A stamp shop and auction house are the cover for an international neo Nazi movement. Well done, if wellworn, despite containing several plotholes and suspensions of faith. The episode is notable for Steed being waylaid twice: once in his apartment by two police impostors and the second time in a dentist office reminescent of Marathon Man. Numerous evil bad guys in the episode, foremost of which was Sylvia Langova as the German accented Miss Gray in the aforementioned dental scene. Several poorly choreographed fight sequences, one involving Cathy Gale disposing of an opponent with one wimpy karate chop.
7 Reviews
The Thriller in Southby's
create22 September 2015
Warning: Spoilers
A European murder leads John Steed to a stamp collection shop in London. Unfortunately for the shop's dealer, Mr. Peckham (Harry Shacklock), Steed doesn't come soon enough. Mr. Peckham discovers information of a rare find, The Mauritius Penny, in an estate auction. As he markets the find to a loyal customer, Mr. Peckham is killed by a radical. It seems the information he found was a cover for a sinister plot that not even Steed and his agency could dream about. Still following the MacGuffin, though, Steed enlists stamp enthusiast Mrs. Cathy (in this script she's is referred to as Catherine) Gale's help.
This was the first The Avengers script for both Terrance Dicks and Malcolm Hulke, two very acclaimed science fiction writers. (Most of their work was with Dr. Who.) There is no science involved, though. This is a thriller, where the two protagonists are spies – so it's not even spy-fi. More importantly, this is a great story. It's hard not to believe that several elements of this teleplay weren't "borrowed" later on for several hit thrillers including "Marathon Man". (Google "Nazi Dentist" and see what pops up. Toss that movie into your DVD and tell me those scenes – filmed twelve years apart aren't similar.)
The Mauritius Penny interweaves several thriller elements to keep the audience on their toes. There is the MacGuffin chase for the famed collectible. (Certainly, if Mr. Peckham had survived he would swear that having that stamp was to die for.) None of the authorities are trustworthy: You have crooked police; and even Steed has to be watched. (He wiretaps Mr. Peckham for no good reason.) There is the creepy, skin crawling dentist scene. The gruesome scene where Catherine finds the dead Mr. Peckham was a The Avengers staple. (Rarely did Steed find the dead bodies. It was usually Dr. Keel, Mrs. Gale or Mrs. Peel. Off-hand I can't remember if Venus Smith found one. I don't believe she did.) There is a staged killing at an event. And many cases of fist-ti-cuffs, including Cathy Gale knocking out a henchman (Alfred Burke) in hand- to-hand combat – the first time a woman had did that in Western cinema or television.
Although I rarely bring this up, most of the problems with this episode deal with the budget, and, therefore, the production values. The depth of field is very limited, possibly from the low light levels and poor cameras. Several times, I had to rewind in order to get a closer look at some of the sets – all which were important elements to the story. I also believe that it would have been better to have the villain more involved in the plot earlier. Dicks and Hulke decided to unveil the antagonist.
This was the first The Avengers script for both Terrance Dicks and Malcolm Hulke, two very acclaimed science fiction writers. (Most of their work was with Dr. Who.) There is no science involved, though. This is a thriller, where the two protagonists are spies – so it's not even spy-fi. More importantly, this is a great story. It's hard not to believe that several elements of this teleplay weren't "borrowed" later on for several hit thrillers including "Marathon Man". (Google "Nazi Dentist" and see what pops up. Toss that movie into your DVD and tell me those scenes – filmed twelve years apart aren't similar.)
The Mauritius Penny interweaves several thriller elements to keep the audience on their toes. There is the MacGuffin chase for the famed collectible. (Certainly, if Mr. Peckham had survived he would swear that having that stamp was to die for.) None of the authorities are trustworthy: You have crooked police; and even Steed has to be watched. (He wiretaps Mr. Peckham for no good reason.) There is the creepy, skin crawling dentist scene. The gruesome scene where Catherine finds the dead Mr. Peckham was a The Avengers staple. (Rarely did Steed find the dead bodies. It was usually Dr. Keel, Mrs. Gale or Mrs. Peel. Off-hand I can't remember if Venus Smith found one. I don't believe she did.) There is a staged killing at an event. And many cases of fist-ti-cuffs, including Cathy Gale knocking out a henchman (Alfred Burke) in hand- to-hand combat – the first time a woman had did that in Western cinema or television.
