Episode 115: Emma Peel Era
Page 116 of 192

 

  We're Needed

Steed rushes into Emma's apartment uttering, "Mrs. Peel—" but before he can finish, she replies, "Sorry, Steed, I'm needed elsewhere!"

  Tag

Uninspired by the cinema ads (which includes "an old Stewart Kirby movie"), Steed and Emma decide to spend the evening "at home"—then proceed to knock down the set of Emma's apartment and depart.

  Stats ?

  A.K.A.

 Caméra meurtre

 Filmstar Emma Peel

 Una straordinaria avventura

 Epico

 Moord volgens het draaiboek or De gevallen sterren (depending on the broadcaster)

  Other Viewpoints

• Visitor reviews
• The GLG Report
• Rodney's Reviews

EPIC

Steed Catches a Falling Star
Emma Makes a Movie

Production completed: 27 February 1967
UK Premiere (London, Season 5): 31 March 1967
US Premiere (New York, Season 2): 14 April 1967

"Zis vill pack ze art houses!" A crazed film producer traps Emma in an old studio lot with the intent to revive his career by dramatically chronicling her actual death on film.

 IMHO

Silly? Without a doubt. Plotless? No argument. Over-the-top? Absolutely! What could be regarded as a comic variation of "The House That Jack Built" is highlighted by some outrageous performances and avant-garde imagery—Emma's wedding/funeral sequence is mesmerizing, and Peter Wyngarde, who was dazzling in "A Touch of Brimstone," is delightful as a Peter O'Toole-ish has-been who assumes a dizzying array of roles. Just remember to check your brain at the door, or you might miss a good time.

Fans either love it or hate it—and some have even admitted to switching camps. Regardless of how you feel, at this site it is ranked by visitors as #16 of all episodes (in the previous voting run), and over at A&E it's #2 for the season. Seems as though it tends to run afoul mainly with the Seven Season Revisionists...

 Trivia

So, how many roles does Stewart Kirby play? One shy of a dozen. Damita Syn was busy, too, with six parts.

Does the silent film score style music Z.Z. plays during the fight scene sound familiar? Watch "The Gravediggers" again...

Recognize the abstract painting sitting on the floor in the scene just before Emma meets Damita? The sharp eye (in this case, Alix Sensale's) will notice it is also appears in "From Venus With Love."

Bill McCutcheon spotted another recycled prop: When the policeman actor demonstrates his dramatic death scene, he falls down on the "Simon Roberts and Son" sign from "The Winged Avenger."

This episode gave us a glimpse of what the actual set for Emma's flat might have looked like.

 Best Scene

Emma growls MGM-lion-style as she is captioned with "A Z.Z. von Schnerk Production" (second image)!

 Best Line

Emma to her co-stars: "Gloat all you like. But just remember... I'm the star of this picture."

 Essential Reading

EPIC

Teleplay by
Directed by

Brian Clemens
James Hill

Full production credits

CAST

John Steed
Emma Peel
Stewart Kirby
Damita Syn
Z.Z. von Schnerk
Policeman
Actor

Patrick Macnee 007
Diana Rigg 007
Peter Wyngarde #
Isa Miranda
Kenneth J. Warren #
David Lodge #
Anthony Dawes #

# DOPPELGANGERS

Anthony Dawes

The Outside-In Man

David Lodge

Fog

Kenneth J. Warren

Intercrime
The Little Wonders
Girl on the Trapeze

Peter Wyngarde

A Touch of Brimstone
 

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Page last modified: 5 May 2017.

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