Project Detail

The Riddle

Synopsis

An ambitious London journalist investigates a series of present-day murders that follow the discovery of an unpublished novel by Charles Dickens in the cellar of an old Thames-side-pub. Gradually the reporter becomes obsessed with also unraveling a century-old murder in the pages of the manuscript, with the help of a police press officer and a mysterious beach-combing tramp who stalks the Thames foreshore.

In a remarkable twin-role performance, Jacobi also plays the ghost of Charles Dickens, returning to read his long-lost novel.
 
Together, the tramp, journalist and press officer unlock the riddle of the manuscript to solve the modern murders. Along the way they encounter a greedy publisher, a corrupt detective and a menacing construction boss. 
 
Based on the award-winning script by writer-director Brendan Foley, The Riddle is in the vein of classic Hitchcock noir thrillers with elements of the magic realism of films such as The Sixth Sense and The Green Mile. 

Details

Year
2008
Type of project
Features
Running time
116 mins
Director
Brendan Foley
Producer
Brendan Floley, Lars Hermann, Chris Chrisafis, Peter Burrell, Mark Moriarty, Joe Condren
Screenwriter
Brendan Foley
Director of Photography
Mark Moriarty
Principal cast
Vinnie Jones, Derek Jacobi, Vanessa Redgrave, Jason Flemyng, Julie Cox

Genre

Categories

Production Status

Production Company

Manuscript Productions Ltd

www.hollywoodclassics.com

Sales Company

Hollywood Classics

www.hollywoodclassics.com

Page updates

This page was last updated on 12th May 2025. Please let us know if we need to make any amendments or request edit access by clicking below.

See also

You may also be interested in other relevant projects in the database.

Wrath of Gods Wrath of Gods

Director: Justin Hardy

Year: 2026

Nestled in the North Sea, between the Northern tip of Scotland and the coasts of Scandinavia, Hel is cloaked in mystery, myth and misogyny. Isolated in a place where the local community despise her, and whilst buried traumas resurface, Anna is torn between the ghosts of the past and the gods of the present. As an ill wind blows through, young girls from this fractured community begin to vanish. These missing children, her husband’s death and her own trauma become inextricably linked as Anna is haunted by unsettling flashbacks, forcing her to confront dark family secrets lurking in the shadows, before they can devour her daughter too.

Wuthering Heights Wuthering Heights

Director: Emerald Fennell

Year: 2026

A passionate and tumultuous love story set against the backdrop of the Yorkshire moors, exploring the intense and destructive relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw.

Chinaman Chinaman

Director: Rob Chiu

Year: 2026

In 1989, Wong, a first-generation immigrant, and his mixed-race son, Andy, face a challenging evening at their Chinese takeaway. Dealing with impatient customers and mixed-up orders adds to their frustration. Tensions rise when Wong’s eldest son, Kenny, arrives late for work. Their strained father-son relationship unfolds in front of customers. When a group of drunk, racist customers enter the takeaway tensions escalate further.