The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes

Rating:
Summary: A Grand Film and DVD but We Still Want the Missing Parts
Review: First the good news: Billy Wilder's wonderfully comic--and tragic--examination of the romantic life of "the world's greatest consulting detective," Sherlock Holmes, is reproduced beautifully in this terrific and long overdue DVD. Indeed, "The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes" has never looked better or more complete on the small screen, as it is presented here in a digitally remastered widescreen format that preserves the integrity of director and co-writer Wilder's original vision. As fans of the film know, Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond fill in the blanks regarding the sexual orientation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous literary creation (a hot topic among intellectuals in the late 1960s) with both a sparkling wit and grand sense of respect for the subject matter. In the film, Holmes embarks on his most scandalous case, which includes the search for a missing engineer, the discovery of secrets of state, and his burgeoning love for a mysterious woman who might not be who she claims. With his lisp and penchant for sarcasm, Robert Stephens' Holmes is less the classical hero than in previous screen versions, going so far as to chide Watson (played wonderfully by Colin Blakely) for embellishing both his habits and physical stature in his "Strand Magazine" articles, yet Stephens' Holmes retains the keen mind, loyal affability, and vulnerable spirit we have come to admire. The supporting cast, which includes Christopher Lee as Mycroft Holmes, is excellent, but it is the production, including Miklos Rosza's hauntingly luscious score, that helps propel the film to greatness. Now, the bad news: As most fans know, Wilder wanted this film to be more than three hours long and contain several other adventures that would complete this heretofore unknown set of cases whose "delicate and sometimes scandalous nature" made them unsuitable for print. Unfortunately, the studio forced him to cut much of that footage, only some of which is included here (and without sound; in other cases, stills of filmed scenes are intercut with pages of the script and recorded dialogue). The result is that those of us who have waited for years to see the film as the brilliant Wilder had intended it have to make due with the bits and pieces included here. What a shame that, once again, marketing interfered with the artistic process.

Rating:
Summary: A Grand Film and DVD but We Still Want the Missing Parts
Review: First the good news: Billy Wilder's wonderfully comic--and tragic--examination of the romantic life of "the world's greatest consulting detective," Sherlock Holmes, is reproduced beautifully in this terrific and long overdue DVD. Indeed, "The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes" has never looked better or more complete on the small screen, as it is presented here in a digitally remastered widescreen format that preserves the integrity of director and co-writer Wilder's original vision. As fans of the film know, Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond fill in the blanks regarding the sexual orientation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous literary creation (a hot topic among intellectuals in the late 1960s) with both a sparkling wit and grand sense of respect for the subject matter. In the film, Holmes embarks on his most scandalous case, which includes the search for a missing engineer, the discovery of secrets of state, and his burgeoning love for a mysterious woman who might not be who she claims. With his lisp and penchant for sarcasm, Robert Stephens' Holmes is less the classical hero than in previous screen versions, going so far as to chide Watson (played wonderfully by Colin Blakely) for embellishing both his habits and physical stature in his "Strand Magazine" articles, yet Stephens' Holmes retains the keen mind, loyal affability, and vulnerable spirit we have come to admire. The supporting cast, which includes Christopher Lee as Mycroft Holmes, is excellent, but it is the production, including Miklos Rosza's hauntingly luscious score, that helps propel the film to greatness. Now, the bad news: As most fans know, Wilder wanted this film to be more than three hours long and contain several other adventures that would complete this heretofore unknown set of cases whose "delicate and sometimes scandalous nature" made them unsuitable for print. Unfortunately, the studio forced him to cut much of that footage, only some of which is included here (and without sound; in other cases, stills of filmed scenes are intercut with pages of the script and recorded dialogue). The result is that those of us who have waited for years to see the film as the brilliant Wilder had intended it have to make due with the bits and pieces included here. What a shame that, once again, marketing interfered with the artistic process.

Rating:
Summary: Billy Wilder's Almost Masterpiece
Review: From the maker of The Apartment and Some Like It Hot, a film about Sherlock Holmes might seem a strange project. But Billy Wilder not only gave us the best of the post-Basil Rathbone movies about the Baker Street sleuth, he came close to making his best film ever. He might have succeeded but for the old story of studio interference. By all accounts, the film was originally intended to consist of four interwoven stories. But fears about excessive running time reduced that to two with one of them being more a diversion than a subplot. Even so, what remains is a thoroughly enjoyable experience filled with memorable performances, droll dialogue, atmospheric visuals and a brilliantly evocative musical score.

