MovieChat Forums > Sherlock Holmes (1916) Discussion > This is pretty good

This is pretty good

posted 9 years ago by heyuactor
4 replies | jump to latest

considering it was made so long ago. I didn't want to expect too much of it, but it did drag on a bit. Saw it last night on TCM. Glad to have watched it and, well, it's not bad.

[–] Adler-99 9 years ago

I tried watching it last night on TCM and couldn't get through all of it. It really did drag and run on too long. But I think Gillette was very well-cast and the restoration was amazing.

Probably a big part of my dissatisfaction with it was that I watched "The Grim Game" (1919) right before it, and I found that one absolutely riveting. I know they're different styles of movies/stories, but I got so bored with "Sherlock Holmes."

[–] mattohmss 9 years ago

I rather wish they would run it as a double-feature with the Barrymore Sherlock Holmes, from 1922 -- especially since they're both based off the same play by William Gillette (THE theatrical Holmes, and the man who essayed him in this 1916 film).

It would be interesting to compare the differences, I think.

[–] Eric-62-2 8 years ago

I was glad to finally see this film, but IMO it drags considerably. The first part with the set-up involving the Larrabees IMO overcomplicates the plot considerably and also has the effect of making Moriarty's role in the story seem a bit shoehorned. The absence of characters like Mrs. Hudson and Inspector Lestrade also I felt detracted from the authenticity of the story even more than the romance (and Watson is given very little to do). Gillette I know was going in his own direction with Doyle's blessing based on the famous "Marry him, do what you like with him," telegram but I admit I did expect a little more fidelity to certain other trappins of Holmes we're familiar with. That said, Gillette is a great presence as Holmes and I do see clearly the influence on those who followed him and how even Basil Rathbone was playing Holmes in the shadow of Gillette's legacy. It's great to see the film is available to us again!

[–] hachmom-1 8 years ago

I found it a little draggy as well, but I often have that problem with even the best silent films. I own a copy of the Broadway play script so I kept it handy in case I got lost in the plot. I enjoyed both as a Sherlock Holmes fan (since so much of the film/stage image of Holmes derives from Gillette) and as a theatre person, Gillette was one of the great actors of the American stage and this is the most complete record of his acting. It's always comforting to learn an actor was as good as his reputation.

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