Drama Tuesday: THE PRIVATE LIFE OF SHERLOCK HOLMES (1970)

Title: THE PRIVATE LIFE OF SHERLOCK HOLMES (1970)

     Some of the best films come from, "what could have been?" What if George Lucas had, as originally planned, been able to to film Apocalypse Now in 16mm, in the Vietnam? What if Orson Wells had actually finished Don Quixote and edited it to his liking before he died? What if Billy Wilder went with his original vision of The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, before cutting it from 3 1/2 hours, down to just over 2? The truth is we'll never know, but what we ended up with, is just as good in most respects.
     The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes is about as divisive a film about the great detective, as one can find. It seems to be a very love it or hate it type of film, but one that more people should see, to have the chance to decide for themselves. At the time most of the issue dealt with the underlying sexual orientation of Sherlock Holmes himself. Much like the argument in the bible, it's there only if you see it's there. Within the film there are a few lines left ambiguous, but none that ever give a finite answer one way or another. Though if you are paying attention, the film does give you answers as to which way it leans.
    Director Billy Wilder was coming off the success of his film Fortune Cookie, and was given carte-blanche for his next picture. He went the direction that most people weren't expecting, making a film detailing not only the more personal side of Sherlock Holmes, but one of his few mis-steps. The film begins with a safety deposit box being opened 50 years after it was left behind, as instructed, which contains several unreleased Sherlock Holmes tales. There were originally supposed to be 4 interlocking tales, each chronicling different stages in Holmes career, most of them exposing a very personal matter, or as mentioned above, the rare failure. Unhappy with the initial scope, it's said that Wilder himself chose to cut the fat, and make a more serviceable, and he hoped at the time, profitable film. As it stands, it's a welcome and fine addition to the world of Sherlock Holmes adventures. Here again is a story partially dealing with Sherlock Holmes' cocaine usage, which Holes jokes is only a 5% solution, as he tells Watson "you don't think I know you've been diluting it behind my back?" Though Holmes himself states that he only is taking it when he's bored and not stimulated by a case, the more extraordinary, the better. It paints an interesting picture of a man, who didn't so much do something because he wanted or enjoyed it, but because of the physical need of the high it gave him. Along the "genius begets madness, and vice versa" ilk, that is. The film is divided roughly into 2 parts, the first dealing with a Russian ballerina, and the subsequent questioning of Holmes' sexuality, and the other a more rousing adventure in the classical mystery sense. The two parts though work more well as a whole, with several pieces of the first story coming to fruition in the latter portion. It's the second half where things really gel, as Holmes is seen in a more natural environment, albeit bumbling a bit more than usual. The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes would make for fantastic double-feature fodder, paired with The Seven-Per-Cent Solution. They feel like thematic brothers-in-arms, to paint a vivid, though flawed picture of the master of deductive reasoning. Wilder seems like he wanted to challenge, not only his own conventions, but see if an audience could rise with him, in support of a brilliant mind, that's not always correct, or initially on the same page.
    If ever there was a true benefit of Sherlock Holmes, the character, it's that he is a chameleon. There is a large collection of stories, movies, and tv shows to model off of. The man must be arrogant, flamboyant, but brilliant and cunning. He must not be willing to trust things at face value, though does so on several occasions. It attempts to humanize a great literary figure, without ever laying on schmaltz upon him, merely mistakes are made, and vowed follow, instructing that it will never happen again. TSLOSH is brilliant, fun, and quick, as to not linger too long on that personal side, to get to the rousing adventure, which still slyly shoe-horns in the sentimental moments. Wilder was a master director of people in situations, but always added wit to the proceedings, to make them last and memorable. Sherlcok Holmes may not be at the very top-top of his game in this adventure, but a weaker Holmes is still better than most of the inane mystery thrillers available nowadays, none the less.
**** out of *****

Drama Tuesday: THE SEVEN-PER-CENT SOLUTION (1976)

