The Greek Interpreter (1 Sep. 1985)

An unsavory gang kidnaps a Greek interpreter and forces him to relate their demands to an abductee who knows only the Greek tongue.

Director:

Alan Grint

Writers:

Arthur Conan Doyle (short story "The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter" from volume "The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes"), John Hawkesworth (developer),

Stars:

Jeremy Brett, David Burke, Charles Gray

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
Jeremy Brett	...	Sherlock Holmes
David Burke	...	Dr Watson
Charles Gray	...	Mycroft Holmes
Alkis Kritikos	...	Mr Melas
George Costigan	...	Wilson Kemp
Nicholas Field	...	Harold Latimer (as Nick Field)
Anton Alexander	...	Paul Kratides
Victoria Harwood	...	Sophy Kratides
Oliver Maguire	...	Inspector Gregson
Rita Howard	...	Mrs Stern
Peter Mackriel	...	Ticket Inspector

Storyline

Dr. Watson is shocked to learn that his good friend Sherlock Holmes has a brother, Mycroft, and that they are on their way to meet him on an urgent matter. There they learn of the strange case of Mr. Melas, a Greek interpreter, who was roused from his sleep in the middle of the night and required to interpret for a man who was clearly being held against his will. That man was beaten, bound and not allowed to speak but only to write out his answers to the questions he was posed. Clearly his captors are trying to force him to sign a document and are also keeping his sister captive. When Melas is taken a second time to interpret, Holmes, Mycroft and Watson must move quickly if they are to prevent a murder.

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Plot Keywords:

interpreter | brother brother relationship | pretending to sleep | starvation | dead brother | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site [France]

Release Date:

1 September 1985 (UK)

Filming Locations:

Arley Hall, Arley, Knutsford, Cheshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Did You Know?

Goofs

In a non-canonical scene added at the end, Mycroft Holmes inexplicably refers to a derringer (a single-shot pocket pistol) as a "revolver".

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Quotes

Mycroft Holmes: Look at those two men, Sherlock. What do you make of them?
Sherlock Holmes: Of the billiard-marker and the other?
Mycroft Holmes: Precisely.

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Connections

Version of Sherlock Holmes: The Greek Interpreter (1968)

User Reviews

The Other Holmes

This adaptation has a gripping and suspenseful plot involving gang kidnapping as well as superb performances by Nicolas Field and George Costigan (doing an impersonation of Peter Lorre) as the sinister perpetrators. Also, Jeremy Brett and David Burke continue to be in fine form as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. However, what really makes this episode special is that it marks the debut of Holmes's brother Mycroft, wonderfully played by Charles Gray. He is what you would call an armchair detective, he tends to be lazy yet he's as brilliant if not more so than Sherlock himself. Although, it plays more like a crime story than a mystery it turns out to be a not too shabby entry.