The story while interesting and well paced and constructed is a somewhat weird one this time around. Not in the story itself but in some scenes such the interrogation scene. However, The Greek Interpreter is fascinating, and worth seeing for the introduction of Mycroft, who is a shrewd and very intelligent character and just seeing him with Holmes is what makes the episode well worth watching. The acting is very good as is expected, Jeremy Brett and David Burke are both brilliant, and Charles Gray is also excellent. There is also George Costigan and Nicholas Field, who make a sinister pair. The production values are wonderful, the music is at its most beautiful and haunting and there is some strong writing throughout. All in all, fascinating episode. 8/10 Bethany Cox
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (TV Series)
The Greek Interpreter (1985)
User Reviews
Review this title16 Reviews
The Other Holmes
ericksonsam602 April 2012
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.
A very high quality episode.
Sleepin_Dragon2 January 2020
Watson is shocked to learn Sherlock has a brother, that brother comes in handy during the case of Mr Melas, and his strange story.
A strong story and the first appearance of Mycroft make for a particularly good episode. As a story I've always found this one particularly nasty, it's one of my favourites. Particularly fine production values, it looks wonderful, the music also is excellent. The scenes on board the train in particular look excellent.
I love how evil George Costigan is as Kemp, one of the most memorable from the show, he's thoroughly evil and sinister. Charles Gray was very memorable in the part, and a terrific contrast to Brett.
Excellent. 9/10
A strong story and the first appearance of Mycroft make for a particularly good episode. As a story I've always found this one particularly nasty, it's one of my favourites. Particularly fine production values, it looks wonderful, the music also is excellent. The scenes on board the train in particular look excellent.
I love how evil George Costigan is as Kemp, one of the most memorable from the show, he's thoroughly evil and sinister. Charles Gray was very memorable in the part, and a terrific contrast to Brett.
Excellent. 9/10
Well Done Effort of Espionage
Hitchcoc5 February 2014
Having recently rediscovered the Holmes stories, I had forgotten how much foreign intrigue was involved in the stories. I guess colonial England had its share of spies and dissenters. There were also powers such as Germany and Russia that were always knocking on the door of the world's greatest empire. This has to do with an effort to make use of a Greek interpreter to coerce someone into signing something. The language barrier is at the center of it all. Holmes is intrigued by the fact that there is all this carting around of people to mysterious locations, threats, and violence. The joy is in the questioning and the acting on clues. This was never my favorite story but it makes for good television, and, of course, the two leads do a masterful job.
"Children, my dear boy. Children."
suicidea15 January 2021
A Greek interpreter is taken to a house where two sinister types are trying to force a Greek man into signing a document. After he's released, he tells his story to his neighbor, Mycroft Holmes, who of course gets his brother Sherlock to look into the case.
This is one of my two favorite episodes from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, which curiously have the lowest ratings of the series on imdb (the other being The Norwood Builder). It's noteworthy simply for the introduction of the Diogenes Club and the amazing Charles Gray as Mycroft Holmes, a role that's probably as hard to cast as Sherlock himself. Gray steals every scene, but this would've been a memorable episode even without him. Yes, this is not much of a whodunit, since the villains are apparent from the very first scene, but Sherlock Holmes stories aren't only about finding out who did what: they're about procedure, deduction, logic, great dialogue. In that sense, this is a wonderful, very memorable episode.
This is one of my two favorite episodes from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, which curiously have the lowest ratings of the series on imdb (the other being The Norwood Builder). It's noteworthy simply for the introduction of the Diogenes Club and the amazing Charles Gray as Mycroft Holmes, a role that's probably as hard to cast as Sherlock himself. Gray steals every scene, but this would've been a memorable episode even without him. Yes, this is not much of a whodunit, since the villains are apparent from the very first scene, but Sherlock Holmes stories aren't only about finding out who did what: they're about procedure, deduction, logic, great dialogue. In that sense, this is a wonderful, very memorable episode.
So much to love
lucyrfisher4 March 2016
Jeremy Brett was brilliant as Holmes. I've just caught up with this episode, which I don't think I saw when it was originally screened. The team get so much right - creating tableaux from lovingly recreated interiors (including police stations). But the direction and editing lack a sense of timing - there are filler shots of people standing in halls, or gazing in puzzlement, or at the camera. I love to gaze on the face of Sherlock Holmes, but I also want to get on with the story. The dialogue needs to be faster, faster, faster, and they need to cut in on the end of each others' lines! They should have watched the Maltese Falcon, as did George Costigan as one of the villains. Or Rathbone and Bruce! Perhaps it was a current acting style (I'm looking back to my brief theatrical career).
