Anthony Higgins in 1970s
1973
The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes
Season 2, Episode 1
The Mysterious Death on the Underground Railway
The screen adaptation of the collection of some Victorian-era detective stories by various authors, representing that section of world literature acquaints the public with fictitious outstanding sleuths or amateur detectives, who could became rivals of the famous Sherlock Holmes. Some of these personages were just as popular as Conan Doyle's, and others were known to a narrow circle of readers, but they were all selected by Hugh Greene, the elder brother of the writer Graham Greene, for an anthology of detective stories.
The second season opens with the episode "The Mysterious Death on the Underground Railway", where the role of the main detective belongs to young Miss Polly Burton (Judy Geeson). With the help of her fiance, who is a policeman (Richard Beckinsale, (father of Kate Beckinsale having played with Anthony Higgins in "One Against the Wind")), and Polly's uncle, a lawyer (John Savident), she is forced to admit the treacherous murder of a young woman by Mr. Hazeldene (Anthony Higgins), the victim's own husband. As the killer is obvious from the beginning (in the first scene we can see his glove, then his crumpled raincoat), the entire interest in watching this episode is to witness as young Polly attempts to prove that the victim's family are not so noble and have little regret for the death of Mrs. Hazeldene.
Anthony Higgins is young and enigmatic, but too restrained, if not withdrawn, his character never get away with it. This soulless, but not too carefully planned murder of the unfaithful wife, which Mr. Hazeldene will try to repeat with Miss Polly, will prove fatal for him, but this is a coincidence, nothing more.
And although this episode was not played by Mr. Higgins with diversity, it is quite nice, as he still has a comely outgoing youth in it. Anthony copes with the role which shows self-indulgence in the final scene, when he has a long and thorough explanation of his difficulties in living with his late wife. Charming, I would rather say fascinating.
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