1.15 - The Frighteners

[johnnybear]

I have the Emma Peel disc 17 and rewatched this episode recently but found it very bright in contrast to the other surviving episodes of the first series? Godfrey James as Nature Boy was a laugh. Well not his performance but his name, where did they get it from and why? Willoughby Goddard as the Deacon was a nasty bit of goods and usually appears unable to do much due to his sizable bulk but here he seemed to move with ease when needed! Doris Hare, this time not playing Stan's mum was an added bonus to the finale!
JB

[Frankymole]

I listened to the Big Finish version just now and followed the 1990s dialogue sheets from the Tunnel of Fear DVD extras (there's no script). Mostly very enjoyable but I have a few niggles with some of the changes which I didn't think were necessary, or were actors misreading their audio script (like saying "well?" instead of the name "Weller").

"Softly, softly" is a figure of speech from the phrase "softly, softly, catchee monkey" so it shouldn't have a long pause between the two "softly"s as if they're ending and then starting different sentences.

They got "shiv his ear off" right though, whereas the dialogue sheets went for "shift" which made no sense. And "The Eye-tie" (a slightly pejorative description for an Italian person) became "high tide" in the dialogue sheets, luckily Big Finish went for "The Eye-talian" as a halfway house that's more acceptable to modern sensibilities.

"The drum" a slang term meaning a flat, apartment or residence became "the one" possibly because the adapter doesn't listen to enough Hancock's Half Hour and the like... there are a few more like that. Grekio, the supposed bus conductor contact of Steed's, seemed to be a random bloke on foot which made his televisually amusing remarks about how to catch a bus back home somewhat perplexing. I'm glad they generally left in Macnee's and Hendry's ad-libbed/fluffed bits though as it shows the characters under stress; people do sometimes trip over their words in real life confrontations.

There were some intended laughs (Steed posing as the dimwitted escort always amuses, and Keel and Steed have some witty lines to each other, especially after Steed threatens Moxon in the surgery). Moxon was excellently played, worthy of Philip Locke himself - Laurence Spellman trebled-up in roles (Moxon / Jeremy de Willoughby / Fred the Cabbie) and was really good and unrecognisable as the same actor.

[Frankymole]

8. I know Brixton refers to a prison in this context, but what’s the 14 days that de Willoughby refers to? Was it illegal to elope with younger women without their parents’ permission or something?

Yes, she had to be 21 according to the script in order to marry without her parent's permission, and that was going to take another 6 months to happen - De Willoughby and Nigel had debt collectors on their backs who would not wait. Although De Willoughby and Marylin could legally marry north of the border in Scotland it would still be an offence when they came back to England so De W would have to do a short term in gaol (2 weeks), but better that than get beaten up (or worse, depending on how dodgy they were) by the loan sharks. I assume Marylin must've been rich in her own right, hence her father "protecting" her. Presumably, if she hadn't yet come into money it would've been of no use to Jeremy De Willoughby to try and marry her, e.g. if her inheritance from her mother, or whatever it was, could not come to her yet until she is "of age" (21). So she must've been granted that before but maybe with provisos her father looked after it until she got married.

[mousemeat]

always liked Ian...and always thought he never really got the time to flesh out his character..and truly settle into his role...Imagine how both Ian and the series would have played out, if Ian never have ankled the series for a movie career..and Steed ? what direction would he had taken as well ?

[Frankymole]

The intended 39-episode series would certainly have given Dr Keel's character space to be "fleshed out" and Ian Hendry would've no doubt continued to add details, as a way of maintaining interest whilst working out his contract.

I'm a romantic at heart so do hope he and Carol Wilson, his nurse/receptionist, would've continued to develop their relationship. It would've been good dramatically as well, since he'd have the worry that she might be put in danger or even killed by his criminal foes as he continued his crusade against the Underworld, which was what got him into the Avenging business in the first place.

On the other hand Carol was brave and wanted to be involved, so she may have become his "Mrs Gale" whilst Steed was beginning to be aided by female agents like Melanie in "The Springers".

