Livanov was awarded the Order of the British Empire. Unfortunately, Vitali Solomin didn't live up to that. They've portrayed the best Holmes and Watson the cinematograph has ever seen. Other actors failed.
sharecould Rupert Everett ever match that? I don't think so...
shareThat move was very political. A way for the British to improve British and Soviet relations. They aren't the best Holmes and Watson. They are good, but not the best. Brett was probably the best.
"...nothing is left of me, each time I see her..." - Catullus
Are you suggesting that the artists who made this film did so for political reasons? Or, I'll rephrase this: do you believe that the artistic contributions to this film can be explained through reference to politics?
I don't believe so. The business dealings surrounding the spearheading of these projects have little to do with the actual dynamics of artistic creation.
No, I'm not suggesting that the artists that made this film did so for political reasons. However, I do believe that the reason why Livanov's portrait in the Holmes museum is the largest is for political reasons. A way to soften relations between the two countries at the time. Because, there is no way that Livanov's portrayal of Holmes is considered to be on par with Brett's and a poll of the British affirms this fact.
However, if you watch the film you will find that there are many political touches in the films. For example, here is a paragraph from my review of this film discussing these elements:
The most interesting thing about these films are the little jokes and ironic elements that are littered throughout. Little jabs at the Soviet government and the British are present and done very slyly. In one instance, Doctor Watson is speaking to Holmes about his lack of understanding of things outside his profession, but it is clear he is speaking of the oppression of the Communist government in the Soviet Union. Watson says, "How awful it would be to live in a world, where you couldn't talk to anyone about poetry, about art, or politics." The irony is, the actors in this film — at the time this production was made — did live in a place where you couldn't talk about many things without fear of reprisals. There are quite a few of these moments and it is very interesting to listen for them. Surely the producers of these films had to be very careful not to glorify a society of the West, albeit a hundred years in the past. Perhaps it was at the behest of the Communist party that Holmes gets the following line: "The British are conservative, and we don't like changes. Anyone who is not like us in the ways of mind, is easily taken for a rogue". Great fun.
This is very fair. It's important to draw distinctions, of course, between directors, actors and the little guys working on the set and the actual powers behind the scenes (the big picture guys). They certainly played their role.
Not sure about Maslennikov's intellectual role here. He never struck me as a genius, particularly in his other films. I suspect, and I might be wrong, that he was surrounded with a lot of talent and was merely a competent fellow. The series seemed to suffer as it grew older. The first episode is the most aesthetically and referentially intelligent.
You're, I think, bang on about the picture of Livanov and the reasons behind that. Makes sense to me. Although I do value him more than any other Holmes and I don't think it's just my bias. Ok, it may be my bias. I've seen Brett and enjoyed his work, but Livanov just nailed it.
And when have we ever cared as much for Watson as we did here? When has he ever been this real to us?
Good points, it may have been the ancillary crew that provided the deft touches I mentioned, but then I wouldn't know because I'm not familiar with Maslennikov's body of work. If you are, I'll acquiesce to that knowledge.
As far as caring about Watson, I cared very deeply for him through David Burke and Edward Hardwicke's portrayal of him in the Granada productions. As a matter-of-fact this is one of the points that I think the Granada productions excels over Maslennikov's films. The relationship between Holmes and Watson in the Granada productions is a deep, loving, abiding friendship that — in many ways — portrays the ideal male friendship.
I suppose I am biased too, because I think Brett nailed it. For me, he *is* Holmes.
Thanks for your honest comments and insight.
"...nothing is left of me, each time I see her..." - Catullus
I'm with Bladerunner on this one. Livanov and Solomin were better than most of the English-speaking actors who have ever played Holmes and Watson (a feat in itself), but I feel that Brett's is the definitive portrayal of the canonical Holmes, and that both of his Watsons outshine all competition. The only competition for David Burke is Edward Hardwicke, and vice versa. Indeed, I find it impossible to choose one over the other, and feel that no one else has ever really come close to matching their respective achievements in the role.
One of the strongest points of the Granada series was the portrayal of the relationship between Holmes and Watson. There was a very genuine sense of friendship between Brett and his respective Boswells. The sense that both Burke's Watson and Hardwicke's alike admired Brett's Holmes immensely is readily apparent, but the good Doctor is never made subservient to his companion. In their way, they are equals, and Brett's Holmes displays the utmost respect and affection for Watson, be it Burke or Hardwicke. Burke and Hardwicke each brought a sense of both warmth and seriousness to the role. Never playing Watson as a bungler, neither did they sap him of his affability, as several other productions have in an attempt to combat the "Nigel Bruce Syndrome."
Livanov and Solomin still bested most of their Western counterparts, however, in their portrayals of Holmes and Watson, and the Soviet series, overall, is one of the best Holmes productions ever. There is no doubt of that.
A cogent, concise summation of the merits of Brett, Burke and Hardwicke, but more importantly the combination of said. I couldn't add anything to that excellent post. Well done.
"...nothing is left of me, each time I see her..." - Catullus
For me, Peter Cushing is the best Holmes.
Livanov looks and sounds too soft for the 'thinking machine' as Dr Watson described his friend.
This might be just cultural differences. Livanov obviously talks like a Russian. So maybe his manner of speaking comes off to you in a certain way unlike to a Russian.
That being said, he does have a bit of a 'soft' manner, for the lack of a better word. He also voiced Karlson, the flying little man, in the animated cartoons based on Astrid Lindgren. And his voice is very playfully sweet there.