Review:The Other Side/Christopher Roden - Revision history

TCDE-Team at 14:00, 24 March 2026

2026-03-24T14:00:10Z

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	This review of the movie ''"The Other Side"'' was written by [[Christopher Roden]] and published in the [[The Parish Magazine (~~journal~~)\|The Parish Magazine]] (No. 7, october 1992).		This review of the movie ''"The Other Side"'' was written by [[Christopher Roden]] and published in the [[The Parish Magazine (newsletter)\|The Parish Magazine]] (No. 7, october 1992).

	This review discusses David Ashton's BBC2 play [[The Other Side]], in which [[Arthur Conan Doyle\|Conan Doyle]] confronts accusations about his father, his first wife, and [[Sherlock Holmes]] during a séance-like encounter. It judges the drama thoughtful and provocative, praising its research and [[Frank Finlay]]'s sympathetic performance while warning that newcomers might come away with a misleading impression of [[Arthur Conan Doyle\|Conan Doyle]].		This review discusses David Ashton's BBC2 play [[The Other Side]], in which [[Arthur Conan Doyle\|Conan Doyle]] confronts accusations about his father, his first wife, and [[Sherlock Holmes]] during a séance-like encounter. It judges the drama thoughtful and provocative, praising its research and [[Frank Finlay]]'s sympathetic performance while warning that newcomers might come away with a misleading impression of [[Arthur Conan Doyle\|Conan Doyle]].
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	[[File:the-parish-magazine-n07-1992-10-p9.jpg\|thumb\|250px\|right\|[[The Parish Magazine (newsletter)\|The Parish Magazine]] (No. 7, october 1992, p. 9)]]		[[File:the-parish-magazine-n07-1992-10-p9.jpg\|thumb\|250px\|right\|[[The Parish Magazine (newsletter)\|The Parish Magazine]] (No. 7, october 1992, p. 9)]]

	: [[File:1992-the-other-side-title.jpg\|~~100px~~]]		: [[File:1992-the-other-side-title.jpg\|150px]]
	: '''The Other Side'''		: '''The Other Side'''
	: Written by David Ashton		: Written by David Ashton

TCDE-Team at 13:57, 24 March 2026

2026-03-24T13:57:17Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:57, 24 March 2026
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	'''Reviewed by Christopher Roden'''		'''Reviewed by Christopher Roden'''

	Cast		Cast<br />
	: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle : [[Frank Finlay]]		Sir Arthur Conan Doyle : [[Frank Finlay]]<br />
	: Sherlock Holmes : [[Richard E. Grant]]		Sherlock Holmes : [[Richard E. Grant]]<br />
	: Madame Moshel : [[Catherine Harrison]]		Madame Moshel : [[Catherine Harrison]]

	It is London 1928, and this presentation begins on a foggy evening with [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle]] arriving at the residence of the medium, Madame Moshel, whence he has travelled for a private sitting. The aged butler who greets him describes Madame Moshel as 'an extraordinary sensitive': 'her clairvoyance is astounding'. One may be permitted to wonder whether it is not strange that [[Arthur Conan Doyle\|Conan Doyle]], who knew the British psychic scene so well, had not encountered Madame Moshel on a previous occasion. But such fineries need not, one supposes, be of too much concern to television producers. The meeting between [[Arthur Conan Doyle\|ACD]] and the medium is sufficiently convincing: asked whether he should be called '[[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle\|Sir Arthur]]', [[Arthur Conan Doyle\|ACD]] replies: 'I've had quite enough of that Mr Doyle is fine.'		It is London 1928, and this presentation begins on a foggy evening with [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle]] arriving at the residence of the medium, Madame Moshel, whence he has travelled for a private sitting. The aged butler who greets him describes Madame Moshel as 'an extraordinary sensitive': 'her clairvoyance is astounding'. One may be permitted to wonder whether it is not strange that [[Arthur Conan Doyle\|Conan Doyle]], who knew the British psychic scene so well, had not encountered Madame Moshel on a previous occasion. But such fineries need not, one supposes, be of too much concern to television producers. The meeting between [[Arthur Conan Doyle\|ACD]] and the medium is sufficiently convincing: asked whether he should be called '[[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle\|Sir Arthur]]', [[Arthur Conan Doyle\|ACD]] replies: 'I've had quite enough of that Mr Doyle is fine.'

