In 1976, married not a year, my wife and I settled down to watch the
made-for-TV movie Sherlock Holmes in New York on our small screen black and
white television. Featuring Roger Moore, Patrick McNee, and John Houston (as
Moriarty), how bad could it be?
Pretty bad, I later thought!
I’ve always cringed when I thought of that movie, which was cranked out during the Holmes explosion of the 1970's while Moore was just beginning his long run as James Bond. Somewhere along the line I acquired a copy of the paperback novelization, but I never bothered to read it.
I’ve always cringed when I thought of that movie, which was cranked out during the Holmes explosion of the 1970's while Moore was just beginning his long run as James Bond. Somewhere along the line I acquired a copy of the paperback novelization, but I never bothered to read it.
But recently I saw it again, for the first time in more than 40
years, during the annual film Sherlock Holmes festival sponsored by the Illustrious
Clients of Indianapolis at the Zionsville Public Library. I was in for a huge
surprise – it wasn’t that bad!
To be sure, much of the dialogue is groan-worthy, Roger Moore’s false
sideburns look strange, and the sets would embarrass a community theater
production. But on the other side of the ledger, the plot is clever, John Houston
is always fun to watch, and the scriptwriter threw in a basketful of Easter eggs
for fans not only of Sherlock Holmes, but of Nero Wolfe as well.
The bottom line is that Sherlock
Holmes in New York is campy fun.
And by the way, so was the episode of “Gilligan’s Island” also
included on the program. You haven’t lived until you’ve been in an audience of
Sherlockians spontaneously bursting into “Just sit right back and you’ll hear a
tale . . .”
I've watched "Sherlock Holmes in New York" and also read the book many times, both as part of my Holmes studies and also Nero Wolfe studies. In fact, just a few weeks ago I bought the "real" DVD and rewatched it again after having made do with a bootleg DVD from eBay for several years.
ReplyDeleteThe book adds several important points to the story, and I mention both in this entry from my own irregular blog, "A Seventeen Step Program":
http://17stepprogram.blogspot.com/2016/01/re-reading-nero-wolfe-adventures-visit.html?m=1
Excellent! Thanks, David.
DeleteHere's another Sherlock Holmes "camp" story, stop me if you've heard this one already. Holmes and Watson go out on a camping trip. That evening, Watson looks up and muses on the night sky, the stars, and Man's infinitesimal place in the Universe. "What do you see, Holmes?", Watson asks. Sherlock Holmes replies tersely: "That someone has stolen our tent, you idiot!"
ReplyDeleteIt's too late to stop you - you've already told the story! Thanks.
ReplyDelete