In Love’s Old Sweet Song David’s former secretary Sarah is divorcing her husband Lord Radchester and David is acting for her. Lord Radchester will stop at nothing to get the terms he wants whilst David’s new private enquiry agent Walter Clegg finds himself a little out of his depth on his first case for David. A lack of honesty from Sarah and a possible threat against Lord Radchester’s own inquiry agent Major Donovan could spell definite trouble for both Clegg and more decisively for Main himself.
Another strong episode that sees David once again finding his career on the line, some quick thinking manoeuvring gets him out of trouble and gives Sarah what she wants. There is a secondary plot involving Hilary Nash whose husband died in the first episode of the season. Hilary and her father Harry are having trouble paying off the death duties accrued from the death of her husband and Henry and Margaret are doing their best to help them raise the capital needed. By the end of this episode it’s clear that Hilary is going to be David’s new love interest. Jack Watson who plays Hilary’s father Harry had been in the series previously – in season two episode A Vision of the Future playing a wealthy businessman opposed to a development scheme. This is something that the series does a little bit too often, actors popping up again in different roles, A Vision of the Future also featured Peter Gilmore as an architect, he’d also appear in a different role in season four episode Year of the Tiger.
This episode also marks the first appearance of Walter Clegg taking over from Sidney Bulmer who has emigrated to Australia to be with his grandkids.
Incidentally the time line seems to be a little out in this episode too. David remarks to Sarah that she married Lord Radchester in 1968 and the marriage broke down after 18 months. Odd given that Sarah worked for David for four years and had an affair with him for most of season two (made in 1970) before announcing in the closing episodes of that season that she was marrying Radchester. A clear faux pa from those involved with the show but probably done as an attempt to make Sarah’s marriage to Radchester seem longer.
production details
UK / ITV – Yorkshire / 1×50 minute episode / Broadcast Wednesday 14 June 1972 at 9.00pm
Writer: Edmund Ward / Production Design: Alan Pickford / Director: John Frankau
The Main Chance Season 3 Episode 2
cast
John Stride as David Main
Anna Palk as Sarah Radchester
John Standing as Lord Radchester
Timothy Carlton as Purcell Browne
Robert Keegan as Bradshaw
John Wentworth as Henry Castleton
Glynn Edwards as Walter Clegg
George Baker as Major Donovan
Estelle Kohler as Hilary Nash
Jack Watson as Harry Selby
Margaret Ashcroft as Margaret Castleton
Valerie Dane as Main’s Secretary