MovieChat Forums > The Hound of the Baskervilles (2003) Discussion > Stop...switch places!

Stop...switch places!

posted 13 years ago by james_oblivion
1 reply | jump to latest

Anyone else get the urge to call a "Time Out" and tell Roxburgh and Grant to switch roles in this adaptation? It still wouldn't iron out all the problems, but come on, casting people! Richard E. Grant was BORN to play Sherlock Holmes. And since he's already acting circles around the interminably bland Roxburgh in this film, why not cast him in the lead? What's even more infuriating is that Grant appeared in TWO Holmes films in 2002, and didn't play Sherlock in either of them!

But perhaps the most infuriating fact of all is that someone involved in the Tiger Aspect/BBC Hound production actually said that they didn't cast Grant as Holmes because he was "far too obvious a choice." Note to casting directors: Sometimes, obvious choices are obvious for a bloody good reason.

[–] digitaldiva 11 years ago

Hi james oblivion,

This is over a year too late but I saw the film last night and am in total agreement with you - in fact, I thought the same thing throughout the entire broadcast. The script was lacking, the director made some wacky choices, like having Holmes laugh at the dead convict, but Grant as Holmes would have made the production so much better. Richard E. Grant had the gravitas to play Holmes, Roxburgh though a competent actor did not and was bland throughout.

We now have two young actors who are doing interesting things with Holmes and Grant would have made him fascinating too.