The Sherlock Holmes Feature Film Collection (1988)

In addition to numerous one-hour episodes, Granada Television produced five feature-length Sherlock Holmes films starring Jeremy Brett, easily the best of all screen actors to play the sleuth, and Edward Hardwicke, a warm and capable Dr. Watson. The 1987 feature version of The Sign of Four, the second Holmes novel written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is faithful to the original story except in one important detail: Dr. Watson does not get the girl. Otherwise, the familiar tale of the death of Bartholomew Sholto and the theft of the Agra treasure is all here, as is a snappy performance by Brett as Holmes doing some of the finest investigative work of his career.

A thrilling blend of detective yarn and Gothic horror, The Hound of the Baskervilles (1988) concerns the apparent return of an old curse upon the Baskerville family in the terrifying form of a gigantic killer hound. Fans of Hardwicke get an opportunity to see his Watson on a solo mission for part of this story, though Brett is never far from the narrative. The supporting cast is very good, and the beast itself, revealed in a famously terrifying finale, is indeed a spooky revelation.

In The Master Blackmailer (1991), Holmes takes on the reputed king of all blackmailers. Charles Augustus Milverton (Robert Hardy) has made a fortune extorting money from the famous and the blue-blooded, and he routinely ruins others' lives when not pleased. Unable to talk Milverton into turning over letters belonging to Lady Eva Brackenwell, Holmes decides to steal them, going undercover as a plumber and even romancing Milverton's housemaid, Agatha (Sophie Thompson), to gain better access in the house. The story builds to a surprisingly violent finale, but the real hook is Brett's performance as the disguised detective and the startling suggestion that Holmes's close contact with Agatha truly moved the bachelor sleuth.

A little overextended as a two-hour movie, The Eligible Bachelor (1992) was made late in the enterprise. It finds Holmes (the ailing Brett, playing an increasingly darker and more neurotic detective) and Watson called upon to help in a case involving the disappearance of Henrietta Doran (Paris Jefferson). Fiancée of the noble Lord Robert St. Simon (Simon Williams), Doran was last seen with a former lover of St. Simon's, Flora Millar (Joanna McCallum). The unimaginative Scotland Yard instantly arrests Millar on suspicion of foul play, but it is Holmes who has to find the missing woman.

The Last Vampyre (1992) was perhaps the most ill-advised of the series. Entirely contrary to the tone and spirit of Doyle's short story "The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire"--which finds Holmes victoriously pitting his well-grounded deductive powers against irrational fears of a rise in bloodsucking--it's something of an embarrassment to the largely wonderful legacy of Granada's earlier efforts. (For the record, most of the creative executives who had worked on the beloved series in the 1980s had been replaced by the time this film was made.) In this version, Holmes does battle with a Dracula-like fellow who may or may not be the real McCoy. There is a great deal of padding to fill out the story, and it is mostly silly, but the ailing Brett gives an ever-fascinating performance, which deviates from Doyle's vision of the detective toward something darker and more personal. --Tom Keogh Amazon.com

Jeremy Brett

Several years ago when a Jeremy Brett "Holmes" mystery was playing on our local PBS station I made my wife (no Sherlock Holmes fan) sit down and watch with me. I don't recall the particular adventure that Holmes and the ever-faithful Watson were emerged however the reaction of my wife during the denouement was remarkable.

She was crying.

I believe that only Jeremy Brett's portrayal could have caused such a reaction. Of all the dozens and dozens of actors that have taken on the role of Holmes it is Brett's characterization that most truthfully brings out Holmes' deep humanity.

