Sherlock Holmes (TV Series) The Speckled Band (1964) User Reviews

inspired adaptation of one of Conan Doyle's finer stories

[didi-5 · 7/10 · 31 May 2007]

'The Speckled Band' was one of the better Sherlock Holmes stories, and as such, it is not surprising that the BBC chose it as a pilot for their series pairing Douglas Wilmer as Holmes with Nigel Stock as Watson.

Shot in black and white on a Baker Street set built at Ealing Studios, this series starts well and, in 50 minutes, the story is told in a compact and economic form which, nevertheless, leaves the viewer in some suspense about the outcome.

This version of 'Speckled Band' was very interesting to compare with the Granada Brett version twenty years later. Wilmer makes a perceptive and sardonic Holmes, looking very like the Strand illustrations; while Stock is effective as the war-weary Watson. Guest stars bring to life the minor characters, and despite the aged print, this was absorbing viewing.

Shouldn't be band

[hte-trasme · 7/10 · 18 November 2009]

The pilot production in the BBC's 1960s series of Sherlock Holmes adaptations starring Douglas Wilmer was one of the more popular Holmes mysteries, "The Speckled Band" and it largely hits its mark very well. Despite scenes in several locations it still comes across as a very claustrophobic and grim story, and the adaption was very well served by the decision to expand on the plot line of the mystery that will come to present itself to Holmes. Starting by drawing out the drama of the Stoner sisters in the power of their tyrannical stepfather makes for good television and hugely adds to the human interest of the story.

As a result, Sherlock Holmes doesn't appear until twelve minutes into the forty-eight of this television drama, and that is perfectly fine. When he does, Douglas Wilmer is a delight to watch in the part. He is an irritable and impatient Holmes who manages at the same time to be wry and likable; the part seems to fit him like a glove. In this production -- and more commonly than now in the era when it was made -- dialogue could be relied on to provide interest to carry a scene and built suspense on top of the visual settings, and it does so here. Location footage, too, though, is well-placed, with the gypsy scene being suitably threatening.

Nigel Stock is fine as Dr. Watson, although his character is written a little dumber than he needs to be here. Felix Felton makes an excellent Grimesby Roylott, suitably horrible and frightful, but also capable of appearing bluff and agreeable if he ever so chooses.

Unfortunately, the production is slightly let down by a rushed ending which seems to miss out on the opportunity to built suspense as Holmes and Watson wait for events to transpire in Helen Stoner's room overnight, as well as some inappropriately light incidental music. Overall though a successful adaptation that rightfully was developed into a series.

The Deadliest Snake in India.

[rmax304823 · 6/10 · 28 May 2012]

The Speckled Band is one of the more enjoyable stories in the canon, although pretty grim. A step father murders one of his daughters by means of a trained snake in order to prevent her gaining control of the family fortune, and he almost murders the other except for the intervention of Holmes and Watson.

The plot is impossible, of course. That trained snake is a "swamp adder, the deadliest snake in India," although there is no such snake. Even if there were, snakes aren't given to being rewarded with saucers of milk, and they're deaf so they don't hear whistles. However, as we Regulars know, once the impossible is eliminated, the improbable reader must assume that the improbable impossibles are impossibly probable.

This is the story in which Grimsby Roylott storms into 221b Baker Street, hurls a series of epithets at Holmes (I liked "Sherlock Holmes, the Scotland Yard Jack-in-Office" best), bends an iron poker and leaves in high dudgeon. I should add that one of the reasons I liked that curse the best is that I don't know what a Jack-in-Office is. It adds to the mystery.

Douglas Wilmer as Holmes is not the twitchy Jeremy Brett or the clipped-voiced and steely Basil Rathbone. He's a little lighter than that. He's neither sentimental nor angry and he tosses off his observations with aplomb. Wilmer's ears are a bit noticeable and he doesn't seem to have many notes on his instrument but he carries the role well enough.

The supporting actors are sometimes quite good -- the two daughters -- and sometimes not so hot -- Dr. Roylott. There are a few shots in which the musical score is inaptly jaunty. But the writing is fine, and much of the dialog is lifted directly from Conan-Doyle. The story is opened up somewhat by Holmes' and Watson's visit to the gloomy and ominous gypsy camp. In the printed story, the gypsies are just brought up as red herrings and not mentioned again. The production values are high enough to include some shots of a genuine baboon and a real cheetah.

It's better than you might expect.

Interesting but lackluster episode

[Paularoc · 5/10 · 11 June 2013]

This pilot episode to the BBC's 1960s Sherlock Holmes story gets off to a very slow start. Two sisters, Helen and Julia Stoner are playing cards and Julia tells her sister that she is unable to sleep at night because a strange whistling sound keeps her awake. They grew up in India and after the death of their father, their mother marries a Dr. Grimesby Roylott, a vicious bully of a man. They return to England to Roylott's large and creepy family home. But Julia will soon escape as she is to be married in ten days time. After playing cards, later in the evening Helen hears her sister call out and rushes to her room. Julia stumbles into the hallway and falls into Helen's arms. Her dying words were "the speckled band." Two years later, Helen becomes engaged and soon thereafter the wicked step-father has Helen move into Julia's room because remodeling is being done near Helen's room. Then one evening Helen hears the whistling and becomes very scared and fortunately goes to Holmes to ask for his help. While this background information was needed, it was presented in a very boring manner. Things perk up considerably when Holmes and Watson finally appear. Wilmer does a pretty good job as Holmes although his portrayal is a bit too low key. Stock does an excellent job as Watson. I especially liked the scene where he exhibits great indignation over the way Roylott treated his step-daughters. It was so Dr. Watson from the original stories. The other actors' portrayals ranged from just fair to poor. 'The Speckled Band' is a classic locked room mystery and this part of the episode is very well done indeed. An interesting and watchable episode.