Although I rarely bring this up, most of the problems with this episode deal with the budget, and, therefore, the production values. The depth of field is very limited, possibly from the low light levels and poor cameras. Several times, I had to rewind in order to get a closer look at some of the sets – all which were important elements to the story. I also believe that it would have been better to have the villain more involved in the plot earlier. Dicks and Hulke decided to unveil the antagonist.
The Mauritius Penny
Prismark1013 April 2019
You would think this would be all about stamps.
The owner of a stamp shop is murdered after he thinks he has found the Mauritius Penny.
However as Steed and Cathy Gayle find out, it is all a cover for a neo Nazi organisation. The Mauritius Penny is a code name.
Malcolm Hulke and Terrence Dicks who wrote this story would later become stellar Doctor Who writers.
There are some good elements in this story. We presently have the right of the Alt Right adhering to the Nazi playbook. It is interesting to see that even in 1962, Neo Nazis were still talking of a new dawn with a strongman leader just 17 years after they had their butts collectively kicked in World War 2.
The episode is not without flaws. Steed seems to get caught off guard twice and Gayle seems to be snooping around without a care in the world, no wonder she gets caught repeatedly. In fact both are extremely sloppy throughout the episode.
The owner of a stamp shop is murdered after he thinks he has found the Mauritius Penny.
However as Steed and Cathy Gayle find out, it is all a cover for a neo Nazi organisation. The Mauritius Penny is a code name.
Malcolm Hulke and Terrence Dicks who wrote this story would later become stellar Doctor Who writers.
There are some good elements in this story. We presently have the right of the Alt Right adhering to the Nazi playbook. It is interesting to see that even in 1962, Neo Nazis were still talking of a new dawn with a strongman leader just 17 years after they had their butts collectively kicked in World War 2.
The episode is not without flaws. Steed seems to get caught off guard twice and Gayle seems to be snooping around without a care in the world, no wonder she gets caught repeatedly. In fact both are extremely sloppy throughout the episode.
Good ep but the script has a problem or two
bobforapples-4014631 July 2023
Warning: Spoilers
The script seems all over the place. Stamp store, auctioneer's, Steed's apartment,
dentist's office and a neo-Nazi political rally meeting spot. It is not uncommon for eps of this fine show to take place in more than one spot. But somehow you feel the whole ep is slightly disjointed. Also. The phony cops who beat Steed in his apartment. What became of them? It would have better if they had been arrested and or killed than to have them
be an unfinished element in the script.
( BTW. In the art direction dept. The neo-Nazi symbol is not that well done!)
Besides, just being disjointed and incomplete the story has a strange climax. Look, Steed had just phoned for help. Why not have ended that scene with guys from Steed's government branch coming in and politically raiding and busting up the whole meeting and place? Instead, the Fuhrer wannabe stops the meeting because Cathy and Steed have machine guns on him. ( Probably just holding them in captivity till Steed's other cohorts can arrive and raid the whole place!) Another problem is the guys lugging crates around. A neo-Nazi stooge threatens Mrs. Gale with a crowbar and the crate mover comes to retrieve his that very crowbar. He should have clearly seen and heard the stooge threatening Cathy and done something. Yet, he acts totally indifferent.
Unsatisfying but Honor Blackman looks very pretty in this all the same.
PS To the reviewer on here called Create. The guys who beat up Steed in his apartment were not crooked cops they were phony cops ( as I said above). If they had been crooked it would have been mentioned that Steed would have filed complaint with their police superior.
Also, very beautiful Venus Smith did find a dead body in an ep about a disappearing cabinet. But Steed was with her when she found it.
