The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax

Dr Watson is holidaying in the Lake District. A notable personality at the hotel is Lady Frances Carfax, an independent-minded, bohemian single woman. She appears to be being harassed by a mysterious bearded man. After one of his appearances she disappears. Holmes now joins his friend to investigate.

The first episode of The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes, the third series of the Jeremy Brett-starring Sherlock Holmes mysteries (the others being The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and The Return of Sherlock Holmes). It makes for an excellent start as the episode is filled with drama, tension and romance.

The solid, intrigue-filled plot is the backbone of this but as always it's Jeremy Brett's performance as Holmes that lifts it to another level. Another positive in this episode is some of the settings: quite picturesque.

This story is well adapted and is one of the best episodes in the "Casebook" volume of the series. Sherlock Holmes and Watson investigate the disappearance of a woman who has been kidnapped by a con artist with a murderous history. Unlike most filmed adaptations in this series this one ends on a dark note adding a degree of ambiguity. John Madden does a solid job of directing it as T. R. Bowen does of scripting it. As usual for Granada the production values are wonderfully meticulous capturing the flavor of the time period. The cast is excellent with Cheryl Campbell giving a strong performance as the eccentric Lady Frances Carfax and Jeremy Brett still proves why he is the best actor to play the role of Arthur Conan Doyle's master detective.

John Madden again brings a cinematic quality to The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax.

Dr Watson is in the Lake District and recounts the tales of the eccentric Lady Carfax to Holmes in London. She had a near miss when she fell of a boat that she used to attend church. A disabled war veteran swam out to rescue her.

However Holmes then joins Dr Watson as he senses this independent minded lady might be in danger from a missionary who is in Britain to raise funds.

By the time Holmes arrives, Lady Carfax has gone missing after she encountered a face from her past.

A solid story with a hint of a dark ending with Holmes finding himself temporarily flummoxed with his analytical skills. However you cannot keep a lid on a good detective.

The way the story is presented, it could initially go several ways, the villain here is devious and quick to improvise.

This is another episode featuring the "new" woman in England. Sadly for Lady Carfax, there are those who would do her harm. Rather than seek out help, she decides she can go it alone. Fortunately, Watson has become an observer, fascinated with this strong woman, and he lets Holmes know that something is amiss. This sets the wheels in motion since a mysterious character and much talk of money has entered the mix. Ultimately, the men end up at a hotel where Lady Carfax supposedly is hidden. This is where it gets really dicey but it has a really satisfying conclusion. I really liked the episodes where Watson, a very complex character, though he lacks Holmes' acumen, is the one who recognizes when a lady is in danger. Edward Hardwicke is front and center here and does a really fine job. After you have seen the conclusion, try to remember if you have run across it in the past in other mystery settings. Also, do a little history of the mortuary business, particularly when it came to poorer clients.

Watson is on vacation in the Lake District and he's corresponding with Holmes about his every little observation. In particular, Watson seems very preoccupied with the actions of a very progressive woman...one who seems to be quite the feminist. Watson thinks the woman might be in danger...and based on what Holmes reads in the letters, he, too, thinks the woman is not safe. So, when she disappears, Holmes rushes to help in the investigation.

While I think this case involves a LOT of guesswork and isn't among the best mysteries, it is interesting and the ending is pretty scary and eventful. Well worth seeing.