[Darknorth]

The story, 'The Adventure of the Devil's Foot' has its own seductive charms and is one of my favourites. I looked for it in the pinned list of story discussions and couldn't find it.

Am I alone in liking this, rather strange, story?

P. S. I thing the Granada Television version of this shows Jeremy Brett at his best.

[Clare Hart]

This story has been touched on a few times. Mostly with regard to the nature and effects of Devil's Foot Root itself or the "I have never loved...." statement.

Certainly it deserves a thread of its own. If you would be so kind as to give a few examples of what most intrigues you it will give everyone else something to respond to.

[Lady Halle]

Yes. I love that "I have never loved" line. *grins* *swoons*

No, seriously, it's a great story.

[Silver Blaze]

DEVI is a great story. We all seem to agree on that point. That scene where Watson pulls Holmes out of the fumes is wonderful. I can't really pin down what's so great about it, but it's good.

The Granada version was pretty scary. My mom and dad watched it and agreed with me that it was not for younger siblings to watch. My mom shut her eyes during the experiment. I didn't. (ha ha.) I was so proud of Holmes when he dumped the cocaine. I think I clapped - I don't really remember.

[Darknorth]

I read it again last night and it really is great! It deserves a place alongside the other, "Quick Links to Canonical Discussions".

[Shangas]

I have read the Devil's Foot and frankly I'm not sure whether I like it. The case has some points of interest, and yet...I dunno. The whole idea of the powder and the burning and the spooky faces and all that...Sounds too fantastical to me. Great science-fiction, though.

[Wirral Bagpuss]

I think the appeal of Devils Foot more than anything else is that the story shows the strong bond of friendship between Holmes and Watson. This is especially seen in the experiment with Devil's Foot and Watson drags Holmes out. Jeremy Brett and Edward Hardwicke nailed it in the Granada version of it. And it was made all the more special by their off screen friendship too. And in the Granada epsiode the decision to bury the drugs was one made by jeremy himself after alot of thought, because he was worried about the number of children watching the show. he even sought the permission of Arthur Conan Doyle's grand daughter to do it. Just goes to show how much he cared.

[Professor Challenger]

It's always been one of my favourites. DEVI is one of those stories which edge towards being outright horror (HOUN, CREEP and SUSS are amongst the others). I wonder if RADIX PEDIS DIABOLI is a naturally occuring form of LSD. Judging from Watson's description, both he and Holmes were having a pretty bad trip!

[Darknorth]

I Googled , "RADIX PEDIS DIABOLI" and this was at the top of the list:RADIX PEDIS DIABOLI

[Clare Hart]

It's always been one of my favourites. DEVI is one of those stories which edge towards being outright horror (HOUN, CREEP and SUSS are amongst the others). I wonder if RADIX PEDIS DIABOLI is a naturally occuring form of LSD. Judging from Watson's description, both he and Holmes were having a pretty bad trip!

There are many naturally occuring hallucinogens, many of them poisonous, scorpion venom for example. RADIX PEDIS DIABOLI is almost assuredly a made up plant but not one without its fellows in nature. A drug that caused headache and increased heartrate along with hallucinations could easily cause madness or even death especially in someone unaware that they had been drugged.

[Professor Challenger]

RADIX PEDIS DIABOLI is almost assuredly a made up plant but not one without its fellows in nature.

Of course. The Calabar bean was often used as an ordeal poison (the bean contains phystogstimine). Interestingly, a version of the drug is now used in medicine.

[Silver Blaze]

I think the appeal of Devils Foot more than anything else is that the story shows the strong bond of friendship between Holmes and Watson. This is especially seen in the experiment with Devil's Foot and Watson drags Holmes out. Jeremy Brett and Edward Hardwicke nailed it in the Granada version of it. And it was made all the more special by their off screen friendship too. And in the Granada epsiode the decision to bury the drugs was one made by jeremy himself after alot of thought, because he was worried about the number of children watching the show. he even sought the permission of Arthur Conan Doyle's grand daughter to do it. Just goes to show how much he cared.

That's very interesting.
But if he was so concerned about OK-ing stuff, why was the Master Blackmailer so awful?

[Professor Challenger]

That's very interesting.
But if he was so concerned about OK-ing stuff, why was the Master Blackmailer so awful?

When he was on a 'high' from his bi-polar manic depression, he could agree to stuff that he later on regretted. Also, as he became more and more ill, he lost a lot of the fight that had been such a part of his character at the beginning of the run. It's kind of difficult to fight for canonical fidelity when you're fighting to stand up.

[the painter]

That's very interesting.
But if he was so concerned about OK-ing stuff, why was the Master Blackmailer so awful?