( BTW. In the art direction dept. The neo-Nazi symbol is not that well done!)
Besides, just being disjointed and incomplete the story has a strange climax. Look, Steed had just phoned for help. Why not have ended that scene with guys from Steed's government branch coming in and politically raiding and busting up the whole meeting and place? Instead, the Fuhrer wannabe stops the meeting because Cathy and Steed have machine guns on him. ( Probably just holding them in captivity till Steed's other cohorts can arrive and raid the whole place!) Another problem is the guys lugging crates around. A neo-Nazi stooge threatens Mrs. Gale with a crowbar and the crate mover comes to retrieve his that very crowbar. He should have clearly seen and heard the stooge threatening Cathy and done something. Yet, he acts totally indifferent.
Unsatisfying but Honor Blackman looks very pretty in this all the same.
PS To the reviewer on here called Create. The guys who beat up Steed in his apartment were not crooked cops they were phony cops ( as I said above). If they had been crooked it would have been mentioned that Steed would have filed complaint with their police superior.
Also, very beautiful Venus Smith did find a dead body in an ep about a disappearing cabinet. But Steed was with her when she found it.
Richard Vernon and Honor Blackman, before "Goldfinger"
kevinolzak5 January 2011
Among the best of Cathy Gale, "The Mauritius Penny" paired Honor Blackman and Richard Vernon two years before they both appeared in "Goldfinger." The title refers to a rare stamp, only two in existence, whose sudden unauthorized appearance leads to a rash of murders perpetrated by a Nazi-type organization targeting not just England, but all the capital cities in Western Europe. The Avengers find themselves surrounded by a multitude of villains, led by Alfred Burke (from "Dragonsfield" and "The Girl from Auntie"), the first assassin knocked out by a judo blow from Cathy Gale, and Sylva Langova (also from "Dragonsfield"), as a less-than-trustworthy dentist (no Novocaine!). Other series veterans included Anthony Blackshaw (previously seen in "The Sell-Out"), David Langton ("November Five" and "The 50,000 Breakfast"), Harry Shacklock ("A Change of Bait," "Man-Eater of Surrey Green," and "Thingumajig"), Edward Higgins ("The Forget-Me-Not"), and Edwin Brown ("The Nutshell"). This was the second appearance of Steed's Dalmatian Freckles, left unharmed when her master gets knocked unconscious by intruders posing as police investigators.
Feels like a future episode.
Sleepin_Dragon10 December 2023
Steed and Cathy investigate the strange death of a stamp collector, their enquiries lead them to a very sinister organisation.
Easily the best episode from this second series so far, it feels way ahead of the first few offerings, it feels very much like the kind of case that Steed and Mrs Peel would investigate, it's a classic.
It's great to see Cathy involved in the thick of the action, there's definitely been an upward shift when Blackman has appeared.
Some truly excellent acting talent here, Alfred Burke, Richard Vernon and David Langton all too notch.
Terrence Dicks definitely reused some of those scenes in Robot, the only thing that's missing is Hilda, and those glasses.
A blueprint for the future?
9/10.
Easily the best episode from this second series so far, it feels way ahead of the first few offerings, it feels very much like the kind of case that Steed and Mrs Peel would investigate, it's a classic.
It's great to see Cathy involved in the thick of the action, there's definitely been an upward shift when Blackman has appeared.
Some truly excellent acting talent here, Alfred Burke, Richard Vernon and David Langton all too notch.
Terrence Dicks definitely reused some of those scenes in Robot, the only thing that's missing is Hilda, and those glasses.
A blueprint for the future?
9/10.
The Sinister Stamp-Dealers
profh-18 June 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Never let it be said that "entertainment" can't be educational. It's thanks to this episode some years ago I first heard about the island Republic of Mauritius, which is off the coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean. (I had to look it up myself; if that fact was mentioned anywhere in the episode itself, it must be somewhere in the 8-1/2 minutes CUT by A&E when they ran it in the early 90's.)
