#2,787. Murder by Decree (1979) - Sherlock Holmes in the 1970s

 

Sherlock Holmes takes on Jack the Ripper in director Bob Clark’s Murder by Decree, a film dripping with atmosphere and suspense that also features one hell of a cast.

A number of women have turned up dead in London’s Whitechapel district, and with the police unable to stop the killings, a group of concerned citizens asks the great Sherlock Holmes (Christopher Plummer) to investigate. With the help of his loyal companion Doctor Watson (James Mason), Holmes is determined to track down the killer everyone is calling Jack the Ripper and find out why he is only targeting prostitutes.

But as Holmes and Watson delve deeper into the case, they realize it stretches well beyond the confines of Whitechapel, and might even involve a conspiracy orchestrated by some of England’s most respected officials.

With a script penned by John Hopkins, Murder by Decree is a dark, sometimes frightening Sherlock Holmes mystery; no stranger to horror, director Clark even presents the film’s first murder from the killer’s POV, as if we were looking through the Ripper’s eyes (a similar technique to the one he used in 1974’s Black Christmas, and would eventually become a staple of ‘80s slashers).

In addition, the set design throughout Murder by Decree is superb, especially the darkened streets of Whitechapel, which Holmes and Watson spend quite a few nights traversing. Clark even manages to squeeze all the tension and intrigue he possibly can out of the story, which twists and turns in a number of fascinating directions.

Then there’s the cast, led by Plummer’s humanistic approach to the role of Holmes, playing him as a master sleuth who is nonetheless concerned about the safety and well-being of those he’s trying to protect; a scene in which Holmes is talking with Annie Crook (Genevieve Bujoud), a key figure in the case who has been hidden away in an asylum, is particularly heartbreaking.

The supporting cast assembled by Clark features a number of England’s most prestigious actors, including Anthony Quayle as Sir Charles Warren, the standoffish chief of Scotland Yard; David Hemmings as the enigmatic Inspector Foxborough; Frank Finlay as Inspector Lestrade; and John Gielgud as Prime Minister Lord Salisbury. Also on-hand are Donald Sutherland as Robert Lees, a psychic who claims he’s had visions of Jack the Ripper, and Susan Clark as potential victim Mary Kelly. Topping them all, however, is James Mason, who plays Watson not as the bumbling sidekick, but a strong-willed investigator in his own right who also occasionally makes us laugh (a scene involving a green pea on Watson’s dinner plate is absolutely hilarious).

If Murder by Decree has one weakness, it’s the finale; the exposition-laden sequence in which Holmes addresses Lord Salisbury about his findings dragged on a bit too long, and was followed by not one, but two false endings. Even with its lackluster climax, however, Murder by Decree has a hell of a lot going for it, and is a movie I wholeheartedly recommend
Rating: 8.5 out of 10

#2,786. The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (1976) - Sherlock Holmes in the 1970s

 

The Seven-Per-Cent Solution is an extraordinarily entertaining motion picture, and the credit for that must go to its screenwriter, Nicholas Meyer. Along with also penning the best-selling novel his script was based on, Meyer was the creative mind behind such smart, savvy movies as Time After Time and all of the good early Star Trek films (including fan favorite Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan).

And with a premise like the one Meyer devised for The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, teaming the great Sherlock Holmes with renowned psychologist Dr. Sigmund Freud, it’s no wonder that this 1976 movie is so much damn fun!

It’s been several years since Dr. Watson (Robert Duvall) last visited his good friend Sherlock Holmes (Nicol Williamson). Alas, when he does finally swing by 221-B Baker Street, Watson is shocked to discover Holmes has become a full-fledged cocaine addict, and is convinced the kindly Doctor Moriarty (Laurence Olivier), his former tutor, has become a master criminal.

With the help of Holmes’ brother Mycroft (Charles Grey), Watson tricks Holmes into “following” Dr. Moriarty to Vienna, where the great Sigmund Freud (Alan Arkin), who has successfully treated other drug addicts, is waiting to cure Holmes of his cocaine dependency.