Missing something
kitgar-3720510 November 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I am not a huge fan of this Holmes series. I think that at times Jeremy Brett nails the character on the head, at others the acting is over the top. I will admit that I have not read many Holmes stories so it is possible that this is the way Holmes behaves.
As for this particular episode, I didn't care for Victoria Harwood in this role. Her acting seemed wooden. Again, maybe that's how the character is in the original story, but just came across as odd. I thought that George Costigan did an excellent job as the villain. The Peter Lorre accent was a nice touch. It was very subtly done and I felt it was very respectful of that fabulous actor. Charles Gray is a joy to watch in whatever he does.
As for the plot, I may have missed something, but I am not sure what the document was that required the brother's signature to the point of torturing him to death for it. Just so that the marriage could take place? Huh? And if so, why didn't the guy getting married just deal with it on his own? Why have the thug do it? I'll have to search up the Conan Doyle story and see if there is any explanation to be found there.
So despite the confusion with the plot, the episode had nice visuals, music and most of the acting was well done.
As for this particular episode, I didn't care for Victoria Harwood in this role. Her acting seemed wooden. Again, maybe that's how the character is in the original story, but just came across as odd. I thought that George Costigan did an excellent job as the villain. The Peter Lorre accent was a nice touch. It was very subtly done and I felt it was very respectful of that fabulous actor. Charles Gray is a joy to watch in whatever he does.
As for the plot, I may have missed something, but I am not sure what the document was that required the brother's signature to the point of torturing him to death for it. Just so that the marriage could take place? Huh? And if so, why didn't the guy getting married just deal with it on his own? Why have the thug do it? I'll have to search up the Conan Doyle story and see if there is any explanation to be found there.
So despite the confusion with the plot, the episode had nice visuals, music and most of the acting was well done.
Enter Brother Mycroft
bkoganbing21 November 2009
In The Greek Interpreter Sherlock Holmes finds his next client at the Diogenes Club where Sir Arthur Conan Doyle introduces the character of Mycroft Holmes, Sherlock's older brother. As played by Charles Gray, Mycroft has every bit of Sherlock's deductive reasoning powers, but has chosen to use that in a different though honest field of endeavor. He's a career civil servant, but THE civil servant in the United Kingdom, much like Nigel Hawthorne a century later in Yes Minister.
Much like the other tales that Conan Doyle has written, Jeremy Brett as Holmes gets a client with an unusual tale. A very mysterious man played by George Costigan with a unique foreign accent kidnaps Alkis Kritikos and brings him to a house where his talents as an interpreter are needed. Costigan and Nicholas Field are holding Anton Alexander captive and are torturing him. But since he only speaks Greek they need an interpreter to convey to him to sign some important document so that they will stop. Alexander's sister Victoria Harwood is also involved, but I can't say more than that.
Since the villains are identified right away this particular Conan Doyle story is not any kind of whodunit, but rather almost an action adventure as the brothers Holmes and David Burke as Dr. Watson race against time to affect a rescue. Their efforts are considerably hampered by Scotland Yard Inspector Oliver Maguire and their own respect for due process UK style.
George Costigan was extremely interesting as the villain. Since I'm not familiar with him over on this side of the pond, I was wondering whether he was imitating Peter Lorre or that was his natural voice. Either way he was one sinister dude.
Not too bad an entry in the Conan Doyle catalog of Sherlock Holmes stories.
Much like the other tales that Conan Doyle has written, Jeremy Brett as Holmes gets a client with an unusual tale. A very mysterious man played by George Costigan with a unique foreign accent kidnaps Alkis Kritikos and brings him to a house where his talents as an interpreter are needed. Costigan and Nicholas Field are holding Anton Alexander captive and are torturing him. But since he only speaks Greek they need an interpreter to convey to him to sign some important document so that they will stop. Alexander's sister Victoria Harwood is also involved, but I can't say more than that.
Since the villains are identified right away this particular Conan Doyle story is not any kind of whodunit, but rather almost an action adventure as the brothers Holmes and David Burke as Dr. Watson race against time to affect a rescue. Their efforts are considerably hampered by Scotland Yard Inspector Oliver Maguire and their own respect for due process UK style.
George Costigan was extremely interesting as the villain. Since I'm not familiar with him over on this side of the pond, I was wondering whether he was imitating Peter Lorre or that was his natural voice. Either way he was one sinister dude.
Not too bad an entry in the Conan Doyle catalog of Sherlock Holmes stories.
Enter Mycroft
grantss24 November 2022
Dr Watson is surprised to discover that Sherlock has a brother, Mycroft, and gets to meet him. At this meeting Mycroft introduces a Greek interpreter, Mr Melas, who is anxious that Sherlock take on his case. He was hired to interpret for a shadowy individual who it appears to be holding a man and his sister hostage.
