The Devil's Foot

These Granada Holmes deals are hit and miss because of the way the creative teams were assigned. This is one of the bad ones, beyond remarking.

There are two mildly interesting things about the episode.

One is the continuing oscillation between supernatural forces and the mechanical logic of life that was popular in Victorian England. These forces pull extremes, even today. This version of the story plays that down. From the very first you know we are dealing with a powdered drug. From the very first you know who did it and why.

The other interesting thing is a continuing issue in film. How do you deal with distortions of reality, like dreams and hallucinations? There seems to be a sort of hack vocabulary for this that TeeVee imposes: some wavy images, threatening situations, blood from skin, short, confusing exposures, jittery camera.

Its done here in the clumsiest of ways. Five years later a more maddened Brett would be in "The Last Vampyre" that was equally bad as a Holmes, but much better in the hallucination department.

Oh and accompanying music that seems to come from only one source. This, my friends is why there will never be a decent Holmes produced for TeeVee. Whenever these choices have to be made, the TeeVee vocabulary is just too hackneyed and ordinary.

Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.

I love the Granada Sherlock Holmes adaptations, and this adaptation of The Devil's Foot epitomises why. In fact, it is a contender for my favourite episode of the series, that is how good it is. It is relatively faithful to the source material, and while the story is still a fine read, this adaptation in some ways improves on it.

As always, the production values are superb. The sets and costumes are meticulous, the photography is skillful and the atmosphere is resolutely creepy and mysterious. Coupled with one of the most haunting music scores of the series(gives The Red Circle a run for its money), fine sophisticated writing, good pacing, great direction and a classic story told in such an adept way you have a superb episode.

And I cannot not mention the acting. Jeremy Brett is a perfect Holmes with a gritty baritone and commanding presence and Edward Hardwicke is more than an ideal contrast as a thoughtful and composed Watson.

Overall, a wonderful episode and adaptation. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Jeremy Brett's magical run as Holmes aired when I was very young, when I think back this was the episode that had the greatest impact on me, even now I'm struck by just how bleak it is. Three reasons, firstly the horrible way the poor Tregenniss family die, it's so dark, secondly the trippy scene where Holmes suffers the effects of the substance, and also the terrors he faces with drugs. It's one of my favourite stories, it's a wonderful tale of justice and revenge. Great production values, the coast looks incredible, and of course the acting is fabulous, Brett and Hardwicke at their very best.

I suppose I am adding this comment as counterweight to the only other existing comment about this episode of the excellent Granada Holmes series.

While not the best of the series it certainly stands out as one of the better ones and is infinitely better than some other Holmes adaptations we have been subjected to in the past decades. An original and classic Sherlock Holmes story is not so much about a detective solving a murder case. We are not talking whodunnit here. People who are looking for that sort of thing had better look out for the odd Agatha Christie movie. A Holmes story is mostly about atmosphere, be it the foggy, nostalgic, and mysterious atmosphere of Victorian London, or, in this case, the lonesome, mystic and eerie air of the Cornish countryside.

Anyone who is slightly acquainted with the canon of Sherlock Holmes stories will know that all occurrences have a scientific and logical explanation. So there is no reason to dwell unnecessarily long on the possibility of something supernatural happening. Of course the astute viewer will have identified the criminal rather early but contrary to the plots of classic whodunnits some of the best Holmes stories feature a criminal who only appears towards the end of the story and is usually some strange and outlandish character from the victim's past. In a whodunnit we would resent such a solution but in a Holmes story which is mostly about atmosphere we do not.

Holmes is on the verge of a nervous breakdown and needs his fix: a really interesting case. It comes when a trio of people, playing cards are suddenly stricken with catalepsy. One, the woman, dies and there is no explanation for it. This leads to a big game hunter who appears on the scene. He has had experiences in parts of Africa. A logical candidate for what has happened. We know that a writer or director doesn't throw this in if there isn't some significance. The key to it all is motive. If someone is responsible, who and why? This is well done. Brett is at his best in putting together the critical issues of time and opportunity and the conclusion is valid. Once again Holmes is faced with a moral dilemma, one which he has faced many times.