Though it takes some time and a great deal of effort, Freud’s treatment is successful. And, it seems, just in the nick of time, because a former patient of Dr. Freud’s, Miss Devereux (Vanessa Redgrave), is in the hospital, having only recently escaped the clutches of a kidnapper. With Holmes’ mind once again clear, he joins forces with Dr. Freud and Watson to find out who abducted Miss Devereux, and why, knowing full well that until they solve this case, she will continue to be in the greatest of danger.

As Meyer pointed out when discussing both his original novel and the screenplay for The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, it is not so much a Sherlock Holmes mystery as it is a story about Sherlock Holmes, a man whose past traumas have not only shaped his career as a master detective, but his drug dependency as well. Williamson delivers a remarkable performance as Holmes, perfectly conveying the legendary character’s sharp mind and his desperate struggle with cocaine; the scenes in which Holmes is battling his addiction, suffering a series of horrific hallucinations as the drug leaves his system, are the film’s most harrowing.

Equal to Williamson’s portrayal of Holmes is Alan Arkin as Freud, whose mind is every bit as sharp as his star patient’s. He even gets to test his athletic prowess at one point; after being insulted at a gym by Baron von Leinsdorf (Jeremy Kemp), Freud, instead of fighting him in a duel, challenges the Baron to a tennis match! Rounding out the excellent cast is Duvall, who, despite his suspect British accent, does a fine job as Watson; and Redgrave as the film’s “damsel in distress”, who may not be as helpless as she first appears.

Working as both a cautionary tale and a pretty nifty mystery, The Seven-Per-Cent Solution is a whole mess of fun! I had a great time watching it!
Rating: 9 out of 10

#2,785. The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970) - Sherlock Holmes in the 1970s

 

Four years after directing the hilarious comedy The Fortune Cookie, Billy Wilder once again stepped behind the camera to helm The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, a movie he co-wrote with longtime associate I.A.L. Diamond. And as its title would suggest, the resulting movie was far from a typical Sherlock Holmes mystery, giving audiences a more intimate look at Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s legendary detective, starting with the fact that he was occasionally just as human as the rest of us.

After refusing an embarrassing proposal from famous Russian ballerina Madame Petrova (Tamara Toumanova), who wanted the great detective to sire her child, Sherlock Holmes (Robert Stephens) waits patiently at his residence at 221-B Baker Street - in the company of his good friend Doctor Watson (Colin Blakely) - for the next case to fall into his lap.

As it turns out, he wouldn’t have to wait long; one night, a Belgian woman named Gabrielle Valladon (Geneviève Page) is brought to see the incomparable Sherlock Holmes. It seems that Ms. Valladon’s husband, who’s been working in London for several years, has gone missing, and she is anxious to find him.

Though warned by his brother Mycroft (Christopher Lee) not to take the case, which he calls a matter of “national security”, Sherlock and Watson follow the clues to Inverness, Scotland, where, along with closing in on the elusive Mr. Valladon they have a close encounter with the fabled Loch Ness Monster!

With The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, co-writers Wilder and Diamond managed to slip in a few personal details about their title character, whose exploits, even at this point in 1887 (when the story is set), are renowned; in the opening scene, Holmes chastises Watson (the author of many published articles about his good friend) for exaggerating everything from his height (“You have me at 6’4”, when I’m barely 6’1””, Holmes laments) to his occasional use of drugs (“You’ve painted me a hopeless dope addict just because I occasionally take a five percent solution of cocaine”. When Watson retorts that it’s actually a seven percent solution, Holmes replies, dryly, “Five percent. Don’t you think I’m aware you’ve been diluting it behind my back?”).

Even more revealing are the allusions to Holmes’ homosexuality; the entire sequence with Madame Petrova brings his sexual preferences to the forefront, and even Watson seems a bit taken aback by the notion that his friend does not enjoy the company of women (Wilder would say in hindsight that he wished he took the homosexual subtext further than he did).

Once the case involving Gabrielle Valladon is in full swing, The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes feels more like a standard Arthur Conan-Doyle mystery, with both Stephens and Blakely delivering top-notch performances as they follow one lead after another. Christopher Lee is also solid in support; his Mycroft tries to dissuade Sherlock from getting involved with Gabrielle Valladon. And, it turns out, for good reason, because one of the more revealing facets of this 1970 film is that, despite his reputation as a master detective, we find even Sherlock Holmes can make a mistake now and again.

