This offering lands with a thud like a dull piece of coal. It is a TV movie
from the 1970's so you can't expect too much but with this cast I thought
just maybe it will be a solid Holmes film. I mean Roger Moore in his Bond
days as Holmes, Patrick Macnee as Watson (he was to play Watson years later
in two TV films with Christopher Lee as Holmes and did get to play Sherlock
himself one time in The Hound of London), the lovely Charlotte Rampling as
Irene Adler and much to my surprise John Huston looking like his face will
start falling off in pieces as Moriarty. Not to mention a number of cameos
from some older actors - Gig Young, Signe Hasso, Leon Ames and Jackie Coogan.
Great cast, weak script. And in truth Roger Moore is a poor choice as Sherlock.
Just as he was for Bond. Ok ok not really but partially. Most of his performances
have not aged well for me. Not really sure why. Except as the Saint. He nailed
that one. And I have been a fan ever since and still watch them.
Here he just gets Holmes all wrong - too chatty, too on edge, too good looking.
In the opening scene he has discovered the lair of Moriarty and walks in
pleased as punch. He has just foiled an assassination attempt by Colonel
Moran and arrested most of the gang (occurs pre-movie). But none of them
will squeal on Moriarty so he can't arrest him - but he does take the opportunity
to insult Moriarty's décor and French. Moriarty returns the insult
by saying Sherlock has west end ways, whatever that means. Then Moriarty
tells Holmes I have 12 ways to kill you in this room and then drops a chandelier
("that is a shame says Holmes, it was the only decent thing you had here"),
opens a trap door in the floor, sends out a blade flying - all with levers
at his desk. So they trade insults like the couple in La Cage aux Folles
until Moriarty breaks the unsaid love (I mean what is Sherlock without Moriarty
and vice-versa) by announcing that he won't kill Holmes today but will instead
humiliate him by pulling the greatest crime ever and forever under his nose.
He manipulates Sherlock and a very dull Watson to New York where he hooks
up with Irene Adler who has a son who may just possibly be Sherlock's son!
But that would mean . . . gasp . . . no impossible. Poor Rampling - The Night
Porter, Zardoz, Stardust and Sherlock Holmes in New York all made within
a few years of each other. They give her nothing to do but look lovely which
she does just fine. The crime itself is a bit clever and the recreation of
New York early 1900's is decent enough. But it just feels like - well - a
TV movie of the 70's and the fact that I had never heard of it as much as
a fan of Holmes as I am was probably an indication of its quality.
