The Adventure of the Engineer’s Thumb is perhaps the least Holmesian of Conan Doyle’s earlier stories, barely featuring any deduction from the great detective. Still set firmly within the Holmes canon it is, as the title hints, more adventure than mystery. …

The episode begins with two sisters, Cathy and Maryann, getting their truck fixed up at a local garage before setting off to deliver their goods — bottles of their own Hi-Brite soda. …

It’s safe to say, I knew next to nothing about the Indian film industry — either the Bollywood of today or the beginnings of Indian cinema back in the 1920s — before watching A Throw of Dice. On reading deeper into the history of the film and the studio that…

The Red Badge of Courage, serialised in 1894 and first published as a single edition in 1895, is a novel about the American Civil War. …

The episode begins with a treat for those paying attention to the credits as we’re promised Denis Franz in a supporting role. Will it be a surly policeman or sleazy enforcer? Let’s find out. We don’t find out straight away as first there’s a young artist called Speed getting beaten…

One of the shorter films on my 1920s watchlist, The Smiling Madame Beudet is a silent French film, often hailed as an early part of feminist filmmaking. At around 40 minutes, it’s an almost episode-length slice of life story, following the troubled wife of a businessman. …

by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle The Sherlock Holmes story I have read and enjoyed most of all, The Adventure of the Speckled Band is the finest of Conan Doyle’s mysteries. …

The episode begins with two men arriving at the VA hospital looking for HM Murdock. Shown to his room without any checks as we’ve come to expect, they pull out guns and kidnap him. Face heads over to investigate disguised in a white coat, flirting information out of a nurse…

Trying to watch 1927’s has been something of an adventure. Having been promised it through Amazon Prime, I found myself watching 1946’s The Unknown — which it turns out is not a remake or in any way remotely related but enjoyable nonetheless). After a delightful chat with customer services explaining…