Customer Reviews

Sherlock Holmes: Three Gables [VHS]

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The thing I like about Jeremy Brett's series of Sherlock Holmes adventures is not only his brilliant performance as Baker Street's famous "unofficial" Consulting Detective, but it is probably the most accurate production of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's novels. This is probably the best and most enjoyable story in Brett's final series as Sherlock Holmes and his performance is in top from. He seems very comfortable in the role and the result is an accurate and eccentric performance. Much like the way Conan Doyle originally wrote the character. In this one Holmes and his friend and colleague Doctor John Watson has received a message from an elderly woman about a strange bid to purchase her estate from a mysterious buyer. Soon Holmes and Watson find that the purchase is connected to the woman's deceased grandson who was writing a manuscript before his death that may have something to do with this mystery buyer's desire to buy her house. If you have never seen Jeremy Brett's performance as Sherlock Holmes, this is a great video to start out with. And if you remember watching Sherlock Holmes on PBS in your childhood and wish to reaquaint yourself with the series, make this video your first purchase. He is, in my opinion, the definitive Sherlock Holmes.

+++++

This movie is based on the story "The Adventure of the Three Gables" (1926) written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859 to 1930).

Sherlock (Jeremy Brett) receives a letter from a Mary Maberly (Mary Ellis):

"I've had a succession of strange incidents occur to me in connection with my house [known as "The Three Gables"] and I would much value your advice. You would find me at home anytime tomorrow. I believe my late husband Mortimer Maberly was one of your early clients."

It turns out that a person wants to buy her house at a high price on the condition that she does not take anything out of it "not even her personal possessions."

This extreme interest in her house began after the recent death of her grandson Douglas Maberly (Gary Cady).

This episode is special for the following reasons:

(1) Dr. Watson (Edward Hardwicke) gets beaten to a pulp trying to protect Mary.
(2) Sherlock comes in contact with an intelligent, beautiful woman named Isadora Klein (Claudine-Auger) who seems to have "power over men."

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

Finally, the costumes, background music, attention to detail, and 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!!

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

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