Jeremy Brett

[Douglas]

I'm the same! He was brilliant, wasn't he!

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

He was. He brought so much to the character. He didn't read just the adventures but studied Sherlock himself. Noted all the idiosyncracies and brought them to life. Many scholars have said that Sherlock Holmes was either very lightly Aspergers and or Bi-polar among other diagnoses. Jeremy was bi-polar so let he those traits shine in his portrayal. 

 

I wonder when we are going to get the rest of "The Great Sherlock Holmes Debate IV? They have posted the one between Brett and the Richie films but I can't find anything on how the Elementary v. Sherlock went.

[Douglas]

Good points, Bakerstreet Irregular!! I hadn't thought about Jeremy using his Bi-Polar disorder (and I don't mean that in a mean or judgemental way) to portray the same in Holmes, but upon reflection, I think you're right!! That's an excellent analysis! Yes, I've read all the Arthur Conan Doyle stories, and I own the complete Jeremy Brett series on DVD, and for me, Jeremy was the definitive Sherlock Holmes. To be fair, however, I haven't seen any of the portrayals of Holmes, since Jeremy Brett's portrayal.

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

Since Brett I don't think there have been any more attempts at reproducing the canon itself in the Victorian sense. There have just been the two Richie movies, BBC Sherlock and Elementary.

[Carol the Dabbler]

I'm familiar with very few Holmes adaptations other than Brett's and the current trio.  Were the Rathbone movies pretty true to canon?  And were there any prior attempts at a faithful adaptation?  Or was Brett's Holmes really the only by-the-book Holmes to date?

 

Once there's been a definitive anything, it generally takes a while for anyone to have the chutzpah to try again.  Brett did his final Holmes series in '94, almost twenty years ago, which may explain the current spate of looser adaptations.  But also, it may not be long before someone gets the urge to try what Brett did again.

 

[Douglas]

Hi Bakerstreet Irregular,

 

Thank you for that information, because I wasn't aware of that. At this stage, I seem to be stuck in a Jeremy brett time-warp!

[Douglas]

Hi Carol,

 

Well, I've seen a few of the Basil Rathbone portrayals of Holmes, and apart from THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES, the others I saw had their own stories, and were only very loosely based on the Conan Doyle Canon. They were very well done, however, as Rathbone made an excellent Holmes!

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

Hi Douglas, and welcome to the Forum! 

 

I think The Hounds of Baskervilles and the Pearl of Death were the two closest to canon Hollywood got with the Rathbone movies. There might have been more but I'm pulling a blank on them. Since many of these movies were made in the 40's and 50's they dealt mostly with the War efforts to beat out the German's and other threats. Few were set strictly in the Victorian era. Also they kept bringing Moriarty back as the antagonist.

[Carol the Dabbler]

The Pearl of Death?  I thought I was somewhat familiar with the canon titles, at least, but I'm drawing a blank on that one.  Is that a canon title?  Or if not, was the movie based on a particular canon story or two?

 

[Douglas]

Hi Bakerstreet Irregular,

 

Thanks so much for the nice welcome, and it certainly is good to be here.

 

Yes, I must admit that I've never seen THE PEARL OF DEATH, but I can imagine that it was good, mainly due to Basil Rathbone as Holmes.

That's right: I do remember the Second World War references and themes in them, now that you mention it.

And yes, MORIARTY: now, wasn't he played by that excellent character actor, LIONEL ATWELL?! Excellent stuff, indeed!!

[Douglas]

Hi Carol, no THE PEARL OF DEATH isn't a Canon title; I've never seen this one, either, but gee, wasn't Basil Rathbone an excellent Holmes!!

In my humble opinion, I rank Jeremy Brett as the best Sherlock Holmes, followed very closely by Basil Rathbone, as Holmes! Both played an excellent Holmes, in my opinion!

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

The Pearl of Death is based on "The Adventure of the 6 Napoleons" where a pearl is stolen then hidden in a plaster bust.

