The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (TV Series) The Crooked Man (1984) User Reviews

A wonderfully clever mystery, with an unforgettable character.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 22 August 2016]

This is a wonderfully clever murder mystery, multi layered and deeply intricate. Holmes and Watson are called in to a locked door mystery, the death of a respected Colonel Barclay, with his suspected wife, the delicate and lovely Nancy found unconscious next to him. Naturally there is so much more to this case then that basic premise, the case is deep and full of intrigue, Holmes needs to be at his very best to discover the truth.

Norman Jones gives one of the most memorable performances in the show's history as Henry Wood, a tormented soul, broken-hearted and full of torment, he is fantastic. I'd also give a note on the performance of Shelagh Stephenson as the maid Jane, she does a great job when her character is quizzed by Holmes. I must admit to being fond of Burke in these early episodes. Brett is wonderfully exuberant, energised and at the height of his majesty here.

Naturally it boasts impeccable production values, the sets and costumes are spot on, the whole thing looks and feels very slick, it moves at an enjoyable pace.

A Career Built On The Sepoy Mutiny

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 24 October 2009]

Despite the Sherlock Holmes Stories being timeless in their narrative of an intricate mind at work, Arthur Conan Doyle was in fact writing for the British public. By giving some of them a fixed place in British history he stimulated interest from his readers all the more.

The Crooked Man begins when Holmes and Watson are summoned by the acting commander of a regiment that had been posted to India. It's the proverbial locked door mystery. The regiment's late colonel is lying dead with a look of horror on his face and his wife in a dead faint. She hasn't awakened from her swoon, but it is certain she will be charged with her husband's murder as there was a large cut on the back of his neck, the blunt instrument trauma. The new commander hopes that scandal to the regiment's name can be averted.

The fixed place in British history this story starts with is during the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. This is when the native Indian soldiers rose against the British occupiers and it was put down, but bloodily. Our victim was a hero during that uprising, he was a man in the ranks and got a commission and eventually became the commanding officer. He also married the regimental sergeant major's daughter.

Holmes of course solves the mystery and I won't reveal, but let's say that our colonel was not what he seemed and another man suffered dreadfully for his ambition. Jeremy Brett and David Burke are the usual intrepid duo of Holmes and Watson and Norman Jones is unforgettable in the title role. And remember the title.

One of the Best Episodes in the Series

[ericksonsam60 · 8/10 · 13 January 2012]

This episode is another one of my favorite adaptations in this great series. Everything about this adaptation is just right. Jeremy Brett and David Burke as Holmes and Watson are perfect and Norman Jones gives a haunting performance in the title role. The production values here are excellent (which is typical for this series). The music by Patrick Gowers is potent. It is a simple, powerful story mixing elements of history and tragedy as it unfolds into a tale of love and survival. Out of all the Holmes mysteries this one is a real sleeper. If there is at least one episode in the Granada Holmes series that you should watch let it be this one.

Brilliant, one of the best Sherlock Holmes adaptations

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 27 May 2011]

I am a huge fan of the Granada Sherlock Holmes series, and in my mind The Crooked Man is one of the best. As is the case with all of the adaptations in this fine series, The Crooked Man production-values wise is very well made. As I have said before, you can never go wrong with authentic costumes and scenery and excellent photography, and The Crooked Man succeeds brilliantly here. The music is very beautiful and haunting, the story is well paced and interesting, as well as being a contender for the most emotionally affecting of the entire series, and the writing is sophisticated and thoughtful, Holmes' line on military morality is epic. At the top of my head, there is no other adaptation in the series where you not only hate the victim from minute one but also identify and feel great sympathy for the wronged "perpetrator". I would also like to credit The Crooked Man's atmosphere, Sherlock Holmes is a vast majority of the time very good with being atmospheric and especially with the ending(one of the series' most powerful) The Crooked Man is no exception. The acting is top notch, Jeremy Brett as always is nigh-on perfect as Holmes and David Burke is a composed Watson. While the support cast are solid, the best of the lot is Norman Jones, whose haunting yet often poignant performance, bringing heart-breaking pathos to a very long monologue that could easily have rambled, gives meaning to the phrase "once seen, never forgotten". Fiona Shaw has never been more entertainingly aloof either. Overall, The Crooked Man is brilliant. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Powerful story

[vitoscotti · 10/10 · 25 September 2020]

Very intense mystery from beginning to end. My favorite so far in this series. Every episode Brett & Burke are so marvelous working together. Holmes mannerisms are getty quirky & twitchy, and walking like he's a lion on the prowl, when he's on the move. Pure joy to watch.