That said, they already had plans to bring in Venus Smith, albeit Angela Douglas was favourite for the position, thanks to her great sense of comedy, but proved unavailable. Although it would've let Hendry and Macnee have more holidays, I don't think it would've helped Keel become more of a hero in his own right.

But every hero needs someone to talk to about the plot, I guess. Even as late as the Tara King era they were fixing up Steed and his partner with temporary (and often useless) single-episode partners of their own. Gambit may have sometimes felt like a third wheel as a week-in, week-out regular, but at least he was there when they needed someone for Purdey or Steed to explain things to!

[darren]

I hadn't watched this one in ages but have started dipping into the early episodes again.

The pace of this is so fast. There's lot of short snappy scenes which are difficult to get quite right with the as-live production but they manage it mostly. The microphone doesn't always manage to pick up the dialogue (exacerbated by the telerecording sound quality) - many of Ian Hendry's lines tend to get lost. There'a few moments where it seems to be that he is add-libbing - most apparent if he makes Macnee laugh. I love Steed's parade of informants - shame we didn't see more of that.

The De Willoughby part of the plot is kind of secondary to the main thrust of nabbing The Deacon. He's got lots of debts and keep trying to marry women for their fortune. It amuses me that Marilyn Weller drops him when she thinks he's a commoner - snob! Doris Hare's funny as De Willoughby's fake mum - "Sweecies Forceheart".

Phillip Locke is so different from his other performances and very believable as a young thug. Then you've got Willoughby Goddard as the Deacon, a really nasty performance - such a contrast to his funny turn as the Professor in Thingumajig. Stratford Johns is solid. I'm so used to just hearing Philip Gilbert's voice in The Tomorrow People as computer Tim that's nice to see him - very handsome man.

Directed by Peter Hammond (my favourite!) - with future director Robert Fuest as his designer you can see them doing what Brian Clemens described in the early 90's without walls documentary. The restaurant De Willoughby is in is his table on a rostrum, a tilted mirror with water running down it and a couple at another table yet it looks wonderful. Weller's home is a large wall tapestry and a phone (more or less). I love these creative conomical solutions.

I always really enjoy it this episode from one time writer Berkeley Mather. Mather wrote the screenplay for Dr. No, uncredited on From Russia With Love and the story for Goldfinger (I've just discovered that).

[Frankymole]

Medusa Cascade has now put her reaction video for this episode up on YouTube. Enjoy!

(On Patreon she has full-length reactions to Mr Teddy Bear and Propellant 23 as well full-lengths for the rest of the surviving Season 1 episodes, and is absolutely loving the Steed & Cathy duo).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOTxp-Q ... 44&index=3

[mousemeat]

The intended 39-episode series would certainly have given Dr Keel's character space to be "fleshed out" and Ian Hendry would've no doubt continued to add details, as a way of maintaining interest whilst working out his contract.

I'm a romantic at heart so do hope he and Carol Wilson, his nurse/receptionist, would've continued to develop their relationship. It would've been good dramatically as well, since he'd have the worry that she might be put in danger or even killed by his criminal foes as he continued his crusade against the Underworld, which was what got him into the Avenging business in the first place.

On the other hand Carol was brave and wanted to be involved, so she may have become his "Mrs Gale" whilst Steed was beginning to be aided by female agents like Melanie in "The Springers".

That said, they already had plans to bring in Venus Smith, albeit Angela Douglas was favourite for the position, thanks to her great sense of comedy, but proved unavailable. Although it would've let Hendry and Macnee have more holidays, I don't think it would've helped Keel become more of a hero in his own right.


But every hero needs someone to talk to about the plot, I guess. Even as late as the Tara King era they were fixing up Steed and his partner with temporary (and often useless) single-episode partners of their own. Gambit may have sometimes felt like a third wheel as a week-in, week-out regular, but at least he was there when they needed someone for Purdey or Steed to explain things to!

Good points...especially reflecting on the Linda/Tara era....and yeah, at times, I also thought Gambit was like a 3rd wheel....and the series surely could have used a third season, and better budget..