[Douglas]

Thanks for that, Bakerstreet Irregular; I didn't know that!

 

I might see if I can find and watch, some more of the Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, Sherlock Holmes movies, on YouTube.

[Carol the Dabbler]

Several of John's blog entries have been mentioned in Sherlock, and "The Speckled Blonde" and "The Geek Interpreter" are obvious puns on two of Conan Doyle's titles.  I recently re-read those entries (for those who don't know, John's entire blog from the show is really online), having read the originals since the first time I read the blog, and saw that the plots are indeed takeoffs on "The Speckled Band" and "The Greek Interpreter."  I also re-read the blog entry of "The Six Thatchers," and assumed that it was a takeoff on "The Six Napoleons," and just from your brief description, I can see that it is.  Thanks!

 

[Douglas]

Yes, I wasn't aware of this; I'll read John's blog, soon, when I get a chance. I can see the puns, though, in those titles you mentioned, of course.

[Douglas]

Although I prefer Edward Hardwicke's Dr Watson to David Burke's Dr Watson (but only just), I'm finding David Burke's Dr Watson rather endearing, I must say!! Some of his facial expressions, in response to some of the things Holmes says, are priceless!!

[Douglas]

I've just started watching the entire Jeremy Brett Granada Television series of Sherlock Holmes on DVD, in order of date of broadcast, and I loved Jeremy Brett/Sherlock Holmes' protrayal of a simple labourer, in A SCANDAL IN BOHEMIA, and in fact, found it fascinating and compulsive viewing! He obviously had Irene' Adler completely fooled with that disguise, anyway!

[Alice Holmes]

I just watched The Mazarin Stone last night... I'm in Baltimore at the moment and it came on Public Television. All it did was remind me that I am not a fan of Hardwicke's Watson.

[Selena]

Jeremy Brett is a wonderful Sherlock Holmes. As someone said, he really does bring out all the different aspects of Holmes' character.

 

I do not like any of the Watsons, however, and I am afraid I find the series as a whole quite boring. It may be that I am simply too used to fast-paced action movies, but the turning of short stories into long episodes of television simply does not work (in my opinion, at least).

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

It may be that I am simply too used to fast-paced action movies,

A very valid point of view.

 

But Sir Arthur Conan Doyle never meant Sherlock to be an action hero. That is one of the complaints about the Richie movies. Too much physical action and not enough showing Sherlock being the deep thinking, cerebral consulting detective.

 

But I find this new version of Sherlock very fast paced, racing in and out, up and down, which he did in the books as well but Sir Arthur seemed to play it down and you had to be really into the story to catch that sense of frenetic energy that Holmes had and which this series brings out very well. In my point of view, of course.

 

But I too adore Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes. For the Victorian setting, his portrayal was picture perfect.

[Carol the Dabbler]

I saw the Brett series when it was originally on PBS here in the States, and thought it was simply perfect.  We bought the DVD set a while back, but haven't watched it yet -- I wonder what I'll think of it now, after being "spoiled" by Sherlock?

 

[Alice Holmes]

It's a little interesting to watch after Sherlock, I will warn you.

[Carol the Dabbler]

Like the ancient Chinese curse, "May you live in interesting times!" maybe?

 

[Selena]

... but Sir Arthur seemed to play it down and you had to be really into the story to catch that sense of frenetic energy that Holmes had and which this series brings out very well.

 

 

Agreed.

What I mean is that the Granada series is very close to the canon, and whilst things tend to happen quite fast in the short stories, the plot in the series is sort of streched out (is that the correct expression?) due to the length of the episodes. It is like pouring water into a glass of juice; you get the same flavour, but it is slightly weaker.

[Carol the Dabbler]

Having read a number of the ACD short stories recently, I can see how a faithful television adaptation would indeed seem somewhat "stretched out" (and yes, that's a very good expression in this context).