Barnes & Noble

Not since Basil Rathbone has an actor been so closely identified with the immortal detective created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle as has Jeremy Brett -- the star of the BBC favorite that chronicled the adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson with admirable fidelity to the canon. This three-disc box set collects six episodes from the series. In truth, the stories of Doyle's Casebook, written in the 1920s, were not his best: He had long since tired of the infallible sleuth from Baker Street, and he wrote this final group of short mysteries -- singularly lacking the zest and sparkle of earlier tales -- solely to placate his fans. But the relative weaknesses of the original yarns didn't prevent director John Madden from filming first-rate adaptations of them. Like earlier entries in this series, these six installments scrupulously follow their printed-page versions and capture the period with unusually careful attention to detail. And, of course, Brett and costar Edward Hardwicke as Watson exhibit the same chemistry that made previous episodes so delightful; their byplay alone makes the Casebook shows worth watching. The stories include "The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax," "The Problem of Thor Bridge," "Shoscombe Old Place," "Boscombe Valley Mystery," "The Illustrious Client," and "The Creeping Man." Ed Hulse

All Movie Guide

Sherlock Holmes fans are divided as to who was the best on-camera interpreter of "The Master": Basil Rathbone or Jeremy Brett. Partisans of Brett should get their fill, and more, from the Casebook of Sherlock Holmes TV series. Produced in Britain in the 1980s and 1990s, these irresistible 60-minute Conan Doyle dramatizations are just as popular as they were when first telecast. This box set collects six episodes from the Casebook of Sherlock Holmes TV series. "The Creeping Man" is a reclusive hunchback who has been making surprise appearances of late. Most recently, the shadowy figure has been nosing around the home of a respected professor. The professor's daughter seems to be the object of the hunchback's snooping...but why? Better ask Sherlock Holmes who's been called in to get to the bottom of things. In "The Illustrious Client" Holmes accepts a case involving a sinister Austrian baron and the man's bizarre fiancée. He does this on behalf of a man whose position in the British government is so high that he dare not use his own name in engaging Holmes' services. The Great Detective discreetly saves the Empire from ruin and brings the villains to heel. "Shoscombe Old Place" deals with Holmes spending several days at the races. Holmes' client is an English lord who faces ruin at the hands of an old enemy. "The Problem of Thor Bridge" involves a pretty governess, her master and his invalid wife. The wife dies under highly questionable circumstances. Before the husband can be brought to the police to "assist them in their inquiries," he disappears. It's up to Holmes to put all the pieces in place. In "Boscombe Valley Mystery" a farmer's son is accused of murdering his father. The circumstantial evidence is all against the boy, but Holmes and Watson (Edward Hardwicke) are seldom inclined to accept matters at face value. And finally, in "The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax" the gorgeous and graceful Lady Frances Carfax has seemingly disappeared from the face of the earth. Holmes suspects foul play, but he has only a minimum of evidence to go on.

Product Details

• UPC: 030306717890
• Source: MPI HOME VIDEO
• Time: 6:30:00
• Sales Rank: 786

This set contains DVDs which may be available separately:

• The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes: The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax
• The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes: The Problem of Thor Bridge
• The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes: Shoscombe Old Place
• The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes: The Boscombe Valley Mystery
• The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes: The Illustrious Client
• The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes: The Creeping Man

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