So while The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes features elements that will appeal to the super sleuth’s most ardent fans, it’s kind of nice to discover that Holmes wasn’t always perfect.
Rating: 8.5 out of 10

#2,341. The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother (1975) - Sherlock Holmes in the 1970s

Directed By: Gene Wilder

Starring: Gene Wilder, Madeline Kahn, Marty Feldman



Line from the film: "Is this rotten or wonderfully brave?"

Trivia: Apparently, Gene Wilder asked Mel Brooks to direct this picture. Brooks declined, stating that he would find it difficult to direct a screenplay that wasn't his own








Fresh off of Young Frankenstein, Gene Wilder wrote and directed The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother, a 1975 comedy that co-starred a trio of Mel Brooks regulars (Madeline Kahn, Marty Feldman, and Dom DeLuise). Brooks himself even lent his voice to the production (he uttered one line, spoken off-screen, when a minor character walked through the wrong door). 

Unfortunately, the “Brooks Touch” could only take this film so far. Intended as a spoof of a classic Sherlock Holmes-style mystery, The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother is funny in spurts, but doesn’t match the sustained hilarity of such Mel Brooks classics as Blazing Saddles or Young Frankenstein, making it a hit and miss affair.

A secret document that Queen Victoria (Susan Field) herself entrusted to British Foreign Minister Redcliff (John Le Mesurier) has been stolen. Instead of tackling this case himself, renowned sleuth Sherlock Holmes (Douglas Wilmer) passes it on to his arrogant yet highly intelligent younger brother Sigerson (Wilder), who he hasn't spoken to in years. 

To assist Sigerson during his investigation, Sherlock hires Sgt. Orville Stanley Sacker (Feldman), a Scotland Yard detective with a photographic sense of hearing. Together Sacker and Sigerson begin searching for clues, knowing full well that if the document falls into the wrong hands, it could plunge England into a costly war.

Sigerson’s first break in the case comes when actress Jenny Hill (Kahn) pays him a visit. Though she’s clearly a pathological liar, the younger Holmes gathers enough information from Ms. Hill to discover that the document is currently in the hands of Opera singer Eduardo Gambetti (Dom DeLuise), who intends to sell it to none other than Sherlock Holmes’ arch-nemesis Dr. Moriarty (Leo McKern)! 

Though he cannot trust her, Sigerson eventually falls in love with Ms. Hill, and vows to protect her to the end. But how does she really figure into this bizarre case? And can Sigerson and Sacker retrieve the document before Moriarty turns it over to a foreign power?

The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother does feature a handful of very funny moments, including Sigerson’s first meeting with Jenny Hill (A gifted comedienne, Madeline Kahn is especially good throughout this movie) as well as  Moriarty’s initial attempt to buy the document from Gambetti (DeLuise is so deliciously over-the-top that you can’t help but chuckle at his antics). There’s also a horse-drawn carriage chase that has a great payoff, but it's the big opera scene towards the end that is undoubtedly the film’s most uproarious sequence (Gambetti has translated an Italian opera into English, putting his own unique spin on the story, and the result is positively hilarious).

Alas, with a straightforward approach to the central mystery - which is never as well-defined as it should be - The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother ultimately doesn’t work as a spoof. Even more disappointing is the fact that, aside from a clever bit at the beginning, Sherlock Holmes and his illustrious sidekick Dr. Watson (Thorley Walters) are hardly in the movie at all. And while there are laughs to be had, plenty of jokes and sight gags fall flat; a ballroom dance scene late in the film, set moments after Sigerson and Sacker have escaped a deadly trap, drags on far too long to be fully effective.

I hate to dismiss the film completely, in part because I remember loving it as a kid (I recorded a sanitized version off of network TV in the ‘80s, so this is actually the first time I’ve seen the movie in its unedited form), but if it’s laughs you’re after, The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother is only fitfully successful at delivering them.