This story takes us into the secretive world of the masons. Of course Barney and Charlie are members, they would be, wouldn't they? The local lodge are raising money for a hospital (among other things), when they begin to drop dead one by one from ancient poisons: hemlock, deadly nightshade, yew. "Hemlock - it's 200 years old!" says Jim, who has never read the famous account of an execution by hemlock in about 500BCE. Meanwhile Susan is seeing another man and Jim goes for days without sleep. It plays out like the usual mystery with a dramatic ending, but there are odd aspects: during the funeral we hear a philosophical voice-over addressed to Jim by — whom? And then Jim seems headed for a nervous breakdown as he confronts one of the suspects, a kindly bearded doctor, who treats him to another philosophical lecture. This tosh is made watchable by the real locations, excellent filming and the usual sterling acting from everyone concerned.
Review of Poison
