The Crackler (14 Jan. 1984)

Scotland Yard recruits the Beresfords to infiltrate an exclusive gambling club and expose the mysterious and ruthless gang of counterfeiters operating there.

Director:

Christopher Hodson

Writer:

Gerald Savory (adapted by)

Stars:

Francesca Annis, James Warwick, Shane Rimmer

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Francesca Annis	...	Tuppence / Tuppence Beresford
James Warwick	...	Tommy / Tommy Beresford
Shane Rimmer	...	Hank Ryder
Carolle Rousseau	...	Marguerite Laidlaw
Christopher Scoular	...	Captain Jimmy Faulkener
Arthur Cox	...	Inspector Marriott
Reece Dinsdale	...	Albert
David Quilter	...	Major Laidlaw
Lawrence Davidson	...	Monsieur Heroulade
Peter Godfrey	...	Maybrick
Stan Pretty	...	Harry
Terence Hillyer	...	Chauffeur

Storyline

Inspector Marriott asks the Beresfords to assist him in rounding up a gang of upper class forgers. Forged notes have been showing up in the West End and the police feel they don't have the class of individuals needed to infiltrate this type of group. The police suspect Major Laidlaw and his French wife Marguerite but have little evidence to go on. They focus on the goings on at a posh private club but Tuppence correctly concludes that this case is far more dangerous that they imagined.

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Plot Keywords:

counterfeiter | chemin de fer | tommy and tuppence | blind man | mystery novel | 

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Genres:

Crime | Mystery | Comedy | Drama

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 January 1984 (UK)

Company Credits

Production Co:

London Weekend Television (LWT)

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Agatha Christie's rival, Edgar Wallace, is mentioned several times. Tommy puts up bookshelves to house the works of the prolific Wallace and other detective fiction. Tuppence bemoans that they have never had an "Edgar Wakllace case" and says that this new assignment will be their first. Tommy mentions that the security man at the gambling house looks like King Kong, a reference to the author's last work, the screen story for the 1933 fantasy/horror classic. Many aficionados consider the plotting of "The Crackler" as intended by Christie to satirize Wallace's slapdash style.

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Quotes

Albert: [Excitedly] Just looked out the window and saw something beginning with M!
Tommy Beresford: Uh, motorcycle?
Albert: Nope.
Tuppence Beresford: Monkey?
Albert: Nope.
Tommy Beresford: Mussolini?
Albert: Don't be daft!

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Connections

References King Kong (1933)

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