The Mazarin Stone (4 Apr. 1994)

Sherlock Holmes has disappeared into the Highlands, while Mycroft investigates the theft of the Mazarin diamond and Watson suspects a trap in an offer of $5 million to a former professor if he can find a third man surnamed Garrideb.

Director:

Peter Hammond

Writers:

Arthur Conan Doyle (by), Gary Hopkins (screenplay),

Stars:

Jeremy Brett, Edward Hardwicke, Charles Gray

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
Jeremy Brett	...	Sherlock Holmes
Edward Hardwicke	...	Doctor Watson
Charles Gray	...	Mycroft Holmes
Rosalie Williams	...	Mrs Hudson
Phyllis Calvert	...	Agnes Garrideb
Barbara Hicks	...	Emily Garrideb
Jon Finch	...	Count Sylvius
James Villiers	...	Lord Cantlemere (as James Villers)
Denis Lill	...	Inspector Bradstreet
Gavan O'Herlihy	...	John Garrideb / James Winter
Helen Ryan	...	Princess of Wales
Richard Caldicot	...	Nathan Garrideb (as Richard Caldicott)
Harry Landis	...	Ikey Sanders
Michael Wynne	...	Commissionaire Jenkins

Storyline

With the British Prime Minister desperately seeking an absent Sherlock Holmes' assistance, the great detective's brother Mycroft steps in to solve the theft of the Mazarin Stone, a huge diamond taken in broad daylight from a museum display. The precious gem was soon to be returned to its original owners, the French, as a gesture of goodwill by Her Majesty's government. The inability to do so may now lead to a diplomatic incident. Using brother Sherlock's extensive files on society's criminal element, Mycroft soon focuses on Count Sylvius as the likely culprit. Dr. Watson has more time to spend in his surgery with his friend away but he is visited by two women with a mystery that would have been perfect for Holmes. They say their brother, who happened to be one of Watson's university professors, with a fantastic tale of a huge inheritance due them if only they can locate a third person that shares their own unique surname. As in turns out, the two cases are not unconnected.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 April 1994 (UK)

Filming Locations:

Liverpool docks, Liverpool, Merseyside, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Granada Television

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jeremy Brett very unfortunately became too ill to shoot this episode, therefore a small segment at the start of the episode was shot featuring Brett explaining his absence. Charles Gray starred as Mycroft Holmes yet again and took Sherlock's place.

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Goofs

The revolver Mycroft gives Watson is once more a Webley Mk VI, first made in 1915, well after the story is set.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Sherlock Holmes: Watson. What is the medical term for obsession? I feel, you see... that I must lay to rest a ghost, which has haunted me for some time. I shall be away for several weeks in the highlands. Meanwhile, your patients might be encouraged by seeing you more often at your consulting room.
Doctor Watson: What about Baker Street?
Sherlock Holmes: Poste restante, Diogenes Club and the irregulars. You know my methods. Oh, I shall be watching you... with my third eye.

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Connections

Version of The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone (1951)

User Reviews

Horrible

This episode turns out to be a real failure. It combines both Conan Doyle stories, "The Mazarin Stone" and "The Three Garriebs " and as a result it is extremely clunky and unwatchable. Brett was ill at the time, so they wrote Mycroft into the script and to have him with Watson. As much as I like Charles Gray's Mycroft he is being wasted here. The script shifts gears in way that doesn't seem to create any flow. The pacing and the editing are off-putting. Even the direction is strange and at times overboard (especially towards the end). For all the good acting, production values, and music it is otherwise a mess. All of the episodes in this series can vary in quality but this one may rank as worst of them all.