"Tell me the facts!"

[suicidea · 10/10 · 15 January 2021]

A colonel is found dead in his home under strange circumstances, and his wife is the suspect. The colonel's second-in-command is afraid of a scandal, but Holmes and Watson delve deeper into the case and find out the truth.

If you're watching the series in order, this is the best episode so far: The story is simply wonderful (and quite sad), the acting perfect, the drama top notch. This is yet another example (you'll find many such examples throughout the Granada canon) where secondary characters make the show: Norman Jones (Henry Wood) Denys Hawthorne (James Barclay) and especially Lisa Daniely (Nancy Barclay) and in her short part, Fiona Shaw (Miss Morrison) are simply perfect. Highly recommended.

Slower than I remembered

[lucyrfisher · 8/10 · 5 February 2016]

This is a gripping tale, one of the best in the series. All the actors are good, especially Major Murphy, and Fiona Shaw as Mrs Barclay's friend Miss Morrison. I remember being annoyed by her first time around. She makes Miss Morrison convincingly neurotic, and only over-acts occasionally. The settings and costumes are authentic. But the Barclays seem to be living in a manor house surrounded by a park - how did Mrs Barclay get to the mission hall? She surely can't have walked there and back - through a rainstorm? I like the moment when Holmes does a strange dance round the lawn as he looks for footprints. But it does seem slow, especially compared to the Freeman and Cumberbatch version. Time is spent focussing on a face that does nothing but wince or twitch. And characters talk ve-ry ve-ry slowlee at times. But Jeremy Brett was a brilliant Holmes, twitches and all.

Loving Nancy.

[rmax304823 · 21 August 2011]

This one has quite a back story shown in a flashback to India. Two enlisted men are in love with the same young lady. And no wonder -- Catherine Rabett as Nancy, the Sergeant Major's daughter, is an extraordinary dish. But the fort is surrounded by rebellious Sepoys and running out of supplies. One man, Jones, volunteers to sneak out of the camp and bring help. His rival, Barclay, advises him on the safest route. BUT -- Catherine Rabett being what she is -- Barclay betrays Jones to the enemy and he's captured and tortured. Over the next thirty years he becomes a twisted, ragged freak.

He finally escapes from his captors and makes his way back to England where he accidentally runs into Nancy, who has now become Lisa Daniely and is still attractive. He spies on her through a window while she is arguing with her husband and the next thing you know, Barclay the traitor lies dead and Nancy is unconscious.

Holmes and Watson enter the case and with minimal deduction unravel the mystery. I say "minimal deduction" because Holmes doesn't pull any of his usual startling stunts here. He discovers the footprints of a mongoose and the marks of escape by Jones, but how he and Watson manage to dig up Jones in a louche soldier's saloon isn't explained.

It's very nicely acted by everyone concerned. Brett, as Holmes, is at his snootiest and sharpest. David Burke, the red-headed Watson, is polite and reliable. But even the minor parts -- Shielagh Stephenson as the maid, for example -- are impeccably done. Norman Jones as the betrayed soldier is outstanding. He has a long monologue that's given in stilted, old-fashioned prose, but he turns it into a moving narrative.

Some of the location shooting was done at -- ready? -- The Manor House, North Rode, near Macclesfield, and at Great Moreton, near Congleton. I was certain you'd want to know that. I could tell by the length of your stride and the way you hold your pince-nez.

Actually, that tid bit comes from "The Television Sherlock Holmes" by Peter Haining. And no genuine fan should be without the annotated Sherlock Holmes in two volumes by William Baring-Gould. Two treasure troves.

A seedy tale to win a girl's heart.

[kfo9494 · 7/10 · 14 October 2013]

This episode may not get the viewer immersed in the plot as other stories, since most of the tale of the sordid events are told while sitting in a room more closely resembling a confessional, but there is still a nice air about the episode that is entertaining to the very end.

The story follows the lives of Colonel James Barclay and his lovely wife Nancy. They met in India where Nancy was the daughter of a well-to-do family and James just a lowly sergeant. Nancy had many suitors but it seemed that James won out and they were married. Many years later they are living outside of London but seem to be have some relationship problems.

It will all come to a head when Nancy is volunteering at the local charity when she meets a man with a crooked back. That evening Colonel Barclay will end up dead and Nancy will be accused of the murder. But there is more to this story and more to the man with the crooked back than we ever could have guessed.