If you haven't enjoyed Mr. Brett in his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes you are indeed in for a treat, you will be watching an actor, who more than any other, embodies the true nature of the great detective.
November 7, 2008

Jeremy Brett gives convincing performance of Sherlock Holmes

This is the third set of Sherlock Holmes movies starring Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes that we have purchased. Jeremy Brett gives such a convincing performance that you wish you were there right along his side helping him solve his cases. June 3, 2008

Jeremy Brett -- the best ever

If it's a Jeremy Brett performance of Sherlock Holmes -- just buy it. Brett can really act, that is, communicate emotion, not just pose while music swells or the dialogue tells you what he's feeling.Brett can show you several emotions in one or two seconds -- no dialogue needed. He's brilliant, and some of these later movies, when he knew he was dying, have a poignancy to the performance that is very special. He knew he WAS Holmes to many watchers, and that this was his legacy and his immortality. Awesome, awesome performances -- these and all the other Holmes performances he did. May 13, 2008

The Good and the So-So...

"The Sherlock Holmes Feature Film Collection" contains five Sherlock Holmes tales produced at TV movie length. These Grenada television productions star Jeremy Brett as the Sherlock Holmes of his generation and Edward Hardwick as a most excellent Dr. Watson.

Two of the five entries are obvious picks for feature film treatment: "The Hound of the Baskervilles" and "The Sign of Four." Each was originally published as a short novel; the stories readily fit a movie format. "The Hound of the Baskervilles" has long been a favorite for movie adaptation. Fans will not be disappointed with this entry, in which Holmes and Watson tackle the case of a family seemingly haunted by the curse of a giant spectral killer. This adaptation is faithful to the story, well-cast and well-executed.

"The Sign of Four", about the mysterious and murderous hunt for an ancient Indian treasure, is also a faithful and successful adaption of the short novel of the same name. The one obvious difference is that Miss Morstan, who brings the case to the attention of Holmes and Watson, does not marry the good doctor at story's end.

"The Master Blackmailer" is an extended but entirely acceptable version of the short story "The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton" in which Holmes seeks to retrieve compromising documents from a skilled blackmailer. Holmes and Watson must resort to burglary to settle the case, which has been padded to feature length without materially changing the story.

"The Eligible Bachelor" is a much extended adaptation of "The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor." Holmes and Watson must find the missing bride of a nobleman, and in the process save another woman accused of her disappearence. The presentation is adequate but the padded plot seems a little flat; this story was not an obvious choice for a feature film.

"The Last Vampyre" is an ill-considered adaptation of "The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire." The original story has been twisted almost beyond recognition to permit Holmes to confront a man who may, or may not, be a real vampire. The movie is suitably atmospheric for a gothic horror tale and strives hard to maintain ambiguity about the nature of the vampyre until the end. However, Holmes is not fooled, and neither will be many viewers. The padding of the story to include a foolish young child is a distraction from the plot.

This collection of films featuring Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes is in spite of its imperfections still highly recommended as entertaining fare. "The Hound of the Basekervilles" and "The Sign of Four" easily justify the other entries.

March 21, 2008

Mixed bag

I am a big fan of Granada television's splendid Sherlock Holmes films starring Jeremy Brett, and I heartily recommend any of the DVD collections (the Adventures, Return, Casebook, or Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes) that contain hourlong episodes based closely on Conan Doyle's short stories. This DVD collection of the five longer films (each is almost two hours) that were made is necessarily a mixed bag, however, because it contains: one of the best episodes ever made ("The Sign of Four" solidly based on the novel and superbly realized), a pretty darn good one ("The Hound of the Baskervilles," again well-based on the novel), a mediocre but entertaining one ("The Master Blackmailer," an atmospheric, dark, drawn-out version of a short story), an overwrought stinker ("The Last Vampyre," a short story needlessly dragged out and filled with obnoxious characters), and by far the worst one ever made ("The Eligible Bachelor," a glum, ill-advised, very loose fusion of two stories from the canon, made into a horrifying mess and basically unwatchable.) So, they have us over a barrell - we buy this for the good ones and can skip the bad ones as we please. It's worth it for "The Sign of Four" and "The Hound," which are necessary films for your collection. January 4, 2008

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