The Last Vampyre

The Movie

Directed by Tim Sullivan

Teleplay by Jeremy Paul, based on the original tale "The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire", by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Cast

Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes
Edward Hardwicke as Doctor Watson
Roy Marsden as John St. Claire Stockton
Keith Barron as Bob Ferguson
Yolanda Vazquez as Mrs. Carlotta Ferguson
Maurice Denham as Reverend Augustus Merridew
Richard Dempsey as Jack Ferguson
Juliet Aubrey as Dolores, Mrs. Ferguson's Maid
Jason Hetherington as Michael Mason
Elizabeth Spriggs as Mrs. Mason, Ferguson's Cook
Peter Geddis as Mr. Gresty, Tavern Owner
Kate Lansbury as Mrs. Gresty
Maria Redmond as Vera Gresty
Freddie Jones as Pedlar
Hilary Mason as Miss Ruddock, Spinster
Stephen Tomlin as P.C. Ware
Eileen O'Brien as Mrs. Carter
Andrew Abrahams as Mr. Carter, Blacksmith
Marcello Marascalchi as Tom Carter
Paul Parris as Albert, the page boy
Anthony Price as Recardo Ferguson, the baby

Review

Thsi 90 minute production was based on one of Holmes briefer mysteries; if they'd stuck to that story, we'd have had a fine one-hour mystery; most of the weaknesses are due to the need to pad out the story for a TV movie slot. A mistake.

As always, in this Granada series, the production is of quality; the cast, too are good, with a winning team in Brett and Hardewicke. Supporting cast are excellent; the Venezualan wife does retain that air of mystery, and Richard Dempsey carries just enough potential evil to keep us guessing.

But the screenplay is overstretching the material too much; the direction is a little slack, and the editing is too gentle; I'd guess that even the extended script was not long enough to allow some judicial snipping.

It isn't all bad; I quite enjoyed it, right up to the end - it just is not a Sherlock Holmes mystery. The original ending is there, but wrapped in layers of complications that Mr Holmes would have cut through in seconds