Another nice mystery that has Jeremy Brett perfectly cast as Sherlock Holmes set on solving who killed Colonel Barclay. With the subtle tics that Jeremy Brett gives the character, it makes for a wonderful view just watching him play the part of the mysterious detective. There seemed to be much more dialog in this episode which makes the viewer keep on their toes but the entertainment value is not lessened. Good watch.

Is Sherlock Holmes agonostic?

[ravimirna · 10/10 · 31 May 2020]

Jealousy can ruin both perpetrator and victim - a well told story of human's basic instinct of jealousy . We see character of Sherlock Holmes a cold man without emotions but of high intellect. Whether he believes in God or not has never been revealed and it is subtly given to our understanding that he is aware of Scriptures which we can see at the closing of this episode he tells Dr . Watson to refer II Book of Samuel. In another story, he tells a man " there is a upper court where you will be answerable to your deeds". This story has also pitiable victim . An interesting character study is Sherlock Holmes though fictional it unfolds lot of human dimensions. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle with his experience in India brilliantly incorporates his Indian experiences into some of his stories . A tons of appreciation to be given for Production Designer who gives us 18 th century furniture , streets, people , society etc in a very believable fashion.

A Great Bar

[bhoover247 · 7/10 · 3 August 2022]

The best thing about this episode was the bar that Holmes and Watson found the crooked man doing tricks. Everybody was happy and singing. All the women were beautiful. They were all so happy they weren't even put off by the odd appearance of the magician. Watson seemed to enjoy the place, but Holmes gave a frown.

The work done by Holmes was not that important as when the dead mans wife woke up she would have told the story to the police and both she and the crooked man would have been absolved of any suspicion of the colonel"s death.

Great mystery with an even better backstory

[grantss · 9/10 · 20 November 2022]

Colonel Barclay is found dead in a room locked from the inside. His wife is also found in the room, having fainted. She is the obvious suspect. Due to his military background Watson encourages Holmes to investigate the matter and Holmes reluctantly agrees.

A fairly intriguing mystery and one typical of the series and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's work. Even better is the backstory to everything, a story that comes to light once a certain person of interest is tracked down. The dramatization of this backstory is the highlight of the episode and is very interesting and engaging.

Also good to see Watson taking a more active role. As the case has a large military aspect to it he is more in his element in this episode.

The Crooked Man

[Prismark10 · 5/10 · 27 January 2019]

I think the story of The Crooked Man made it difficult to realise it on screen. It is not that Holmes solves the mystery. He certainly gets his man who then gives his back story and tells him how the murdered man died. It comes across more as a tragic love story spanning several decades.

Colonel James Barclay was a rare man. A privateer who rose to the ranks of Colonel and ended up commanding a regiment. Something that astonishes Doctor Watson.

Barclay made his name in India where he became known for his bravery, yet something that happened there also haunted him. It was in India he married his wife Nancy who also came from a military family. When she was younger, Nancy was beautiful and pursued by other suitors. Barclay bided his time and seized his opportunity when the time was right.

Now living in a palatial house in Aldershot. Colonel Barclay and Nancy were having an argument, the door to their bedroom is locked. Colonel Barclay is found dead and Nancy is the main suspect. Holmes and Watson have been bought in a few days later.

Holmes finds that someone else had came into the room and there are also footprints of a creature as well as footprints in the gardens o the estate.

Holmes hears that Nancy had been volunteering for a charity and she met a vagrant with a crooked back. Someone she seemed to have once known. It leads to a story of jealousy and betrayal.

The production did well utilizing scenes set in India. Scenes in the market where drapes could be used to furnish the set.

However the inclement weather during the production seemed to have rob the story of some credibility. Holmes goes into the gardens looking for footprints but it is raining. All I could think, what foot prints can he really see?

The Mongoose Comes Home to Roost!

[Hitchcoc · 9/10 · 5 February 2014]

This is a really clever story. Holmes finds himself trying to figure out why a murder has been committed. The victim, a military man in the time of British imperialism, the suspected murderer, his wife, whom everyone said he adored (and she him). Well, there is much more to this. There are several stories in the Sherlock Holmes canon where someone is living a lie or has some baggage that has never been revealed to a spouse. Part of the problem has to do with the society at the time. One could go off to India or some place and make a fortune off the indigent people and come back a hero. Things were often not that simple, and in a military setting, where honor was to play such a huge role, those with feet of clay sometimes lived out their lives if fear of retribution. This story hinges on this.The Crooked Man of the story would normally be seen as less than human (man authors equated ugliness with evil), but it's not so simple as that. There are elements of compassion in this portrayal. The case is a complex one and works very well. Brett and Burke are good as usual. Oh, and there's a large rodent involved. What more could we ask for?