Customer Reviews

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - The Resident Patient [VHS]

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

"The Resident President" is one of my all-time favorites of this impeccable series, due to the complexity of the mystery, incredible performances by Brett and Nicholas Clay, and a wry sense of humor. Holmes takes the case of a young, brilliant physician (played with amusing haughtiness by Clay) whose benefactor and business partner has been behaving in a most bizarre manner. After the "resident patient" is found dead of an apparent suicide, Holmes digs deeper to reveal a case of cold, chilling revenge. The scene where Holmes silently pieces together the circumstances of the murder is nothing short of sheer brilliance by the late Jeremy Brett. I agree with the reviewer who applauded the producers' decision to let the scene be filmed without dialogue and let the actors act! This is perhaps the most memeorable scene in the entire series, and that says a lot! Nicholas Clay's clueless-ness over the entire mystery is quite amusing. "The Resident Patient" is simply a must for Holmes fans and collectors of this series.

I wanted to stand up and cheer when I saw Jeremy Brett, as Holmes, spend three minutes at the crime scene searching for clues--with not a word of dialogue being spoken. The scene is a fascinating illustration of Sherlock Holmes' 'methods' of solving a case. It is interesting to realize that this fictional character did influence police technique at crime scenes; that it was and is important to know the differences between types of cigarette ashes and dust. THE RESIDENT PATIENT contains a good example of the sort of downright weird characters that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote about. Mr. Blessington is beautifully played. All of the cast give excellent performances. This film was the first time I had seen Holmes get down on the floor and pick up the evidence that the police missed. All the others would talk a problem out. The Granada team, and especially star Jeremy Brett, deserve congratulations all round for having the courage to have characters STOP talking for a while and DO things. Be sure to sit through the entire end title sequence to 'get' the clever joke made about Holmes' inability to play Beethoven's Violin Concerto...the music provides gratingly appropriate commentary on the action. I am sorry that the charming 11 year old who reviewed this program earlier was not able to watch the rest of the show--though she would have seen some more scary shots, justice does prevail. This episode does contain more violence than most. May I suggest A SCANDAL IN BOHEMIA or THE BLUE CARBUNCLE to her instead?

I am 11 years old and it's been 3 years since I first heard of Sherlock Holmes.Basil Rathbone was the first Sherlock Holmes I saw on screen.I have a channel called Ovation and it shows english drama.Every Tuesday at 7:30 I always sit towards the t.v and Sherlock Holmes.Last Tuesday it showed The Redident Patient.I thought it was going to be good untill I saw that wierd guy hanged over his bed!I got the fright of my life and ran to my room.That night,I had a trebbibal nightmare!Which is why I give it only three.My Name is Sharee Ratten.On July the 4th we're moving to Adelaide.

First things first: Sharee Ratten, your review was charming and I, too, hope you get to see all of this excellent story. I also hope your move to Adelaide went well, God bless you. As to The Resident Patient: What a treasure it is to view anything done by people who love and respect the project they are creating. There is not a bad section in this mysterious puzzle. The high marks for cast, production values, script, period, and faithfulness to story remain constant. How often can it be said: Jeremy Brett is the one and only Sherlock Holmes! His performance here is so perfect (as it always is as Holmes) that it can bring tears of joy! Nicholas Clay (who you might remember from the Agatha Christie film EVIL UNDER THE SUN) does an excellent turn as the young physician and it is always great fun to watch Mr. Holmes surpass the official police force before their very eyes - this time, however, they are very impressed with what he does. Eerie, macabre, and truly satisfying, this entry into the Grenada series is a standout. Were it up to me, every home would be required to view a Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes mystery weekly . . . and this one as frequently as possible.

As noteable as Jeremy Brett is composer Patrick Gowers. While maintaining a sense of theme-related continuity throughout the entire series, the score for each film is very much an original, which he invariably gets exactly right every time! I would like to know more about him. A quick internet search hints at a prolific, gifted and eclectic composer. I found choral, orchestral,guitar and organ music in recordings and performances. Somewhere I found the mention that Holmes' violin solo(s) are played by his (Gowers) daughter, Kathy; and so the sense of a gifted amateur. Anyhow, can anyone tell us more about him?

This is one of the first Granada Sherlock Holmes films and, in my opinion, it is one of the best. Not only does it, like all the Granada films, remain true to Conan Doyle's original story, but it arrests your mind, if only for one hour! Both Jeremy Brett and David Burke show their superb acting abilities and, since it was an early one some people think that Jeremy Brett was still awkward with his new role, he portrays the master detective like no other person could. He portrays him as a human.

This story, The Resident Patient, is one of the most interesting of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries because of it's many subtleties, seemingly unrelated clues and occurences, and, of course, Holmes's astonishing revelations. Your mind races to keep up with his! That is why this film, like all of the Granada films, deserves 5 stars.

This is one of the first Granada Sherlock Holmes films and, in my opinion, it is one of the best. Not only does it, like all the Granada films, remain true to Conan Doyle's original story, but it arrests your mind, if only for one hour! Both Jeremy Brett and David Burke show their superb acting abilities and, since it was an early one some people think that Jeremy Brett was still awkward with his new role, he portrays the master detective like no other person could. He portrays him as a human.

This story, The Resident Patient, is one of the most interesting of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries because of it's many subtleties, seemingly unrelated clues and occurences, and, of course, Holmes's astonishing revelations. Your mind races to keep up with his! That is why this film, like all of the Granada films, deserves 5 stars.

Some 'episodes' are very good, but this one sticks out in my mind as being particularly bad. I don't mind that they made up things which didn't really happen to Holmes and Watson, but the things they made up were Hollywood creations, such as the opening dream sequence. The Beethoven Cto 'subplot' was full of it. I recommend buying a different 'episode', a good one, such as 'The Redheaded League' or 'The Dancing Men'.