Who's Got the Lady? (15 Aug. 1982)

'The Patrician Lady', a priceless painting, is coming from France on loan to Parnell's London gallery but, at its unveiling, there is an explosion and gun-shots, suggesting a robbery ... See full summary »

Director:

Peter Hammond

Writers:

Jeremy Paul (dramatisation), Jack Ritchie (story)

Stars:

Richard Johnson, Victoria Tennant, Robert Beatty

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
Richard Johnson	...	Parnell
Victoria Tennant	...	Bernice
Robert Beatty	...	Pulver
Olivier Pierre	...	Arnaud
Michael Forrest	...	Chief Insp. Nelson
Neil Daglish	...	Heath
Timothy Carlton	...	Walter Jameson
Peter Howell	...	Louis Kendall
Laurence Payne	...	Collingwood
Gladys Spencer	...	Old Lady
Vincent Wong	...	Art Dealer
Rex Taylor	...	Art Dealer
John Stamp	...	Gallery Attendant

Storyline

'The Patrician Lady', a priceless painting, is coming from France on loan to Parnell's London gallery but, at its unveiling, there is an explosion and gun-shots, suggesting a robbery although it is all over in seconds. The painting is still in place but the name 'Zarchetti' is stamped on the back of the canvas, suggesting a switch. Since the real painting is presumed stolen, Parnell's girlfriend Bernice,a talented forger,makes several copies of the original which will be palmed off as the original and offered to interested parties. But did 'The Patrician Lady' really leave the gallery?

---

Genres:

Horror | Thriller

---

Details

Release Date:

15 August 1982 (UK)

Company Credits

User Reviews

Average Tales of the Unexpected episode.

Tales of the Unexpected: Who's Got the Lady? is set in a London art gallery where the owner Parnell (Richard Johnson) is preparing for the arrival of the priceless The Patrician Lady painting from France in order for it to be exhibited to the general British public. However at the grand unveiling an explosion causes confusion but the painting seems fine, then Parnell notices a modern art-shop stamp on the back of the canvas which points to it being a fake. What happened? Did someone switch the paintings & if so how?

This Tales of the Unexpected story was episode 17 from season 5 & originally aired here in the UK during August 1982, the second of five Tales of the Unexpected episodes to be directed by Peter Hammond this is an average episode with a decent premise but not much else. The story by Jack Ritchie was dramatised by Jeremy Paul & is your typical routine clever crime that baffles everyone story. When you actually sit down & think about Who's Got the Lady? it's highly implausible & you need to suspend your disbelief if your going to enjoy it, I mean I'm not being funny here but wouldn't there be CCTV security cameras in the gallery? Even back in 1982 I suspect there would have been. Also there's no real twist at the end, the whole twenty five minutes revolves around two people carrying out their clever plan & succeeding with a rather limp ending on a Caribbean beach. I just thought it played out rather predictably & there's nothing unexpected about the ending at all, I finished watching it & though 'is that it?' waiting for some sort of twist which obviously never came.

Entirely studio bound this one like most Tales of the Unexpected isn't much to look at. The cast here includes Richard Johnson in the last of his three Tales of the Unexpected appearances & Who's Got the Lady? is the probably the worst of his three episodes.

Who's Got the Lady? is an OK crime caper type story with a clever premise although I doubt it would work in reality & where's the twist at the end?