Miklos Rozsa's music is an integral part of the film. Primarily a reworking of the composer's Violin Concerto, Wilder reportedly loved the music so much that he constructed entire sequences to fit the music, rather than the other way around. And what music it is. The melody for solo violin taken from the concerto's second movement - which might, in another film, be called the "love theme" - is among the best and most beautiful music Rozsa ever wrote and adds immeasurably to the film's style and feel.

Even more important, of course, are the performances by Wilder's carefully assembled cast. As Sherlock Holmes, Robert Stephens is deliciously camp - even his makeup is more theatrical than cinematic. At first, he seems to be overdoing it, but it soon becomes apparent just how perfectly his performance suits - and dictates - the mood of the piece. Hardly a star name - Stephens was primarily a stage actor - it was probably a risk to cast him, but a risk that paid off with fantastic results. You will not forget Robert Stephen's Sherlock Holmes in a hurry.

Not content with a dazzling lead performance, Wilder surrounds Stephens with a solid supporting cast. Colin Blakely is a perfect counterpoint as Watson - more exasperated than bumbling, full of a medical man's common sense. As the woman who comes into Holmes's life, Genevieve Page is even more ravishing than usual, yet always makes the various shifts in her character totally believable. Christopher Lee cuts an imposing figure as Sherlock's smarter brother Mycroft, while the great Irene Handl fusses and sighs effectively as Holmes's landlady Mrs Hudson. Clive Revill provides a comic Russian while Stanley Holloway pops up as a gravedigger (just as he did in Olivier's Hamlet).

The complicated plot, which takes Holmes from London to Loch Ness, not only provides him the opportunity to (possibly) fall in love but also manages to squeeze in Russian ballerinas, German spies, circus dwarfs, trappist monks, Queen Victoria, an early submarine, and a certain Scottish monster. It's a hard film to take seriously but, luckily, Wilder obviously had no intention of being overly serious. Conan Doyle purists will no doubt find much in the film to shake their heads about. But lovers of imaginative and witty films will revel in The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes.

Rating:
Summary: The Basis of the Film
Review: Having not yet seen the DVD I have, however, seen the film on its first theatrical release (double billed with MCKenna's Gold). Most folks reviewing the film mention Miklos Rozsa's fine score. Few realize that Billy Wilder based the plot ideas for the film on the Miklos Rozsa Violin Concerto and that Rozsa adapted the Concerto themes to form the basis for the score. Find the 1955 Jascha Heifeitz recording on RCA (available on CD)or look for the 6 minutes adapted Fantasy recorded by Rozsa. If ever there was music to inspire a Sherlock Holmes story this is it.

Rating:
Summary: The Basis of the Film
Review: Having not yet seen the DVD I have, however, seen the film on its first theatrical release (double billed with MCKenna's Gold). Most folks reviewing the film mention Miklos Rozsa's fine score. Few realize that Billy Wilder based the plot ideas for the film on the Miklos Rozsa Violin Concerto and that Rozsa adapted the Concerto themes to form the basis for the score. Find the 1955 Jascha Heifeitz recording on RCA (available on CD)or look for the 6 minutes adapted Fantasy recorded by Rozsa. If ever there was music to inspire a Sherlock Holmes story this is it.

Rating:
Summary: Missing material expertly handled!
Review: I am reinterating the Falkirk reviewer's delight in the Deleted Scenes section. Yes, it is mostly text based, but done with great imagination. There is blending of written text, still photographs and music ("Original Prologue" and "The Adventure of the Dumbfounded Detective/Holmes Recounts an Affair of the Past"), still photographs syncronized with the dialog soundtrack ("The Curious Case of the Upside Down Room") and original silent footage with subtitles ("The Dreadful Business of the Naked Honeymooners"). Given the spotty nature of this sort of material, this virtually seamless presentation is a miracle to a fan of this movie such as myself. It is not the same thing as seeing the original cut, but it gives the viewer a very good idea of the sort of movie Wilder was aiming at.