A reasonably interesting Sherlock Holmes case. We get to meet Mycroft Holmes for the first time and have a decent mystery on our hands.
Not entirely satisfactory though. Little is explained in the end in terms of why this kidnapping took place. Also I found it implausible that a man willing to kidnap and potentially murder two people would allow a witness, the Greek interpreter, to go free.
Still, it's interesting enough and, as always, Jeremy Brett is fantastic as Sherlock Holmes. His performances are a highlight of the series.
A reasonably interesting Sherlock Holmes case. We get to meet Mycroft Holmes for the first time and have a decent mystery on our hands.
Not entirely satisfactory though. Little is explained in the end in terms of why this kidnapping took place. Also I found it implausible that a man willing to kidnap and potentially murder two people would allow a witness, the Greek interpreter, to go free.
Still, it's interesting enough and, as always, Jeremy Brett is fantastic as Sherlock Holmes. His performances are a highlight of the series.
Death by train.
rmax30482322 March 2010
Warning: Spoilers
This is an important story for a couple of reasons. One is that it introduces the reader (or viewer) to Sherlock Holmes' older brother, Mycroft. Holmes admits that Mycroft's powers of analysis are even greater than his own, but the man himself is unknown because he rarely leaves The Diogenes Club. He's as sedentary as they get. As played by Charles Gray, he doesn't look much like the Paget drawings but he gets the general idea across.
The story has a high loading on the weirdness factor. A Greek comes to Holmes and asks for help. He's being coerced into acting as a translator. Two weird Englishman take him blindfolded to a room where he must interrogate a monolingual Greek man whose face is covered with band aids or something. The interrogation has something to do with signing over control of some money. Oh, and cherchez la femme.
Holmes and Watson are fine, as usual, but this episode has Nicholas Field doing a hilarious parody of Peter Lorre. There is a scene in "The Maltese Falcon" in which Peter Lorre sits down in Sam Spade's office and hires Spade to find "a black bird". About the method of acquisition, there "will be no questions asked, shall we say?" During this little speech, Lorre is holding the ornate head of his walking stick against his cheek and is caressing the shaft. Field reproduces the scene perfectly, adds a pair of thick glasses, and the nasal whine of his voice out-Lorres Lorre. I doubt that most kids will get it, but anyone who gets it will laugh out loud. Or, well, that's too strong, but the performance is worth a chuckle anyway.
The story has a high loading on the weirdness factor. A Greek comes to Holmes and asks for help. He's being coerced into acting as a translator. Two weird Englishman take him blindfolded to a room where he must interrogate a monolingual Greek man whose face is covered with band aids or something. The interrogation has something to do with signing over control of some money. Oh, and cherchez la femme.
Holmes and Watson are fine, as usual, but this episode has Nicholas Field doing a hilarious parody of Peter Lorre. There is a scene in "The Maltese Falcon" in which Peter Lorre sits down in Sam Spade's office and hires Spade to find "a black bird". About the method of acquisition, there "will be no questions asked, shall we say?" During this little speech, Lorre is holding the ornate head of his walking stick against his cheek and is caressing the shaft. Field reproduces the scene perfectly, adds a pair of thick glasses, and the nasal whine of his voice out-Lorres Lorre. I doubt that most kids will get it, but anyone who gets it will laugh out loud. Or, well, that's too strong, but the performance is worth a chuckle anyway.
Minor holes due to time constraints?
vitoscotti5 October 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Holmes explained the scenario of the villain's motives as what he thought. But it's never explained the relationship of the two male villain's involvement to the point how both would gain with a signature. Or, why both were tied at the hip.
Even though, a fun crime mystery. Holmes brother is a fine addition. No pc here. Holmes leans with an anti women crime bias that irritates Watson.
Holmes just not a deep thinker. A boxer as seen earlier, and totes a gun if needed. Never runs from trouble.
Even though, a fun crime mystery. Holmes brother is a fine addition. No pc here. Holmes leans with an anti women crime bias that irritates Watson.
Holmes just not a deep thinker. A boxer as seen earlier, and totes a gun if needed. Never runs from trouble.
The Holmes brothers make a nice pair in this episode.
kfo949415 October 2013
This is a rather different type episode from the usual Holmes mystery as we, the viewer, know they villains right from the beginning of the show. The part that keeps us glued to the show is the fact of why a man is being beaten and starved in order to sign some sort of paper against his will. And with that comes Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson to investigate this strange circumstance.
Holmes is visited by a man that is a interpreter of the Greek language. He tells of a strange situation where he has basically been taken to a house outside of town and forced to interpret into the Greek language to a man, Anton Alexander, that is being held hostage in the house. The bandits are wanting Anton to sign a paper that will bring to an end the torture that they are inflicting on him. Yet he refuses to sign and settles for the continuing whims of his muggers.
