The Best Sherlock Holmes Actor - Young Sherlock Holmes (1985) Discussion

[–] Retro_81 18 years ago

He's good, but Jeremy Brett's my favorite.

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I have to agree. I'm 39 and have seen virtually all the Sherlock actors, including Nicol Williamson. It may be because he had the greatest opportunity to do it over a ten-year period, but I always thought Brett gave Holmes the most life. The Granada TV Series also captured something the early films didn't. The production focused on details that you didn't often see in the films, and the settings were more intimate. But the thing that never varied and truly carried the series was Jeremy Brett. For me, he is Sherlock Holmes. All who follow will be measured according to his standard.

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[–] maris1 18 years ago

Jeremy Brett is terrific at portraying the perfect Holmes.He so incredibly good at it I wished I had met him in real life.

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[–] OrionKnight 13 years ago

Robert Downie Jr, no doubt.

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[–] JohnnySouthwood 14 years ago

I haven't seen them all, but I thought Benedict Cumberbatch did a brilliant job.

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[–] seoulless 18 years ago

Elementary my dear shaftybafty. Rathbone it is. Though, now that I cogitate on it, all the many Sherlock Holmes portrayers I've seen have been pretty good, including George C. Scott in They Might Be Giants. Says something about the wonderful originality and uniqueness of the character. Even Arthur Conan Doyle couldn't kill him off.

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[–] combatreview 18 years ago

I'd say Jeremy Brett, but only in his first series (he clearly got bored with the role later on). For the record I think their Moriarty, Eric Porter, was fantastic too.

My actual favourite, though, is Clive Merrison - he's played Holmes on BBC Radio for maybe fifteen years. His voice has a sort of crafty, vulpine quality that is appropriate for Holmes, but not usually present in other interpretations.

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[–] luckygirl513 15 years ago

even though he tried. that pissed off many readers.

aim for the moon, for if oyu miss, you will always land among the stars.

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[–] Armand1880 18 years ago

Cliver Merrison, totally. The BBC radio productions gave Holmes the voice I hear in my head when I read. But lately, I've been seeing the Jeremy Brett versions, and I have to say...he is masterful.

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[–] geebs41 18 years ago

Rathbone is the best.

Christopher Plummer put a different spin on the character in Murder By Decree, which I thought was great.

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[–] Cooke_Fann 18 years ago

Oh Come Come now people ! Are we forgetting Peter Cushings awsome perfomance in the 1958 version Of "Hound of the baskervilles" His finger pointing in the air is unforgetable.

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] ffordegroupie 18 years ago

Oh yeah, Cushing was a really awesome Holmes, sort of the more energetic passionate Holmes, and he was really smart too, which helped his portrayal. Did you hear what Lee had to say about his finger in the DVD extras?

As for who I like best, I'd say it's a tie between Rathbone and Brett. They both had sort of different facets of Holmes nailed down. Brett was best at the energy and enthusiasm that Holmes put into each case he liked, and Rathbone was better at the inquisitive, intellectual Holmes.

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[–] Moviemom78 14 years ago

I cast my vote for Peter Cushing, too.

"You have to have a sense of humour, darling, to be alive. Even a bit mad. It helps to be mad."

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[–] casemon 18 years ago

I've seen them all; Brett, Caine, Cushing, O'Toole, Rathbone, Richardson, Roxburgh, etc. and while they are good in their own right (more or less) they are all out done by 1 man...

- Vasily Livanov

Here's a photo;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherlock_Holmes
That's him on the right (yes, 1st picture in the freakin' encyclopedia entry for Holmes). (*since writing this, they moved the picture down the page)

For me, he is forever the only Holmes. Simply (easily) the best.

And I'm not the only one who thinks so... he's the only actor to receive an Order of the British Empire (2nd degree) for his portrayal as Holmes.

Check out Livanov's Holmes on DVD if you can find it (Russian tv series in the early 80's). He & Watson's relationship (wonderfully played by Vitali Solomin) are to me, the most accurate and do the most justice to Doyle's writings I've ever seen.

Truly night and day compared to other popular Holmes actors... check it out film sleuths!

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[–] combatreview 18 years ago

Well there's a funny thing - a Russian friend of mine is a Sherlock Holmes fan, having grown up on Solomin and Livanov. I've only seen pictures (though I very much approve of Solomin's dashing look as Watson) but she did just give me a DVD of The Treasure Of Agra. I'm looking forward to watching it..!

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] combatreview 18 years ago

No, I think that's fair enough. I don't think the material itself is as true to Holmes as it might be, but Rowe himself does actually do a good job at playing a character who is recognisably Holmes.

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] pipssqueaks 18 years ago

They have been all good actors, but the real question should be who could play him now? I'm leaning toward Paul Bettany. Though his blonde hair might be a bit much.

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[–] joemama69-1 14 years ago

Updated link to Livanov:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasily_Livanov

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[–] indy_go_blue44 17 years ago

Really good question and good responses.
I grew up with Rathbone as Holmes and IMO he's the best, but probably because he's the one I remember best. I like Nigel Bruce, but with the exception of Hounds of the Baskerville, he didn't impress me at all as Watson.
I thought all the other actors mentioned did a good job.
I agree with the last couple of posters; I would love to see Rowe and Cox reprise Holmes and Watson in a new SH movie as adult characters. Rowe especially has the Holmes look and both did a very good job in YSH.

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[–] jmacleve 17 years ago

Jeremy Brett, no question. And while I very much enjoy Edward Hardwicke as Watson, IMHO, the best Watson on film is Robert Duvall in Seven Percent Solution.

jma

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[–] elmadore 17 years ago

Richard Roxburgh is probably my favorite. he did a one-time deal with a TV version of Hound of the Baskervilles. I absolutely loved it.

I have nothing against Rathbone, but I hate watching the movies due to the insulting way Bruce portrays Watson. Truth be told, I like watching Watson as much if not more than Holmes. if you read the books, Watson is a lot smarter than he's often played to be. Another reason I love the Roxburgh Hound.