Rating:
Summary: What a masterpiece
Review: I first saw the ( I believe ) uncut version translated in German in 1975. The movie had such an impact on me that I mesured all other Sherlock Holmes movies and stories with this one. Indeed, there is not a minute of boring scenes, and I must admit I just love the cultivated language they use in the German translation.It is not only a funny, slightly horrifying ( after all Sherlock Holmes does open a grave ) and thrilling story in a beautiful setting, it is also the most touching story between two characters who respect each other for what they are. In a sequence of about three seconds, Robert Stephens is able to show all of Holmes' feelings : how much he's hurt to have been used, his admiration for that woman who was able to fool HIM, and the dispair to have to part so soon. Holmes is bound to be right when he sais that women are not to be trusted and unreliable. First his client is not what he thought, and then she promises to see him again but gets shot before she can.
All of this is framed with the passionate soundtrack of Miklos Rozsa, which, unfortunately, seems impossible to get on CD, the way it's composed in the movie.
What beats me, though, is the fact that this is not a well known movie. It certainly deserves better !

Rating:
Summary: Really under-rated, possibly one of Wilder's best!
Review: I really liked this rather unusual look at the famous sleuth (and his relationship with Dr. Watson). It is really quite different from the other versions (eg the Basil rathbone series). What I liked was the excellent musical score and the careful attention to detail-it made me think I was right there in late-Victorian London. The submarine/Loch Ness Monster was hilarious!-and also Queen Victoria's absolute refusal to "allow" her navy to use an "underhanded" weapon (the submarine) makes you wonder..perhaps WWI would not have been the slaughter it was (if the rrulers had been "decent"). I first saw this film in the early 1970's, and it appears to have dropped out of sight-I'm glad I bought it.

Rating:
Summary: Seven of diamonds
Review: I've read most all of these reviews, after having just seen this movie for the first time. Why I've waited this long, I have no idea, as I have been a Sherlock Holmes fan ever since I was 10 years old. I am now 46, and I've seen just about every version and incarnation of Sherlock Holmes that's available for viewing in ANY format, but I just had never gotten around to Billy Wilder's classic, I had thought.

Maybe the reason I hadn't seen it yet was because it didn't do well at the box office, and also because I'd heard that there were inklings in this movie that Holmes and Watson were gay lovers. Now, I don't consider myself a prude, in the least, but to a true Holmesian purist such as myself, this seemed almost blasphemous to me, and I just didn't want to think of my beloved Holmes and Watson in that manner. There was no call to add that ridiculous twist.

I was pleasantly surprised, however, to see that it went hand-in-hand with the farcical and satirical nature of the film, and was just a sub-plot that never was expounded on. As I watched, it became delightful and riveting, and the 2 hours, 5 minutes FLEW by.

I didn't even know there were scenes that were deleted until I saw the extras, and imagine my delight when they paid off by explaining the meaning of the 'seven of diamonds' playing card that was removed from the strongbox at the beginning of the movie! It was glaringly obvious to me, after the movie ended, that the playing card was NEVER mentioned at all in the movie, and I had no idea what it was supposed to represent, but the DVD extras showed that it came from the 'Upside-Down Room' subplot that was deleted from the movie. One of the very difficult things about watching movies that got hacked to pieces like this one did is trying to account for everything related to those hacked scenes. This movie didn't even attempt to, but luckily, we are allowed to see what the original audience in 1970 could not; just what the HECK that seven of diamonds was all about! BRAVO!

Rating:
Summary: My One Wish
Review: If I were to be stranded on a deserted island and came upon a magic lamp, naturally I'd rub it three times and a genie would come out (of course). He'd tell me he'd grant any three wishes. Undoubtably, one of those wishes would be for MGM/UA to release The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes the way Billy Wilder wanted it to be seen...in DVD format, too, no less.

It's that *good*. The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes is by far the "meatiest" of Wilder's films, Sunset Boulevard and Lost Weekend included. It's not another one of those movies that take a famous literary character and disregard everything the original author wrote. This film gets in there where the rubber meats the road. Sherlock Holmes, psychoanalyzed for all the world to see what exactly made him the man he was.

If only those stuffed shirts and studio execs would get off their bums and do something about it!