Customer Reviews

Sherlock Holmes: Boscombe Valley Mystery [VHS]

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

 

 

I'm writing this more as a counter to the previous reviewer's erroneous statements and bewildering rating. He claims it is good, but does not account for the 3/5 stars. Brett is great, the story is classic. The translation is perfect. And furthermore, this is not a story about Holmes's "retirement" years - adapatations be what they may, Doyle's story occured not too long after Watson's marriage - Holmes was middle aged at most and quite active. Brett's illness and age causes a slight alteration of feel in this regard... but that is immaterial to the point.

Then again, anyone reading these comments probably knows the stories well and know how good the actors were in their parts in this series. No need for me to preach to the converted.

I always love all of Jeremey Brett's Sherlock Holmes episodes, but this one was particularly delightful. This is the only Sherlock Holmes episode in which British actor, James Purefoy, appears. This episode should be listed individually in the James Purefoy filmography here, but it is not listed individually. This was one of Purefoy's first film roles after leaving the Royal Shakespeare Company. Buy this episode, you will love it.

The daughter of a very rich land owner read Watson's glowing reports of Sherlock Holmes' ability to solve crimes, and sends him a letter requesting that he come to their area and investigate the murder of a man, and help her by finding that the man's son did not kill his father as the local police maintain and as the coroner's jury decided. Holmes takes Watson along and discovers that the daughter loves the alleged murderer, he loves her, the young man had an argument with his father near a river, he says he saw no one nearby, he walked away from his father, heard him scream, rushed back, and found him dead. His father's head had been crushed by a blunt object and he, the son, had been carrying a rifle. At the coroner's inquest, he refused to reveal what he and his father argued about. This refusal and his admission that he saw no person nearby, prompted the coroner's jury to find him guilty. Holmes crawls about the scene, belly to the ground, and finds evidence that another man had been hiding in the bushes. He also discovers the bizarre history behind the murder, but tells Watson that they can't disclose the truth about the crime and who did it.

A superb interpretation of the timeless tale. Over six years on, Holmes-afficionado Michael Cox once more returns to the producership of the series he instigated, and raises it again to artistic heights that rival Sir Arthur Conan Doyles' witty, atmospheric, quirky talent. He is ably abetted by another of the originators of this stunningly faithful Sherlock film series, Mr John Hawkesworth. Both are returning to give their final work on the series. Beautifully directed, a tale transplanted seamlessly from the West Country location (Herefordshire) of the original story, to delightful Cheshire (the better to suit the accents and countryside on show, and the actor replacing Inspector Lestrade, Colion Jeavons being absent due to work commitments). This story co-stars the remarkable James Purefoy, who is currently, 15 years later, causing such a stir in "Rome". Here, he gives an astonishingly naturalistic performance - immensely sympathetic and will have you cheering by the end. Like all the "Case Book" season, this is vintage Holmes and Watson, with portrayals never bettered. Guest actors Peter Vaughan and Leslie Schofield *are* the characters written by Doyle, without a doubt. Casting was never better in any television film series than in Granada's Sherlock Holmes at its peak. Buy any video or DVD available of this story - it is a masterful adaptation. It also looks extremely beatiful - the English summer landscape has never been better photographed. Put it on to play, lean back and luxuriate in a visual, sensual and intellectual treat. Film doesn't get much better than this - and afterwards you can marvel at how close it kept to the Conan Doyle story.

Criminals in Sir Conan Doyle's stories are rather simple people, not because they are simple but because the world that is imagining them is simple. Victorian and then Georgian England did not like complicated problems. These two stories are typical of that style in two different directions. "A Study in Scarlet" is a love affair that turns sour because two young men abduct the young woman and she is forced to marry one of them, till she dies of real death as much as of sadness. Then vengeance produces the crime. These stories are so simple that we know from the start what it is about, but the interest is in the details and the intricate way the details are revealed for us to be misled and to just accept to follow the lead. Doctor Watson is there to be the bait and the ploy, or even the decoy, so that we fall in the trap. Then add some disguises, some night darkness, some lamps, some transvestites and some other rather weird and somber things and situations and you have it all. And you fall. The police is dumb, I mean Scotland Yard of course, and Sherlock Holmes is a genius, who survives on cocaine, though they forget to tell you that. The "Study in Scarlet" introduces another element that Conan Doyle used all the time: the American criminal who of course disturbs the mind of our Scotland Yard protectors because they are different and work with another logic. If they had a Queen, these Americans, they would have found a way to finally have a black Prince of Wales, or at least Princess of the same place. The second short film, The Boscombe Valley Mystery introduces another favorite theme of Sherlock Holmes's. The colonial empire, and in that case Australia. Some people back from there are settling their accounts with blackmail, arguments, violence, vengeance, forced marriages and unofficial affairs, and all that to capture a fortune on one side with a lot of greed along with it and to hide some devious ways used to make that fortune on the other side. In other words they are playing black Jack at twenty-one hundred hours on the pontoon of life and death between here and there. And it takes Sherlock Holmes, some cigar ashes - sorry cigarettes are still not quite in the fad - and a footprint to find out who is the black sheep in the pack. Funny suspense and amusing little secrets, that are at least as difficult to get out of the retainer of them as it would be to undress a nude man. Sherlock Holmes has his own ways to tickle people when they have an itchy spot.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne, University Paris 8 Saint Denis, University Paris 12 Créteil, CEGID

+++++

This movie is based on the story "The Boscombe Valley Mystery" (1891) written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859 to 1930).

Sherlock Holmes (Jeremy Brett) tells Dr. Watson (Edward Hardwicke) that he has taken this case due to receiving the following letter:

"Boscombe Valley Mystery: There has been a grave miscarriage of justice. The matter is urgent. We need your help. Please come if you can."

The mystery is that a well-to-do Australian farmer (Peter Vaughan) is murdered and the prime suspect is his own son (James Purefoy). Just before actually dying and with his son present, the farmer makes reference to a "rat."

Sherlock investigates the crime scene (which is several days old). What's fascinating is how he deduces the characteristics of the murderer and he even deduces the murder weapon that was used.

Brett (as usual) does a good job in capturing the essence of the famous gumshoe in his performance.

Finally, the props, costumes, background music and especially the cinematography are quite well done.

In conclusion, this is a good movie to watch even if you have read the story it's based on!!

(1990; 50 min; British drama; made for TV; full screen; color)

+++++

A great period piece that plays the tale out well. Brett is stunning as always displaying his complete mastery of the myth that is Holmes while Hardwicke is as solid as ever.

For those that love the later Holmes' tales written during his retirement years this piece delivers. Love, conspiracy, death and the usual suspects with a fine cast on display throughout.