Young Sherlock Holmes (1985)

When assorted people start having inexplicable delusions that lead to their deaths, a teenage Sherlock Holmes decides to investigate.

Director:

Barry Levinson

Writers:

Arthur Conan Doyle (characters), Chris Columbus (screenplay)

Stars:

Nicholas Rowe, Alan Cox, Sophie Ward

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Nicholas Rowe	...	Sherlock Holmes
Alan Cox	...	John Watson
Sophie Ward	...	Elizabeth Hardy
Anthony Higgins	...	Professor Rathe
Susan Fleetwood	...	Mrs. Dribb
Freddie Jones	...	Chester Cragwitch
Nigel Stock	...	Rupert T. Waxflatter
Roger Ashton-Griffiths	...	Det. Sgt. Lestrade
Earl Rhodes	...	Dudley
Brian Oulton	...	Master Snelgrove
Patrick Newell	...	Bentley Bobster
Donald Eccles	...	The Reverend Duncan Nesbitt
Matthew Ryan	...	Dudley's Friend
Matthew Blakstad	...	Dudley's Friend
Jonathan Lacey	...	Dudley's Friend

Storyline

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson meet as boys in an English Boarding school. Holmes is known for his deductive ability even as a youth, amazing his classmates with his abilities. When they discover a plot to murder a series of British business men by an Egyptian cult, they move to stop it.

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Plot Keywords:

cult | sherlock holmes | hallucination | graveyard | murder | 

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Taglines:

Before a lifetime of adventure, they had the adventure of a lifetime.

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Family | Fantasy | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG-13

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 December 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

Le secret de la pyramide

Filming Locations:

Belvoir Castle, Belvoir, Leicestershire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$18,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$4,250,320 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Amblin Entertainment, Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) Dolby (35 mm prints)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When young Sherlock Holmes and John Watson first meet, Holmes incorrectly guesses that Watson's first initial stands for "James". This is a reference to one of the contradictions in the original Arthur Conan Doyle stories: in most of the stories, Watson's first name is John, but in one story, his wife inexplicably calls him "James". Watson's middle initial is "H", which Doyle never expanded on; there is a popular fan speculation that it stands for "Hamish", which is the Scottish variation of "James", and that this is a private term of endearment used by his wife.

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Goofs

Considering how cold it would need to be to freeze the water or the river/lake so thick, no one's breath is visible while they are outside. Especially so during the climactic fight at the end where the body temperatures would have risen.

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Quotes

Sherlock Holmes: Someday we'll be reunited. In another world, a much better world.
Elizabeth Hardy: I'll be waiting. And you'll be late... as always.

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Crazy Credits

[opening credit] The following story is original and is not specifically based on the exploits of Sherlock Holmes as described in the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

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Connections

References Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1982)

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Soundtracks

"Young Sherlock Holmes - Waxing Elizabeth"
Written by Bruce Broughton
Performed by Crouch End Festival Chorus and the The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra

User Reviews

cool film

This is an awesome movie. The only drawback was the absurd dealing with the "flying machine." Other than that, sit back and enjoy as Watson and Holmes embark on their alleged first adventure as Holmes tries to find the link between a rash of recent murders, hallucinations people have been having, and a cult. Not a bad way to spend a few hours of your time!

** 1/2 out of ****