Partners in Crime (TV Mini Series) The Crackler (1984) User Reviews

A decent final episode.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 7/10 · 6 February 2023]

Inspector Marriott calls on the help of The Beresfords to track down a Crackler, someone who forged bank notes, and then places them into society.

I've always considered The Crackler as one of the better episodes, I've always been a fan of the story, and I particularly love the sheer style of this episode.

There have definitely been episodes that have felt influenced by the likes of Conan Doyle and Chesterton, personally I didn't see any real similarities here with Wallace.

It's a little slow to begin, but it does get a move on towards the end, I enjoyed the conclusion, it's perhaps the best part of it.

It looks fabulous, the sets and costumes are gorgeous, but the sight of Francesca Annis in that golden dress, she looks sublime.

I always think it's a a shame that it came to an end here, that they didn't tackle the likes of N or M.

7/10.

Nice adaptation, small goofs

[CealCraig · 8/10 · 13 June 2022]

Goof I think. Ellery Queen's first book was 1929 and Rex Stout's first Nero Wolfe was 1934, so they were not famous or well known in 1928 when these stories were set. So unlikely they would know to add them to the bookshelves they are putting up, as noted in first part of the episode.

Otherwise, lovely adaptation of this short story from Partners in Crime. Great outfits as usual. They definitely do the characters perfectly from the books.

"I promise to pay"

[Bernie4444 · 10/10 · 4 May 2024]

After the Grate World War, Tommy Beresford (James Warwick) and Tuppence (Francesca Annis) are out of work and form a partnership in a detective agency. They eventually marry and continue their detection business. On the surface, they look like they are stumbling into the answer to each mystery they solve. But upon further observance, they are cunning and resourceful.

In this "The Crackler" A story by Agatha Christie and screenplay adaptation by Gerald Savory, Tommy and Tuppence are approached by inspector Marriott (Arthur Cox). He has a problem with funny money and needs someone with "class" to do a little snooping in the hoity-toity crowd to find the culprit(s). The inspector suspects it is a gang.

The partners in crime will be forced to go nightclubbing and dancing. There are many suspects and they need to be narrowed down. They are aided by the third detective young Albert (Reece Dinsdale).

While they seem to be led around by the nose, we may be able to figure the plot but are the duo that naive or the cat's meow.

The Crackler

[Prismark10 · 5/10 · 16 June 2019]

Inspector Marriott recruits Tommy and Tuppence to infiltrate high society to uncover a highly organised gang of counterfeiters. They have been producing almost perfect bank notes.

They go to a casino where a lot of this dud notes have been circulating and meet an assortment of characters, anyone of them could be in on it.

Tuppence wows the crowds in the casino, Tommy suspects everyone.

The Crackler starts off well but soon becomes plodding and flat. The denouement with catnip was silly and far fetched.

Tommy and Tuppence mention at the beginning of the episode that they really wanted an Edgar Wallace type mystery. If this episode really was a pastiche of Edgar Wallace's slapdash writing then it makes more sense.

Francesca Annis as always is fetching in various 1920s outfits.