Another "talky" and technical episode, this one involving the rare stamp market. Apart from trying even my patience in a few spots (and I used to COLLECT stamps decades ago!), the major flaw I found in this story was giving away the big mystery in only the 3rd scene! This is the sort of thing that ruined several otherwise terrific episodes of THE NEW AVENGERS, and it's unfortunate to see it crop up this early in the show's history. When the audience knows too much too early, it makes the heroes look slow-witted by comparison.
It's surprising seeing this sort of thing from Malcolm Hulke AND Terrence Dicks, as they were each among the best writers DOCTOR WHO ever had (Hulke having written some 54 episodes of that show, while Dicks acted as script editor for 5 whole years). Terrence Dicks wrote a similar scenario for Tom Baker's very 1st DOCTOR WHO story, "Robot", but in there, had the sense to hold back the intended "takeover" plot until the 2nd half of the story!
Steed really takes a beating in this one. First he's overpowered in his flat by two thugs posing as officers from the Criminal Investigation Division, later he's knocked out in a dentist's office while posing as a patient. As expected, he makes up for it by the end.
Rare stamps prove to be another of Mrs. Gale's interests, and I was frankly surprised when Steed went to the shop himself early-on instead of getting her to do it. Later, a big mistake is made when he does convince her to take a job at the same store, but only AFTER she's been very visible at a stamp auction. Maybe Steed should have considered occasionally working with a slightly bigger "team"?
Among the cast are David Langton, who, 21 years later, played Sir Henry Baskerville in the Ian Richardson big-budget version of HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES, and Richard Vernon, who I've seen in THE SATANIC RITES OF Dracula, UFO ("The Sound Of Silence"), GOLDFINGER (which, of course, also featured Honor Blackman, but not in any scenes together), THE TOMB OF LIEGIA (as Elisabeth Sheppard's father), THE SAINT ("The Elusive Ellshaw"), and the man on the train in A HARD DAY'S NIGHT ("I've been traveling on this line for 20 years!").
Another "talky" and technical episode, this one involving the rare stamp market. Apart from trying even my patience in a few spots (and I used to COLLECT stamps decades ago!), the major flaw I found in this story was giving away the big mystery in only the 3rd scene! This is the sort of thing that ruined several otherwise terrific episodes of THE NEW AVENGERS, and it's unfortunate to see it crop up this early in the show's history. When the audience knows too much too early, it makes the heroes look slow-witted by comparison.
It's surprising seeing this sort of thing from Malcolm Hulke AND Terrence Dicks, as they were each among the best writers DOCTOR WHO ever had (Hulke having written some 54 episodes of that show, while Dicks acted as script editor for 5 whole years). Terrence Dicks wrote a similar scenario for Tom Baker's very 1st DOCTOR WHO story, "Robot", but in there, had the sense to hold back the intended "takeover" plot until the 2nd half of the story!
Steed really takes a beating in this one. First he's overpowered in his flat by two thugs posing as officers from the Criminal Investigation Division, later he's knocked out in a dentist's office while posing as a patient. As expected, he makes up for it by the end.
Rare stamps prove to be another of Mrs. Gale's interests, and I was frankly surprised when Steed went to the shop himself early-on instead of getting her to do it. Later, a big mistake is made when he does convince her to take a job at the same store, but only AFTER she's been very visible at a stamp auction. Maybe Steed should have considered occasionally working with a slightly bigger "team"?
Among the cast are David Langton, who, 21 years later, played Sir Henry Baskerville in the Ian Richardson big-budget version of HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES, and Richard Vernon, who I've seen in THE SATANIC RITES OF Dracula, UFO ("The Sound Of Silence"), GOLDFINGER (which, of course, also featured Honor Blackman, but not in any scenes together), THE TOMB OF LIEGIA (as Elisabeth Sheppard's father), THE SAINT ("The Elusive Ellshaw"), and the man on the train in A HARD DAY'S NIGHT ("I've been traveling on this line for 20 years!").
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