Holmes takes on the case and will need some help from his brother Mycroft Holmes (Charles Gray) that will lead to a train ride that will hopefully solve the entire hostage situation and bring peace to a family.
Jeremy Brett is again brilliant as the energetic detective and is joined by Charles Gray, playing his brother, that is just as intelligent yet coy about finding answers. This story is not a suspenseful as other but still makes for a nice watch.
Holmes is visited by a man that is a interpreter of the Greek language. He tells of a strange situation where he has basically been taken to a house outside of town and forced to interpret into the Greek language to a man, Anton Alexander, that is being held hostage in the house. The bandits are wanting Anton to sign a paper that will bring to an end the torture that they are inflicting on him. Yet he refuses to sign and settles for the continuing whims of his muggers.
Holmes takes on the case and will need some help from his brother Mycroft Holmes (Charles Gray) that will lead to a train ride that will hopefully solve the entire hostage situation and bring peace to a family.
Jeremy Brett is again brilliant as the energetic detective and is joined by Charles Gray, playing his brother, that is just as intelligent yet coy about finding answers. This story is not a suspenseful as other but still makes for a nice watch.
Is Holmes justified of his prejudice against women?
ravimirna31 May 2020
A chilling story where greed and infatuation can lead to cold blooded murder of an innocent man. We see true stories crimes of passion frequently where both man and woman resorting to unimaginable cruelty for the sake of adultery - killing members of their own family. But it is astonishing to find such things did happen in 18 th century. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote several stories based on the events happened during his time. Since I am a die hard fan of Mr. Brett , it will be a cliche' admiring his work. But Mr.Charles Gray - Bond Villain - has been convincingly impressive of playing Sherlock's brother Mycroft and he proves he is no less than his on screen brother of Sherlock Holmes .
The Greek Interpreter
Prismark1016 March 2019
However something does not quiet feel right with the adaptation because it might had departed some ways from the original story.
Mycroft calls for Sherlock at the Diogenes Club. Dr Watson is surprised that Sherlock has a brother.
The subject is Mr Melas who has an extraordinary tale to tell. A Greek interpreter who was well rewarded but taken blindfolded to a house where another Greek man was held captive and beaten. The sinister men wanted the man to sign something but he kept refusing. At one point his sister was bought in to see him.
Mr Melas is concerned with what he saw and used some subterfuge in his interpreting to find out more about the man.
Sherlock is fascinated with the story and feels both the Greek man and Mr Melas are in danger. Holmes manages to find out where Melas might have been taken to.
Although time is of the essence, getting a warrant causes interminable delays.
I did think it needed to be spelt out more why the man was being held captive and what was he supposed to have signed over. It was rather speculative in the episode.
The actress playing the sister seemed to have a rather blank stare, a bit of a letdown in comparison to George Costigan oozing evil as menacing Mr Kemp. Then there is the masterful Charles Gray. I could not wait for him to appear again as Mycroft.
Mycroft calls for Sherlock at the Diogenes Club. Dr Watson is surprised that Sherlock has a brother.
The subject is Mr Melas who has an extraordinary tale to tell. A Greek interpreter who was well rewarded but taken blindfolded to a house where another Greek man was held captive and beaten. The sinister men wanted the man to sign something but he kept refusing. At one point his sister was bought in to see him.
Mr Melas is concerned with what he saw and used some subterfuge in his interpreting to find out more about the man.
Sherlock is fascinated with the story and feels both the Greek man and Mr Melas are in danger. Holmes manages to find out where Melas might have been taken to.
Although time is of the essence, getting a warrant causes interminable delays.
I did think it needed to be spelt out more why the man was being held captive and what was he supposed to have signed over. It was rather speculative in the episode.
The actress playing the sister seemed to have a rather blank stare, a bit of a letdown in comparison to George Costigan oozing evil as menacing Mr Kemp. Then there is the masterful Charles Gray. I could not wait for him to appear again as Mycroft.
Poor episode in an outstanding series
kieranlivingstone30 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Very poor adaption. One of the lesser episodes in the series, marred by significant plot holes, the greater two being:
1. Why was Kemp involved in this at all? We're shown no indication as to his motives whatsoever, and there's really no reason for him to be a part of this situation.
2. How did Holmes know where to find Melas and Paul? He's given no clues as to their location, but after receiving the warrant he seems to magically guide the coach there.
1. Why was Kemp involved in this at all? We're shown no indication as to his motives whatsoever, and there's really no reason for him to be a part of this situation.
2. How did Holmes know where to find Melas and Paul? He's given no clues as to their location, but after receiving the warrant he seems to magically guide the coach there.
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