TCDE-Team: Created page with "{{Cargo_Reviews_Articles |Date=1992-10-01 |Book=The Other Side |BookAuthor=David Ashton |Reviewer=Christopher Roden |Topics=TV Movie }} This review of the movie ''"The Other Side"'' was written by Christopher Roden and published in the The Parish Magazine (No. 7, october 1992). This review discusses David Ashton's BBC2 play The Other Side, in which Conan Doyle confronts accusations about his father, h..."

2026-03-24T13:56:43Z

Created page with "{{Cargo_Reviews_Articles |Date=1992-10-01 |Book=The Other Side |BookAuthor=David Ashton |Reviewer=Christopher Roden |Topics=TV Movie }} This review of the movie ''"The Other Side"'' was written by Christopher Roden and published in the The Parish Magazine (No. 7, october 1992). This review discusses David Ashton's BBC2 play The Other Side, in which Conan Doyle confronts accusations about his father, h..."

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{{Cargo_Reviews_Articles
|Date=1992-10-01
|Book=The Other Side
|BookAuthor=David Ashton
|Reviewer=Christopher Roden
|Topics=TV Movie
}}
This review of the movie ''"The Other Side"'' was written by [[Christopher Roden]] and published in the [[The Parish Magazine (journal)|The Parish Magazine]] (No. 7, october 1992).

This review discusses David Ashton's BBC2 play [[The Other Side]], in which [[Arthur Conan Doyle|Conan Doyle]] confronts accusations about his father, his first wife, and [[Sherlock Holmes]] during a séance-like encounter. It judges the drama thoughtful and provocative, praising its research and [[Frank Finlay]]'s sympathetic performance while warning that newcomers might come away with a misleading impression of [[Arthur Conan Doyle|Conan Doyle]].

== Review ==
[[File:the-parish-magazine-n07-1992-10-p8.jpg|thumb|250px|right|[[The Parish Magazine (newsletter)|The Parish Magazine]] (No. 7, october 1992, p. 8)]]
[[File:the-parish-magazine-n07-1992-10-p9.jpg|thumb|250px|right|[[The Parish Magazine (newsletter)|The Parish Magazine]] (No. 7, october 1992, p. 9)]]

: [[File:1992-the-other-side-title.jpg|100px]]
: '''The Other Side'''
: Written by David Ashton
: BBC2 'Encounters'; First Broadcast: Saturday 29 August 1992

'''Reviewed by Christopher Roden'''

Cast
: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle : [[Frank Finlay]]
: Sherlock Holmes : [[Richard E. Grant]]
: Madame Moshel : [[Catherine Harrison]]

It is London 1928, and this presentation begins on a foggy evening with [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle]] arriving at the residence of the medium, Madame Moshel, whence he has travelled for a private sitting. The aged butler who greets him describes Madame Moshel as 'an extraordinary sensitive': 'her clairvoyance is astounding'. One may be permitted to wonder whether it is not strange that [[Arthur Conan Doyle|Conan Doyle]], who knew the British psychic scene so well, had not encountered Madame Moshel on a previous occasion. But such fineries need not, one supposes, be of too much concern to television producers. The meeting between [[Arthur Conan Doyle|ACD]] and the medium is sufficiently convincing: asked whether he should be called '[[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle|Sir Arthur]]', [[Arthur Conan Doyle|ACD]] replies: 'I've had quite enough of that Mr Doyle is fine.'
Madame Moshel explains that she has been troubled recently by a spirit breaking in on her thoughts; a spirit who continually speaks the two words '[[Arthur Conan Doyle|Conan Doyle]]'. 'I know that you believe in the world of spirits,' she says, 'then please believe... believe in me...'. [[Arthur Conan Doyle|Conan Doyle]]'s belief is to be stretched to its limits when [[Sherlock Holmes]] materialises. 'Don't you recognise an old friend when you see one?' quips [[Sherlock Holmes|Holmes]]. 'You do not exist,' barks an angry [[Arthur Conan Doyle|ACD]] in response; a response cut short as [[Sherlock Holmes|Holmes]] interjects: 'My existence is as real as your own ... The reason I've summoned you here is because I'm conducting a murder investigation: ''The Case of the Three Betrayals''. You stand accused of the charge of murder by neglect and betrayal.'

