Customer Reviews

Sherlock Holmes: Dying Detective [VHS]

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

 

 

The only negative statement that can be made about this set of videos is that it will probably be the last time we see the late Jeremy Brett as Mr. Holmes. To me Brett WAS Holmes and he is outstanding in this video. Holmes matches wits with a villian who is almost as arrogant as Holmes--his arrogance is to assume that he is a clever as the detective.

The dinner party scene near the beginning of the video as well as the last five minutes are alone worth the price.

If you are a fan of Holmes or the Victorian Era, this is a video you must have.

I will be honest, I think Jeremy Brett's performance as the greatest consulting detective that never lived were among his best. He seemed to be very comfortable in the role and his performance were top notch and at points over the top. Which I absolutely love because the character of Sherlock Holmes is quite over the top to begin with. I really liked this episode. It elaborates on one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's shorter of Sherlock Holmes stories. Victor Savage dies of a parasitic virus and his cousin Culverton Smith, who is an expert on this certain virus, is a prime suspect. But there no solid evidence connecting Smith's knowledge of the virus and Savage's death. In his search for the truth behind Victor Savage's death, Sherlock Holmes himself contracts the virus. Even with his real life health problems, Jeremy Brett is brilliant as usual. Edward Hardwicke does a great job as Doctor Watson as well and it is all explained in the end why Holmes treats his old friend so cruel. A great story.

This one starts out a bit flabby - the short story this is based on is covered completely in the last 15 minutes of the episode. The above complaint that Watson is "tastelessly" abused is wrong. Had the reviewer never seen the end??!?! Holmes actually credits his friend's skills as being sharp - which is the reason he mistreats his friend earlier (hard to explain, but if you've read it, you know what I mean).

Sherlock is rarely filled with a sense of passionate justice. Here, he swears an oath of passionate vengence. It sounds out of character, but Brett pulls it off wonderfully.

Of the weaker later years, but still rises ti be amongst the best.

In Sir A. Conan Doyle's original story, THE ADVENTURE OF THE DYING DETECTIVE, a reference is made to Holme's knowing too much about the death of a certain young Victor Savage. In this delightful show, we discover what Holmes had to do with the death of this young man. What did he have to do with it, you ask? You'll have to watch the film to find out, and I can guarentee that it's a good way to spend 50 minutes.

This Granadad film, with the possible exception of "The Blue Carbuncle", is my favorite! When I first saw it, I missed the first couple of minutes, so I missed the title. By the end of the episode, I was like, Oh My GOD!! I NEED to figure out which one this is!! I think, even though he was ill at the time, this was one of Jeremy Brett's best performances as Sherlock Holmes. The original story is great too. And "The Dying Detective", like all the Granada Sherlock Holmes films, stays true to the original story. A MUST HAVE for all Jeremy Brett and Sherlock Holmes fans. Bravo Mr. Brett! Bravo!

+++++

This movie is based on the story "The Adventure of the Dying Detective" (1913) written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859 to 1930).

Adelaide Savage (Susan Harker) consults Sherlock Holmes (Jeremy Brett) about what she can do about her husband's cousin, Culverton Smith (John Hyde) who seems to be having a negative effect on her husband Victor Savage (Richard Bonneville). Sherlock dismisses this as not in his field of expertise until Adelaide's husband dies from a parasitic fever. Coincidentally, her husband's cousin is an expert in such diseases.

Even more coincidental, the majority of Victor's estate will go to his cousin leaving his wife with very little. At this point Sherlock becomes interested. He even publicly states to Smith that these coincidences are not within the realm of probability thus implying that Smith is a murderer. But how is he to prove this?

Unfortunately, Sherlock comes down with the same disease that Victor died from. And the only person that can help him is Smith (as Dr. Watson (Edward Hardwicke) attests)!

Brett (as usual) does a good job in capturing the essence of the famous gumshoe in his performance. Also John Hyde as Culverton Smith gives a fine performance.

I had a friend who knew nothing about Brett's health problems watch this movie. She could not see anything abnormal about him and, in fact, commented on his excellent performance. I also felt his performance was excellent.

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

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

(1994; 50 min; British drama; made for TV; full screen; colour)

+++++

I think this was one of Holmes's trickiest tricks on Watson. I think the narrator ruins the whole film! She says a sentence every time someone talks! This is about a woman who comes to Holmes saying she thinks her husband's cousin is trying to get control of the large and vast property they have. Coverton Smith, the cousin is an expert on a type of horrible fevor. When the husbad dies, the wife becomes suspicious. Smith says his cousin died of the fevor! Find out what happens!

This is a particularly clever story concerning opium and possible family treachery. Holmes very cleverly solves the mystery with some ingenuity and sacrifice.

Jeremy Brett was by this time indeed "the dying detective," but his real-life condition in no way helps this tedious and undramatic rendition of one of Conan Doyle's more tasteless Holmes stories. The original features some of Holmes' worst and most insensitive treatment of poor Watson, but since this series made such a thing of their friendship, the adapters have a heck of a time getting around it. Stick with the Brett episodes from the mid-80s, when he was fresh in the role and the adaptations were true and intelligent.