.
But this simple setup leads to some wonderful scenes: first, the vaguely feudal honour paid to the Wrightson family by having Lord Teale (Andre 'Marshall Tavannes' Morell) and the gentlemanly Steed at their humble terraced house for the funeral tea.
Second: several scenes where Steed chats up Lady Cynthia, one of T&vD's clients, as part of his investigation. They ought not to work given the age difference, but I'm starting to think that Patrick Macnee can make absolutely anything seem perfectly natural as Steed behaviour.
Third: a confrontation between John Wrightson and Lord Teale at the kitchen table, where Wrightson tells Teale he's worked out the money mystery. Teale excellently doesn't touch the beer he's been offered until he realises that he's been cornered.
Fourth: the suggestion that Teale, despite their common bond as former soldiers, looks down on Steed for having served in I Corps, which to save you looking it up is in this context part of the army of occupation in Germany after 1945. A good exchange between them on this subject in the climactic scene, which pivots around the banking firm's butler Cooper (Ray Browne making his fourth appearance so far).
Philip Madoc is also back, for the third time, as van Doren - his last two roles were very stiff, controlled characters but here he gets a chance to do some likeable irony. He makes a nicely-timed joke with Cooper in the final scene which I'd've appreciated more if I could have made out the exact words - the sound is still quite murky in parts in these older eps.
No comments:
Post a Comment