The Priory School (13 Aug. 1986)

The headmaster of a prestigious prep school calls on Holmes for help when the ten year old only son of powerful but publicity-shy duke disappears.

Director:

John Madden

Writers:

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

Stars:

Jeremy Brett, Edward Hardwicke, Alan Howard

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
Jeremy Brett	...	Sherlock Holmes
Edward Hardwicke	...	Dr. John Watson
Alan Howard	...	The Duke of Holdernesse
Christopher Benjamin	...	Dr.Huxtable
Nicholas Gecks	...	James Wilder
Nissar Modi	...	Lord Arthur Saltire
Michael Bertenshaw	...	Aveling
Jack Carr	...	Reuben Hayes
Brenda Elder	...	Mrs Hayes
Rosalie Williams	...	Mrs Hudson
William Abney	...	Rivers
Mark Turin	...	Caunter

Storyline

The headmaster of a prestigious prep calls on Holmes for help in investigating the disappearance of the only son of his patron, a rich and powerful duke who seems more worried about staying out of the public eye than finding his ten year old heir. After he reluctantly agrees to allow Holmes to take on the case, The Great Detective investigates not only the missing boy, but a German teacher and the lone bicycle that have mysteriously vanished also.

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Plot Keywords:

german | headmaster | bicycle | principal | schoolteacher | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 August 1986 (UK)

Filming Locations:

Chatsworth House, Edensor, Derbyshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Granada Television

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Quotes

[first lines]
Mrs. Hudson: There's a gentleman downstairs...
Dr. Watson: Sh. Ask him to wait a moment, Mrs Hudson.
Mrs. Hudson: He's most insistent.

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Connections

Version of The Priory School (1921)

User Reviews

Holdernesse Famiily Values

I'm not sure if Sir Arthur Conan Doyle might have gotten his idea for The Priory School from an American source, the kidnapping of Charlie Ross which happened about 20 years before he wrote this story. Child kidnappings were pretty rare and not well publicized for the most part until the Lindbergh baby case in 1932.

In any event the headmaster of The Priory School, Christopher Benjamin, calls in Sherlock Holmes because he's both concerned about the child and the attending bad publicity his school is going to receive. The child Nicholas Gecks is the ten year old son and heir to the Dukedom of Holdernesse. His dad and the current duke, Alan Howard, is a notoriously publicity shy individual, but his rather detached manner throughout the crisis is what's bothering Benjamin which is why he sends for Jeremy Brett and Edward Hardwicke.

There's of course more to the kidnapping than a simple snatch and ransom job. A German teacher has also gone missing from the school at the same time. How's it all connected and why is Alan Howard so cool towards the involvement of the greatest detective in the world in his son's case?

It all is revealed of course both the reason for the kidnapping and the Duke of Holdernesse's publicity shy ways. This is not a bad story from the Holmes case files. I do wonder where Conan Doyle might have gotten his inspiration.