Title: THE SEVEN-PER-CENT SOLUTION (1976)

    The world of mash-ups is a hardship when it comes to movies. Inevitably my mind always comes back to "Time After Time", in which H.G. Wells builds a time machine that Jack the Ripper steals, travels to 1979, and Wells must give chase and stop him. It's more entertaining than the ridiculous synopsis would have you believe. That film was written and directed by one Nicholas Meyer, whose previous credit was writing The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, adapted from his own novel. The setup is brilliant in and of itself. Worried about his friend and compatriot's state of mind and well being, due to cocaine addiction, Dr. Watson enlists the help of Sigmund Freud. From there they embark on one of Sherlock Homes finest adventures.
     Everything in the film works. From the inclusion of Sigmund Freud, the first rate casting, and an adventure worthy of, at the time, a high 12 million dollars. It's epic in scale, even if most of its proceedings deal with internal demons. Watson (an at first confusing Robert Duvall) finds Sherlock Holmes (Nicol Williamson, Merlin of "Excalibur") in the throws of a serious cocaine binge, ranting about his nemesis, Moriarty. It turns out that Holmes has been stalking him obessively, to take him down, once and for all. Though this Moriarty, it seems, is nothing more than an old doddering math tutor, who may or may not be harboring a dark link to Holmes past. After meeting with Sherlock's equally brilliant, if not more reclusive, older brother, Mycroft, Dr. Watson and he set forth a plan to lure Sherlock to Vienna, so he may be cured by Sigmund Freud (a brilliant Alan Arkin). The movie plays things even smarter by having Freud himself being the perfect foil for Holmes, even though he himself states he is merely using the tools that Holmes does and adapting them as his own. The cocaine usage has become a much used tool when navigating the Sherlock Holmes landscape, but none more so brilliantly than here and "The Private Life of Sherlock Homes". To see one of the most brilliant deductive minds almost reduced to rubble, is as sad as it is thrilling. It makes one care about the well being of the character, garnering a personal stake in the matter. Thankfully director Herbert Ross and Meyer never try and play it for laughs, more so showing the dark side of addiction and the crippling blow it can cause.
      Seeing as how this is an adventure tale, the film isn't solely fixated on the treatment of the addiction, but also a rousing case that has to be solved. Enter Vanessa Redgrave as Lola Deveraux, another patient of Freud's, who first relapses, and then goes missing. Seeing Holmes, Watson, and Freud launch into a case together is thrilling in all the right ways. The deductive minds all combine, bringing something to the table, and propelling things forward at the briskest of paces. The dialogue sparkles as Freud and Holmes match wits, and Watson gets to be much more than a joke several times. The film also features 2 of my favorite usages of a train ever committed to celluloid. One is a sword fight that takes place both inside, and on top of said train. The other......a train chase. It. Is. Awesome. Just when I think I have seen it all in a movie, I see a film of yesteryear with a scene that makes me ask, "why the hell didn't anyone tell me about this?" Whomever had to sit down with the producers of the film, and get the scene passed, is officially my hero. It's more entertaining than the entirety of "Unstoppable", without a doubt. To see an entire boxcar dismantled while the train is moving, to catch up with another train, is a thing of wonder.
       Here is a film that wants to be remembered. It doesn't beg, it doesn't plead, it merely wants that of you, then gives you numerous reasons to do so. It's light, it's fun, always engaging, at times a serious study of one of literature's greatest creations, and day I say it "a rip-snorting good time". The Seven-Per-Cent Solution invariably gets passed over, because it was made in a time, where all studios were taking big chances. This is right during the independent movement of the 70's, where the films being made where trying to change the language of cinema. So a film hearkening back to characters of old, the child in all of us, well it isn't hard to deduce what was to become of it. Thankfully, not all films are lost, and with the technology of today, films once passed by, can be celebrated and championed again. Here's to hoping, this classic, gets its moment again, and often.
**** out of *****