Granada Discussion Post: The Norwood Builder

[spacemutineer.livejournal.com]

Let's talk telly in the discussion post for Granada's TV adaptation of The Norwood Builder. If you haven't seen this episode yet, you can find it at YouTube, Netflix, Amazon Video, and DVD. Follow me behind the jump for my random thoughts and impressions. Please add your own in the comments!

Canon discussion for The Norwood Builder is available in the canon discussion post.


- When I notice the episode is one with David Burke as Watson, I'm happy, but it's not so much because he's there. Burke is great, don't get me wrong. Especially in this episode he is a useful helper, a caring companion, and a clever detective in his own right. But what really excites me is that his presence means Jeremy Brett as Holmes will be younger and healthy and spry, all flashing eyes and a thirst for the truth.

- The logical difficulties of NORW are softened here somewhat. It's a tramp's bones in the fire, which actually makes sense and has plausibility, unlike the rabbit bones in the text. But the plot still makes little sense. If Oldacre is so eager to "finalize" his will, wouldn't that include having it filed? But McFarlane never even makes it back to the office before Oldacre frames him for murder. Well, patience does not seem to be one of Oldacre's virtues -- unless you count the decades he spends waiting for the moment to enact his revenge. Couldn't he have waited just a few more days? And why does Mrs. McFarlane still have the defaced photo of herself from all those decades ago if she "tried to forget" Oldacre had ever been in her life? At least Watson asks about the bones here. I wish canon Watson did, because the doctor would have known those tiny animal bones weren't human!

- I felt terrible for that poor tramp sailor and his sad, angry, drunk sergeant friend Holmes meets undercover. It's probably better to leave Drunk Sergeant with the belief Tramp Sailor was a liar rather than tell him the hideous truth. Holmes can't resist trying to defend the innocent dead man a little, but Drunk Sergeant is too hurt by the supposed betrayal to allow that. I hope he found a safe home somewhere and a friend to stay at his side. Maybe the Great White tooth eventually found its way to him.

- It's fun to watch Jeremy Brett's Holmes versus Colin Jeavon's Lestrade and the Yard at their friendly(ish) rivalry. There's a mutual respect and a begrudged affection between them, even when they each think or realize they're beaten. They are both good, decent, fair men in search of truth and justice above their own successes, although showy personal triumphs over the other are irresistible if they're available. If only Lestrade was a little more competent, and his opposition a little less, well, Sherlock Holmes.

Comments

[rachelindeed.livejournal.com]

This is one of my all-time favorite Granada episodes, actually, and alongside "The Second Stain" it's the one I most often use to introduce newcomers to the series.

In general I much prefer Hardwicke's Watson to Burke's, but in this episode Burke does a lovely job with his quiet supportiveness during the hard times and his delighted pride once Holmes solves it ("His work is its own reward"). I enjoy all the guest cast (the scene between Holmes and Mrs. Lexington is laugh-out-loud funny to me, and some of the rivalry with Lestrade is delightful. Literally for twenty years I have been saying "Nevertheless" with Brett's irritated inflexion!)

Colin Jeavons is at his most combative here, which is great fun, but I liked your comments about how Lestrade's fundamental decency and sense of justice shine through (I love how seriously Jeavons plays Lestrade's anger at Oldacre and his own ultimately honest self-assessment: "No harm! You've only done your best to get an innocent man hanged. And if it were not for this gentleman standing here, I'm not sure you would not have succeeded.")

All the love for this one! <3 <3 <3

[rachelindeed.livejournal.com]

P.S. -- Sorry, I may be confused about the plot, but I didn't quite understand what you were saying about Oldacre wanting to finalize his will? I thought all that was just an act, an excuse to get MacFarland to come out to his house without telling anyone he was doing it, and to make it seem plausible that MacFarland was overwhelmed by immediate greed and killed him. Of course, it would take a very stupid murderer to murder Oldacre when 1) a servant could swear MacFarland was alone in the house with him (as Holmes points out) and 2) when MacFarland still has the will leaving him all the money in his coat pocket, which might as well be labeled "MY MOTIVE, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN." But Oldacre wasn't trying to make MacFarland seem smart; just guilty. As Holmes diagnosed, Oldacre had a tendency to overdo the whole thing. That's my favorite line from the original story, actually: "He lacked that supreme gift of the artist: the knowledge of when to stop."

Oldacre himself, of course, had no interest in what would actually be done with his estate, given that he'd already paid most of its value into his "Mr. Cornelius" bank accounts.

[firthivated.livejournal.com]

I especially love the beginning of this episode when Holmes is all "woe is me, there are no crimes or criminals to challenge me and I'm out of a job" to his positive glee, very badly disguised, when young MacFarland explains that he will be arrested for murder. Holmes' murmured "How gratifying" cracks me up every time.

Another favourite part is David Burke's Watson taking care of our discouraged detective when it looks like Lestrade has won and Holmes's client will be hanged.
"Quietly supportive" is a wonderful description of Watson in this scene...Putting away the Strad, pouring tea and making sure Holmes has a bite of something to eat, before using that all important pronoun "we"...(Then WE shall see what is to be done.)

I also love how they played the finding of the fingerprint. It was perfectly done, Lestrade cock-a-doodling, Holmes supposedly resigned and disheartened. Then the reveal upstairs to Watson, that the fingerprint wasn't there the day before...Jeremy's eyes practically glow here. Amazing acting.

All round one of my favourite episodes!