The Priory School

For as long as I can remember, I have been a big fan of Sherlock Holmes. The Priory School is a good, solid entry in the series. I do agree though the adaptation could have elaborated more on the glass case in the foyer clue, and there are moments when the pace feels sluggish. However, when it comes to the production values and music, The Priory School can't be faulted. The photography, sets, scenery and costumes are authentic and add to the atmosphere and once again the music is both beautiful and haunting. The story is one of the most interesting of the series and is told very well, the script is sophisticated and thoughtful-plus the episode has some of the funniest ever Sherlock Holmes moments involving Watson and food and a quite intense climatic scene- and John Madden's direction is appropriately skilled while not feeling too overdone or low-key. The acting is great as usual, Jeremy Brett is straightforward yet commanding and Edward Hardwicke is loyal and composed, while the support cast are all solid without standing out especially particularly. Overall, it is a good entry. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Holmes is brought in because of his ability to keep his cases from the public eye. Watson's portrayals occur well after the fact. In this one, a school boy at a private institution and his German teacher have disappeared. The trail proves one, requiring great patience and personal strength. The suspected perpetrator suddenly becomes a victim and the case gets rather ragged. At the center is the aristocratic father, whose world has become complicated. When one of Holmes' clients is as taciturn as this man, we know that the road will ultimately lead back to him in some way. The real joy of the episode is the use of several red herrings that need to be dismissed. The Victorian view of children born out of wedlock is certainly disturbing. It's interesting how such a "refined" culture needs to maintain its status through subterfuge and dishonesty. We still have some of this going on today. The unique thing about Holmes is that it is nearly always about the "case." While this episode plods on at times, it also teases us, and leads us astray. The clues are all there if you view it with knowledge of the conclusion. Good writing; good mystery.

What happened to the Duke's son at the Priory School? Did he run away with the assistance of the missing German master, or has he been abducted? This looks like a job for Sherlock Holmes!

This time around, the significant changes to the story actually enhance it.

Jeremy Brett and Edward Harwicke are, once again, the consummate Holmes and Watson. The guest stars are a mixed bag. Christopher Benjamin is a delight as the prim school master who makes what may be the most interesting entrance to Baker Street in the Canon. Well-regarded actor Alan Howard, on the other hand, comes off as a trifle dull.

Nevertheless, Brett & Co. Present another great episode of "The Return of Sherlock Holmes."

And it's fun watching Holmes and Watson on bicycles.

If you are interested in Holmes, or the way directors discover films, or both...

A walk through the Brett Holmes' adventures is, well an adventure. And there's every bit as much detective work involved. In these, you have three principles: Brett, who has some energy and an engaging notion of the character, a director and a screenwriter. As with all British mystery series, the game here is to have a different writer and director for each "episode." Perhaps there were production reasons for this.

Brett in this period was fat and dull from the drugs he was taking to control his condition, the very condition that made him and interesting Holmes. Internally exploding.

The writer is Bowen. I have encountered him many times before in various detective screenplays. each time I have been repelled by his decisions. Mostly, they are decisions to cut the viewer out of the discovery game. This is pernicious business, these decisions.

Film, even pedestrian TeeVee films, can be sharp, can help you butcher your demons, can start wildfires that cleanse. But only when the viewer is given power (and implicitly, respect). Often, this power comes free with the detective form, where we collaboratively weave narrative -- even what narrative means -- with the writer.

Bowen refuses us this, and I hate him for it because he actively scours it out, removes it.

So under normal circumstances, I'd be waving you off of this, especially since you likely will be seeing it on DVD and this is paired on a disk with a horrible episode, one of the worst experiences of all.

But here's the magic of film. Even a sleeping actor and a woefully mistaken writer cannot kill a project if the director (and his team) have vision. And this young director does. He would go from this to TeeVee detective projects with good writers, then on to some very competent movies indeed, a best picture Oscar.

So look at this and put yourself in the place of the director instead of the writer as you normally would do. And struggle with him around the barriers the world places in front of us, barriers that prevent a coherent narrative (in the form it would be called a "solution").

Its quite a miracle. There's one huge misstep, when the body is discovered. But look at how he lingers on a minor character, the innkeeper's wife. There's a whole story, a whole world in a few succinct moment with her.

Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.

As a reward for safely recovering his son, the Duke of Holdernesse presents Sherlock Holmes with a check for 12,000 pounds (£). No wonder Holmes is caught off-guard: £12,000 ca. 1890 would be worth over $2 million today! "A king's ransom", indeed!