Awful? But the Master Blackmailer is one of my favorites. I love how they expanded the story, the character of Milverton, the art references (and the symbolism behind each painting). And I liked how they more clearly connected Charles Augustus Milverton to real-life art dealer/possible blackmailer Charles Augustus Howell (and possible inspiration for Doyle). Of course the real Howell died more mysteriously than Milverton did: Howell was found outside a Chelsea public house with his throat slit after death and a 10-shilling coin stuffed in his mouth.

[MMan]

Awful? But the Master Blackmailer is one of my favorites. I love how they expanded the story, the character of Milverton, the art references (and the symbolism behind each painting).

Yeah, I thought so too. The canon story was one of the weakest-written, and Granada made a good story of it. A case of Granada departing from canon for the better.

I think the appeal of Devils Foot more than anything else is that the story shows the strong bond of friendship between Holmes and Watson.

... and another case of Granada improving canon: Holmes coming out of his drug-trance, looking at Watson, and screaming "John!"

Never in canon, and at no other time in the Granada series, did Holmes call Watson by his first name.

Of course the real Howell died more mysteriously than Milverton did: Howell was found outside a Chelsea public house with his throat slit after death and a 10-shilling coin stuffed in his mouth.

So he was killed by a middle-aged divorced Scotswoman who likes to knit? It was so obvious!

[BakerStreetBabe]

... and another case of Granada improving canon: Holmes coming out of his drug-trance, looking at Watson, and screaming "John!"

Never in canon, and at no other time in the Granada series, did Holmes call Watson by his first name.

I loved the scene in the book:

I dashed from my chair, threw my arms round Holmes, and together we lurched through the door, and an instant afterwards had thrown ourselves down upon the grass plot and were lying side by side, conscious only of the glorious sunshine which was bursting its way through the hellish cloud of terror which had girt us in. Slowly it rose from our souls like the mists from a landscape until peace and reason had returned, and we were sitting upon the grass, wiping our clammy foreheads, and looking with apprehension at each other to mark the last traces of that terrific experience which we had undergone.

"Upon my word, Watson!" said Holmes at last with an unsteady voice, "I owe you both my thanks and an apology. It was an unjustifiable experiment even for one's self, and doubly so for a friend. I am really very sorry."

"You know," I answered with some emotion, for I have never seen so much of Holmes's heart before, "that it is my greatest joy and privilege to help you."

He relapsed at once into the half-humorous, half-cynical vein which was his habitual attitude to those about him. "It would be superfluous to drive us mad, my dear Watson," said he. "A candid observer would certainly declare that we were so already before we embarked upon so wild an experiment.

That, IMHO, didn't need any improvement.
I wasn't sure what to think when they had Holmes call Watson 'John'. In a way, it was sweet and touching....but then my semi-purist view came along and hollered "But Holmes NEVER calls Watson by his first name!!"

[DetectiveConan]

I have watched the Granada version of it just today, and have read the book version many many times.

What always shocks me is the fact that Mortimer Tregennis would murder his own sister and his brothers over some petty quarrel and a small amount of money. I mean if he murdered them over an inheritance of 1 million pounds it would not be any better, but at least easier to understand. The guy was truly evil, especially considering that his sister in particular was very nice to him (in Granada at least, don't remember if they had any dialogue in the story) I say the bastard deserves what he got.

[Silver Blaze]

Awful? But the Master Blackmailer is one of my favorites. I love how they expanded the story, the character of Milverton, the art references (and the symbolism behind each painting). And I liked how they more clearly connected Charles Augustus Milverton to real-life art dealer/possible blackmailer Charles Augustus Howell (and possible inspiration for Doyle). Of course the real Howell died more mysteriously than Milverton did: Howell was found outside a Chelsea public house with his throat slit after death and a 10-shilling coin stuffed in his mouth.

I guess the expansion was OK, and I liked the scene where Holmes and Watson were preparing to burgle the house - "Mrs. Hudson, where are my shoes?!?" and "I see you have a strong natural turn for this sort of thing." "I wonder where I got it?"
But all the females who needed more clothing (painted, carved, or live) and the beginning of the movie where they show all the things that the people would be blackmailed about...sorry, that was too much. I almost apologized to my family after we saw it.

[BakerStreetBabe]

I guess the expansion was OK, and I liked the scene where Holmes and Watson were preparing to burgle the house - "Mrs. Hudson, where are my shoes?!?" and "I see you have a strong natural turn for this sort of thing." "I wonder where I got it?"

I loved that as well!

But all the females who needed more clothing (painted, carved, or live) and the beginning of the movie where they show all the things that the people would be blackmailed about...sorry, that was too much. I almost apologized to my family after we saw it.

I watched it alone, because I suspected that it would be more explicit than the other episodes...

[Captain Basil]

I don't remember, having watched it only once a long time ago. I do recall being shocked when I purchased Musgrave Ritual and Final Problem and saw the bits that were cut from public television.