British Network Television
‘Father Brown’: S02.E03. “The Pride of the Prydes”
Impoverished aristocrat Sir St John Pryde plans to sell estate land, which antagonises his tenants led by left-wing Alan Archer.
Picture it: It’s 1488 and Lord Udolf Pryde has sentenced local woman, Branwen, to be burned at the stake for being a witch. Branwen, specifically targeting every first-born son, curses the Pryde family.
The episode brings us forwards to present day, 1953, where we find Audrey Diggle (Marcia Warren) recounts the story in a book documenting the history of the Pryde family. The reading was done in preparation for an upcoming public open day event at the historic Pryde estate.
The estate, managed by the dysfunctional Pryde family, has fallen on financially troubling times. As the current lord of the estate Sir St John Pryde (Richard Hope) struggles to account for mounting financial worries, something even more pressing, rebellious tenants find voice with solicitor Alan Archer (Robert Boulter).
The tenants, with Mr Archer leading the charge, want to purchase the land they work. Then there is of course the coming marriage of his daughter, Bunty Pryde (Susannah Fielding), to a rich marquis.
Curious about digging up family history to complete her book, something most Pryde family members would rather not see published, Miss Diggle can be seen reviewing parish archives when she happens upon something seriously shocking.
Opening day arrives. Even though the rest of the Pryde family chooses to mock Miss Diggle’s period costume, something which she feels appropriate for the event, there is a somewhat heated argument where it is revealed the family has a significant secret which would rock the foundation of their respective lives.
Whilst she doesn’t exactly go into any great detail, knowing how studious Miss Diggle can be when it comes to research, there must be something to her claim.
It doesn’t take long for people to begin arriving. Amongst the first arrivals are Father Brown (Mark Williams) and Mrs Bridgette McCarthy (Sorcha Cusack).
It looks like a splendid day. During a tour of the grounds, in vivid vibrant detail, Miss Diggle recounts Branwen’s story to the assembled visitors. Branwen, according to Miss Diggle, was killed by her archer son moments before she was to see death by fire. It is at this moment when an arrow strikes Miss Diggle in the back. Whilst it is initially thought the arrow incident is all part of the show, quickly seeing something is wrong, Father Brown observes Miss Diggle is really dead.
Inspector Sullivan (Tom Chambers), accompanied by Sergeant Albright (Keith Osborn), arrive on the scene. The police inspector, not having been informed of the open day, initially thinks finding the killer would be a somewhat quick and easy task as people typically don’t carry a longbow with them on a daily basis.
Sullivan soon discovers, with numerous people dressed in period costume and carrying medieval weaponry, the murder will take a lot longer to solve.
The police inspector sets to work questioning Sir St John, Lady Lavinia Pryde (Caroline Blakiston), Lady Bunty, nephew Jago Pryde (Angus Imrie), and the family butler Arthur Danby (Guy Williams). Everyone questioned provides Sullivan with convincing alibis. Sir St John, noting where he was when Miss Diggle was shot, was with the tour group.
Mr Pryde postulates, with his uncle being so close to Miss Diggle when the arrow struck her, there is a good chance Sir St John could have been the actual target. Miss Diggle, based on how Mr Pryde frames the situation, could be seen as collateral damage.
Later, somewhere in the grounds when riding her horse, Miss Pryde crosses paths with Mr Archer. It is here, not remotely a shocking surprise, we learn she and Mr Archer are engaged in an apparently secret love affair. Does she not realise people know about their romantic entanglement?
Elsewhere, trying not to gossip, Mrs McCarthy informs Father Brown that Miss Diggle was pawing through parish records dated 1835 to 1855. Upon investigation of the material, not one to miss a single detail, Father Brown soon discovers a page is missing from one of the record books. Father Brown detects the presence of an unknown substance on the desk where Miss Diggle was reading. It has an almost whisky-like odour.
Meanwhile, wanting to wrap things up as soon as possible, Sullivan questions Mr Archer about his whereabouts at the time Miss Diggle was shot. Does the police inspector seriously think someone with the surname Archer would use a longbow and arrow to kill someone? That would be a little too on the nose even for this series. Father Brown, as a detective series, is typically a little more nuanced.
Mr Archer has been far too busy working for the greater good of the tenants to go around shooting arrows at people. The tenants, as Mr Archer tells Sullivan, are looking to buy the land from the Pryde Estate.
The solicitor reveals, with him having been taught by his father, he is proficient with a longbow. It turns out that Mr Archer’s father, even though they have different last names, is Mr Danby. Mr Danby, the Pryde family butler, is also biological first cousins with Sir St John. This family relationship Mr Danby has with the lord is not thought to be from marriage. Mr Danby, noting his son attended university, believes Mr Archer fell in with a leftist crowd and become antagonised towards the aristocracy.
