Following my reviews of the first two episodes of The Gold Robbers which is currently airing on Talking Pictures TV, I decided to continue my episode-by-episode review series. I will, as ever, try to avoid any important spoilers, in case you haven’t seen it yet!
We rejoin the drama in the opening scene. Once again we see a part of the robbery, this time much more from the gunman’s point of view.
Then we join Sally and Cradock. Sally is helping the Police artist to draw an impression of the gunman to help track him down. She and Cradock talk optimistically about catching him. Sally is taking interest and excitement in her part in things.
Next we move onto the gunman himself, Freddy Lamb, played by Roy Dotrice. He comes home to his wife Rose (Ann Lynn). She seems vibrant and unaware. He appears distracted and guilty. We find out that he belongs to a gun club, and is very good with a hand gun as well.
They seem a perfectly decent couple. She has had an indiscretion, but they work things out and seem very loving, but then Freddy discovers her with her lover.
The episode builds in intensity from this point. It feels almost like the the middle of a suspense film. It is suddenly incredibly compelling. True to ITV regional dramas of the era, it is of very high quality.
It is really no surprise that the director of episode 3 of The Gold Robbers, Don Leaver, went on to produce the first series of police procedural drama Prime Suspect. He gets stuck into the character element and how the events affect those involved.
In Cradock we begin to see some of the cold ruthlessness which has become synonymous with more modern television detectives. Although it isn’t overdone: he still has a lot of humanity too.
While she isn’t given as much to do in this episode, Sally Thomsett’s enthusiastic schoolgirl is as endearing as ever. She brings a brave trepidation to her police identity parade scene which is satisfyingly nerve-wracking.
The standouts of the episode this week are Roy Dotrice as gunman Freddy Lamb, and Ann Lynn as his wife Rose. They are both superb, very real. There is an integrity and internalism in their performances which really do credit to the casting of this series, as well as the writing and direction.
Cast
Det Chief Supt. Cradock: Peter Vaughan
Freddy Lamb: Roy Dotrice
Rosemary Lamb: Ann Lynn
Det. Sgt Tommy Thomas: Artro Morris
Eric: Michael Forrest
Asst. Commissioner: Peter Copley
Stan: Robert Cawdron
Det. Sgt. Fisher: Daniel Moynihan
Sally Hartford: Sally Thomsett
Forbes Lingwood: Peter Madden
Geof: Edward Dentist
Terry Lardner: John Binden
Inspector: Michael Hall
Fairground Attendant: Denis Cleary
Police Artist: Dan Caulfield
Rifle Club Member: Leslie Bates
Railway workers: Bill Sully
Robert Murphy
Charles Adey-Gray
