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Jonathan Creek

The Grinning Man

  • Episode aired Jan 1, 2009
  • TV-MATV-MA
  • 2h
IMDb RATING
8.0/10
502
YOUR RATING
S4.E7
  • S4
  • E7
All episodes
All
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Nicholas Boulton, Alan Davies, Judy Parfitt, and Sheridan Smith in Jonathan Creek (1997)
  • Comedy
  • Crime
  • Drama
Stage magician Lance Gessler lives in a mansion known as Metropolis that has a deadly history. When another victim succumbs to an ominous presence in the attic room, it's up to Jonathan to u... Read allStage magician Lance Gessler lives in a mansion known as Metropolis that has a deadly history. When another victim succumbs to an ominous presence in the attic room, it's up to Jonathan to unravel the mystery.Stage magician Lance Gessler lives in a mansion known as Metropolis that has a deadly history. When another victim succumbs to an ominous presence in the attic room, it's up to Jonathan to unravel the mystery.
IMDb RATING
8.0/10
502
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • David Renwick
  • Writer
    • David Renwick(by)
  • Stars
    • Andrew Havill(voice)
    • Jon Campling
    • Patrick Poletti
Top credits
  • Director
    • David Renwick
  • Writer
    • David Renwick(by)
  • Stars
    • Andrew Havill(voice)
    • Jon Campling
    • Patrick Poletti
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 8User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos6

    Jonathan Creek (1997)
    Jonathan Creek (1997)
    Jonathan Creek (1997)
    Chris Wilson in Jonathan Creek (1997)
    Alan Davies and Sheridan Smith in Jonathan Creek (1997)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Andrew Havill
    Andrew Havill
    • Narratoras Narrator
    • (voice)
    Jon Campling
    Jon Campling
    • Jacques Futrelleas Jacques Futrelle
    Patrick Poletti
    Patrick Poletti
    • Eli Menckenas Eli Mencken
    Eloise Rakic-Platt
    • Child Constanceas Child Constance
    Sarah Champion
    Sarah Champion
    • Marciaas Marcia
    Sheridan Smith
    Sheridan Smith
    • Joey Rossas Joey Ross
    Alan Davies
    Alan Davies
    • Jonathan Creekas Jonathan Creek
    Stuart Milligan
    Stuart Milligan
    • Adam Klausas Adam Klaus
    Sally Plumb
    • Housewifeas Housewife
    Adam James
    Adam James
    • Alecas Alec
    Naomi Bentley
    Naomi Bentley
    • Minaas Mina
    Ciarán McMenamin
    Ciarán McMenamin
    • Glenas Glen
    Nicholas Boulton
    • Lance Gessleras Lance Gessler
    Jenna Harrison
    Jenna Harrison
    • Elodieas Elodie
    Judy Parfitt
    Judy Parfitt
    • Constance Gessleras Constance Gessler
    Katherine Parkinson
    Katherine Parkinson
    • Nicolaas Nicola
    Jemma Walker
    • Candy Mountainsas Candy Mountains
    Kate Mullins
    • Puppini Sisteras Puppini Sister
    • Director
      • David Renwick
    • Writer
      • David Renwick(by)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

    Storyline

    Edit
    Stage magician Lance Gessler lives in a mansion known as Metropolis that has a deadly history. When another victim succumbs to an ominous presence in the attic room, it's up to Jonathan to unravel the mystery.
    • murder of a nude man
    • murder of a nude woman
    • murder
    • suicide of villain
    • disappearance
    • 16 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Genres
      • Comedy
      • Crime
      • Drama
      • Mystery
    • Certificate
      • TV-MA
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Jacques Futrell was also the name of an American journalist and mystery writer. He is best known for writing short detective stories featuring Professor Augustus S. F. X. Van Dusen, also known as "The Thinking Machine" for his application of logic to any and all situations, especially to the "locked room mysteries" beloved of Jonathan Creek.
    • Goofs
      The portrait of the 'Grinning Man' smoking a pipe is supposedly by Hieronymus Bosch who died in 1516 long before tobacco had been introduced to Europe.
    • Quotes

      [Adam is lusting after a pornography actress with unbelievably large breasts]

      Adam Klaus: Ohhhhhh. What I wouldn't give, Jonathan, for a piece of that action. The eighth and nine wonders of the world. If you're looking for a 360-degree experience, you could lose your whole face in there and never see it again. Forget about bras - you wouldn't get those in a *hammock*!

      Jonathan Creek: Have you finished?

      Adam Klaus: Sorry?

      Jonathan Creek: Are you done? Because I've really got better things to do than stand around here watching your tongue hanging out like a roller-blind at the sight of someone called Candy Mountains.

    • Connections
      References Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
    • Soundtracks
      Spooky
      (uncredited)

      Written by Buddy Buie, J.R. Cobb, Harry Middlebrooks and Mike Shapiro

      Performed by Marcella Puppini, Kate Mullins and Stephanie O'Brien (as The Puppini Sisters)is

    User reviews8

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    I'll take it
    This isn't my favorite episode of "Jonathan Creek," but a so-so Jonathan Creek is better than no Jonathan Creek.

    This is a grisly one. One rainy evening, two young woman are stranded when their tire goes flat and they have no spare. They are given a ride to a mansion, Metropolis, owned by a stage musician, Lance Gessler. They are to spend the night there. There is one particular attic room where people have disappeared. Mina wants to see it and is escorted there by one of the residents. She makes a pass at him, is rebuffed, and then refuses to leave the room as she's too tired. That turns out to be a mistake.

    The other young woman (Sheridan Smith), who has a blog where she solves complex problems, wants to find out out what happened to her friend. Lance's mother, Judy Parfitt, whose father was a famous magician, advises her that she will need help and gets her together with Jonathan (in a very funny scene). The two embark on an adventure together trying to figure out what happened in that room.

    The acting is very good, the mystery intriguing if really out there, and a study by Hieronymus Bosch overlooking the proceedings.

    I'm afraid the show still hasn't hit it right with sidekicks -- there isn't much chemistry between Smith and Davies here. Caroline Quentin was perfect.

    Very dark mystery, a two-hour episode with too much filler involving Jonathan's magician boss, the sex-crazed Adam (Stuart Milligan).
    helpful•9
    4
    • blanche-2
    • Jan 5, 2015

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 1, 2009 (United Kingdom)
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • Knebworth House, Knebworth, Hertfordshire, England, UK
    • Production company
      • British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.78 : 1

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