In A Great Thing For The District local factory owner/bigwig Sir Aubrey Stafax wants Hadleigh’s help. He wants the organisation and management side of his business reorganising before he takes on a major new government contract. The bigger picture is that Sir Aubrey really only wants Hadleigh involved to use his government contacts and actually guarantee the contract.
James agrees to take a look but knows he is being played, especially by Sir Aubrey’s overly flirtatious wife Lady Stafax (played in fine style by Sue Lloyd) who is all over Hadleigh like a cheap scent. Rather fittingly Hadleigh turns the tables on Stafax and ensures the contract goes to a Westdale factory instead and to double the blow he takes Sir Aubrey’s factory boss Bromley with him too.
Hadleigh is in fine form here, he knows exactly what he is doing and how to handle both Stafax and his wife. There is an excellent scene where Lady Stafax and Hadleigh, having visited the races, are alone in a hotel room together. Whilst Lady Carfax is freshening up with a bath Hadleigh sneaks out whilst she is in mid-sentence.
production details
UK / ITV – Yorkshire / 1×50 minute episode / Broadcast 30 September 1969
Writer: Robert Coole / Production Design: Stanley Morris / Director: Valerie Hanson
Series: Hadleigh Season 1 Episode 3
cast
Gerald Harper as James Hadleigh
Sue Lloyd as Lady Stafax
Charles Morgan as Sir Aubrey Stafax
Kenneth Watson as Bromley
John Graham as George Harwell M.P.
Alastair Hunter as Maxwell
Gay Singleton as Anona Benson
John Cazabon as Company Secretary
Jim Collier as Wilbert
Eddie King as Hotel Porter