The Bruce Partington Plans (27 Apr. 1988)

Sherlock's brother Mycroft enlists his younger sibling to locate missing patent plans that pertain to a strategically critical state-of-the-art submarine.

Director:

John Gorrie

Writers:

Arthur Conan Doyle (by), John Hawkesworth (developed for television by),

Stars:

Jeremy Brett, Edward Hardwicke, Charles Gray

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
Jeremy Brett	...	Sherlock Holmes
Edward Hardwicke	...	Dr. Watson
Charles Gray	...	Mycroft Holmes
Denis Lill	...	Inspector Bradstreet
Rosalie Williams	...	Mrs Hudson
Jonathan Newth	...	Colonel Valentine Walter
Geoffrey Bayldon	...	Sidney Johnson
Amanda Waring	...	Violet Westbury
Sebastian Stride	...	Cadogan West
Robert Fyfe	...	Clerk at Woolwich Station
John Rapley	...	Underground Official
Simon Carter	...	Butler
Derek Ware	...	Hugo Oberstein
Stephen Crane	...	1st Platelayer
John Laing	...	2nd Platelayer

Storyline

After a civil servant at the Naval Patent Office is found with his head crushed adjacent to the open-air tracks of the London Underground, Holmes' brother Mycroft enlists Sherlock's help on the case The murdered man has apparently stolen top-secret plans for ten components of a new, state-of-the-art submarine, but only seven of the less important design plans are found on the body. Holmes and Watson are entrusted to find the three critically important missing blueprints.

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Plot Keywords:

submarine | patent | london underground | british navy | diogenes club | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 April 1988 (UK)

Filming Locations:

Crosby Hall, Little Crosby, Liverpool, Merseyside, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Granada Television

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Quotes

[first lines]
Clerk at Woolwich Station: Evening, Mr West.
Cadogan West: Third class, London Bridge.
Clerk at Woolwich Station: Single or return?
Cadogan West: Oh,it doesn't matter. Single.
[a whistle is heard]
Cadogan West: Quickly. Quickly.

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Connections

Version of Sherlock Holmes: Die Bruce-Partington-Pläne (1968)

User Reviews

Diogenes

I'm interested in Holmes because he changed the nature of narrative, a revolution every bit as significant as the invention of human rights. I'm interested as well because he reflects an odd battle we haven't settled and probably won't: the battle between those who believe in the supernatural and the other extreme, that all behavior and especially human behavior is rational. Its a fascinating war that we all see ourselves in somehow.

And I'm interested in Holmes because it is almost a perfect textbook case of the challenges of mapping the core notions of the literary to the cinematic. Well, other authors would be more interesting, but this one is so well known...

But I don't find the stories themselves that much fun. The much advertised Holmes method of deduction is often tossed and we have disguises, what today would be called footwork by the Baker Street irregulars, and traps. (This story has more actual deduction than most.) Of all the Holmes stories, the one feature that I love is the usually invisible brother, Mycroft. He's seven years senior and very much Holmes' superior in logic. He's as far from Holmes in talent as Holmes is from Watson, our designated ordinary man. He's obese and never leaves his comfortable chair at the Diogenes Club, where he entertains a stream of needy supplicants including his brother. Imagine Orson Welles.

He's an amazing character. He's in this story. He's not impressive or interesting here.

Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.