Lady Lavinia, because of the Catholic priest’s interest in Miss Diggle’s writing, provides Father Brown with a copy of the book. It is here that both Father Brown and Lady Lavinia overhear Mr Pryde seemingly blackmailing Lady Bunty regarding her somewhat secret love affair with Mr Archer.
Father Brown examines Miss Diggle’s work for clues as to why someone would want to see her dead. There could be something significant in her writing which could point him towards a potential killer. On reviewing the manuscript, Father Brown realises Miss Diggle was researching St John’s grandfather Ralph Pryde when she died.
Remembering the missing page from the parish records book, something Father Brown should have remembered himself, Mrs McCarthy suggests a visit to the official records office is advisable. It is there the parish stores copies of all records.
Elsewhere, at the Pryde Estate, Mr Pryde can be see swimming when he passes out in the water. Mr Pryde’s hipflask was laced with a fatal dose of barbiturates. Fortunately for him, something the would be killer possibly didn’t count on, Mr Pryde’s resuscitation caused him to vomit up most of the drug.
Mr Archer is brought brought to the Kembleford Police Station for questioning pertaining to Miss Diggle’s death and Mr Prye’s attempted murder.
Meanwhile, after a visit to the official country records office, with Lady Felicia Montague’s (Nancy Carroll) assistance, Father Brown has the Prydes, the butler, and Mr Archer gathered together for an Agatha Christie style truth-reveal.
Father Brown reveals a few historical details Pryde family would rather leave in the past. Lady Lavinia’s late first-born son, Mr Pryde’s father, isn’t in the Pryde Family Tomb. Reports of his death in a road traffic accident were greatly exaggerated. The truth is far worse. Simon Pryde, Mr Pryde’s father, murdered his wife and committed suicide. Mr Pryde’s father, according to Father Brown, was a victim of the family curse.
The Catholic priest also reveals, even though there was no real intent to kill Mr Pryde, it was Lady Lavinia that spiked his hipflask. Lady Lavinia, knowing how it was Mr Pryde that murdered Miss Diggle, didn’t want it getting out that her grandson could do such a thing. Mr Pryde, wielding a longbow, makes an appearance. This is where we turn to Mr Danby.
Father Brown, with evidence in hand, reveals Miss Diggle uncovered the truth behind the butler’s grand-parentage. Mr Danby’s grandmother had secretly married Sir St John’s grandfather. The priest that conducted the ceremony died less than a fortnight after the secret wedding. Thereby, much to Mr Archer’s shock and dismay, Mr Danby is the true heir to the Pryde Estate.
Mr Pryde, having covered all of is tracks, is curious what gave him away to the Catholic priest. It was the whisky Father Brown found on the desk where Miss Diggle had been working.
With Miss Diggle not being a whisky drinker, something Mr Pryde seemed to consume in vast quantities, it could have only been him. Mr Pryde spilled a little on the desk when he tore the page from the records book.
Knowing the game is up, needing a distraction, Mr Pryde tosses a dud grenade onto a nearby couch and makes a dash for the door. Whilst everyone thinks the grenade is a dud, the Catholic priest not so sure, tosses out of an open window. A loud explosion proves Father Brown right to be cautious.
Fleeing to the roof, Mr Pryde is soon confronted by Father Brown. The Catholic priest begs Mr Pryde to seek forgiveness. Having no interest in worshipping Father Brown’s imaginary friend, something Mr Pryde never believed in, he jumps from the roof. Mr Pryde dies shortly thereafter.
Mr Danby, trying to find a plausible reason for Mr Pryde’s attempted murder, suggests to Sullivan that he tried to poisoned himself to avoid suspicion. This, even though the police inspector is completely oblivious to certain facts, is an obvious attempt to protect Lady Lavinia.
Mr Archer vents his frustration at actually being something he loathes. At this, finally seeing the last straw break, Mr Danby berates his son for his selfish attitude. Sir St John, seeing there is no better time than the present, hands over to Mr Danby the Pryde ring and the estate.
Later, at St Mary’s Catholic Church, Father Brown hears an exhaustively lengthy confession from Lady Lavinia. It had apparently been decades since her last confession.
With the wedding between Lady Bunty and the marquis is called off, despite the gentleman not caring about family drama, Mrs McCarthy suggests to her that she consider what her heart wants rather than family pride. Considering the parish secretary’s words, noting Mr Archer’s presence in the distance, Lady Bunty walks over to him. Lady Bunty, before kissing Mr Archer, slaps him across the face for being so childish.
The episode ends with Lady Bunty having married Mr Archer, the land sold to the tenants, and the Pryde house having been bought by the National Trust. As for the Pryde family, with the National Trust needing the house taken care of, they remained in residence.