These are strong accusations, made stronger when [[Sherlock Holmes|Holmes]] explains the charges in more detail; the first charge is that [[Arthur Conan Doyle|ACD]] betrayed his father and left him to die in an asylum; the second that [[Arthur Conan Doyle|ACD]] betrayed his first wife, [[Touie]], by leaving her to die while his heart and mind were with [[Jean Elizabeth Leckie|Jean Leckie]], the lady destined to become his second wife. The third charge may be taken less seriously by those of us interested in events in [[Arthur Conan Doyle|ACD]]'s life but, from the point of view of [[Sherlock Holmes|Holmes]] the accuser, it is very relevant: that [[Arthur Conan Doyle|ACD]] betrayed [[Sherlock Holmes|Holmes]] and allowed him to die at the Reichenbach Falls in 1893.

All of the charges were well discussed and well elucidated but this is not the place to enter into a discussion concerning the veracity of the charges on behalf of [[Charles Altamont Doyle]] and [[Louisa Hawkins|Louise Conan Doyle]]. Much research has to be done before anyone can draw a satisfactory conclusion on those matters. The charges relating to [[Sherlock Holmes|Holmes]] are, of course, an irrelevance as [[Sherlock Holmes|Holmes]] was, very simply, a fictional character. [[Sherlock Holmes|Holmes]]' introduction into this play, however, is in the form of a belief: he is portrayed by a man who believes himself to be [[Sherlock Holmes|Holmes]]; a man who has slain his own father in defence of his sister whose face has been badly mutilated by her father's swordstick. By adopting the character of [[Sherlock Holmes|Holmes]] and ensnaring [[Arthur Conan Doyle|ACD]], he is hoping for recognition: the recognition of the creator; in effect, the recognition that [[Arthur Conan Doyle|ACD]] was the father of [[Sherlock Holmes|Holmes]]. The materialisations have been a ruse and [[Arthur Conan Doyle|ACD]], not surprisingly, is outraged and refuses to have anything to do with such nonsense. In the ensuing scuffle, '[[Sherlock Holmes|Holmes]]' is knocked senseless.

In the quieter moments which follow, Madame Moshel explains to [[Arthur Conan Doyle|ACD]] that she does believe in the world of spirits; that she has always known that she had psychic abilities abilities which she now feels she has betrayed. The climax of the meeting occurs when she lapses into a trance and brings forth the spirit of [[Arthur Conan Doyle|ACD]]'s mother. Confirmation of his faith softens [[Arthur Conan Doyle|Conan Doyle]]'s attitude to the impostor who is [[Sherlock Holmes|Holmes]] and, in a sensitive gesture, he bestows a 'knighthood' upon him, thereby granting the recognition '[[Sherlock Holmes|Holmes]]' so desires.

The plot of this play is triple-edged: it seriously questions [[Arthur Conan Doyle|ACD]]'s morality; it mocks his spiritualist beliefs; finally, and somewhat surprisingly, it vindicates his spiritualist faith. David Ashton has researched his subject thoroughly and has presented a script which provokes much thought on the subjects raised. It is regrettable that viewers new to ACD, or unaware of the background to the problems discussed, might form completely the wrong impression of the man. However, it is encouraging to see the various problems discussed in so frank a manner.

[[Frank Finlay]] portrayed [[Arthur Conan Doyle|Conan Doyle]] in a meaningful and sympathetic manner; sadly his appearance did not fully match the vision we have of [[Arthur Conan Doyle|ACD]]: [[Frank Finlay|Finlay]] is too short to be fully convincing in the part and his silver locks are far too long. [[Richard E. Grant]]'s performance seemed stilted and forced at times but, nevertheless, it was not difficult to visualise that he might, with some work on the character, make a perfectly acceptable [[Sherlock Holmes|Holmes]]: certainly his slim build suits the part. [[Catherine Harrison]]'s small contribution was dramatically made.

The play closes with Conan Doyle regarding the medium's brass plate on the wall of her house. 'Madame MOSHEL,' murmurs [[Arthur Conan Doyle|ACD]], 'H-O-L-M-E-S. Might have known he'd get the last word — he always does!'

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