"The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes" The Eligible Bachelor (1993)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Peter Hammond

Writers:

Arthur Conan Doyle (short story "The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor")
T.R. Bowen (teleplay)

TV Series:

"The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes" (1991)

Original Air Date:

3 February 1993 (Season 1, Episode 9)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

Sherlock Holmes' problem with disturbing dreams proves to be both an impediment and an aid in the search for a missing woman. |

Plot Keywords:

Dream | Sherlock Holmes | Sequel | Detective | Based On Short Story

Cast

Jeremy Brett	...	Sherlock Holmes
Edward Hardwicke	...	Dr. John Watson
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Geoffrey Beevers	...	Inspector Montgomery
Don Blaylock	...	Richard - Butler
Anna Calder-Marshall	...	Lady Helena Agnes Northcote
Heather Chasen	...	Hon. Amelia St. Simon
Mary Ellis	...	Lady Florence
Peter Graves	...	George Tidy
Joyce Grundy	...	Esther
Tres Hanley	...	Alice
Robin Hart	...	Oswald
Myles Hoyle	...	Thomas Floutier
Paris Jefferson	...	Henrietta Doran
Elspeth March	...	Lady Blanche
Joanna McCallum	...	Flora Miller
Bruce Myers	...	Gallagher
Aubrey Phillips	...	Waiter
Bob Sessions	...	Aloysius Doran
Phillida Sewell	...	Lady Mary (as Phillada Sewell)
Peter Warnock	...	Francis Hay Moulton
Rosalie Williams	...	Mrs. Hudson
Simon Williams	...	Lord Robert St. Simon
Vincent Worth	...	Vincent (stage doorkeeper)

Runtime:

USA:104 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Germany:12 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Eastnor Castle, Eastnor, Herefordshire, England, UK

Company:

Granada Television

Trivia:

The Oscar Wilde quote comes from his 1895 play The Importance of Being Earnest and reads: "To lose one parent, Mr Worthing, may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness."

Movie Connections:

Follows The Hound of the Baskervilles (1988) (TV)

Holmes? Is it really you?

No, unfortunately. This feature length production concocts a Holmes who is not at all himself. Holmes, the steady-nerved arch-rationalist has here become fey - his nights prey to nightmares, his days tortured by flashbacks and phantasms. Will he seek counselling we wonder?. Fortunately not - the writer stopped just short of this, the supreme aberration. Unfortunately the director apparently knew no bounds. Pointless over-elaboration - and a lack of point. If it's allusive, he'd use it. Such things often are the hallmark of a lesser talent given too many resources. Surprising to find this in the work of a writer and a director with long track records. But what a shame that this fine cast (inc guests Simon Williams and Anna Calder-Marshal), these sumptuous interiors and costumes,these atmospheric exteriors were not put to better effect.

Its always good to watch the Brett/Hardwicke combo in their struggles against criminality and injustice. Here though they battle both in the shape of writer and director.

A ray of hope. Re-editing might yet rescue it.