Chaplin as Billy, age 14 (though he looks 12 to me.
When I became a Charlie Chaplin fan in 1991, one of the *very first things* I learned about him was his role in the 1901 Sherlock Holmes play written by William Gillette and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I had been a Sherlockian for 5 years by then and was thrilled that my new “obsession” had a connection, one of many (and growing!) I would later discover.
William Gillette, in his Holmes garb
Chaplin was born on April 16,1889, in Lambeth, London, England, at the beginning of the Sherlock Holmes publishing era. the year before the publishing of the second Holmes story, “The Sign of Four”. After living for some time in poverty, he gradually got work as a child actor (both his parents were stage performers). He wrote in his My Autobiography (1964) how he lied about his age to get a part in a H A Saintsbury play, A Romance of Cocknaye, saying he was 14, when he was actually 12 1/2. The manager of the production and cast liked him so much they offered him the Billy the Pageboy role. So from July 1903 to February 1906 he traveled the country performing the part. (Holmes trivia: The pageboy in the original stories did not have a name until after the play was made. It would have been interesting if Doyle named him Charlie!)
The argument over “Who’s the best Sherlock Holmes?” is nothing new, though the names change over time. Back in his day, Chaplin worked under two of the starring Holmes’: William Gillette and H A Saintsbury. He wrote in his “My Autobiography” that while he liked both, he felt Saintsbury was closer to the “real” Holmes.
List of the cast (including Chaplin as Billy), as they performed at Duke of York’s Theatre, circa 1905
Want to see the play? Here it is, performed in 1981 for HBO. Frank Langella plays Holmes (very well, I must say!) My favorite scene (Act 3, pt 2), which includes some great interactions with Billy, is embedded below:
(side note – the boy playing Billy in the above performance is a young Christian Slater)
The Great Dictator (1940) – Chaplin as Hynkel (center), Reginald Gardiner (left) as Schultz, and Henry Daniell as Garbitsch (right)
While he had other roles in his early childhood showbiz career, none seemed to have stuck with him later in his life than the Billy role. Decades later in 1939 when he was shooting his Hitler satire, “The Great Dictator”, he would re-enact scenes from the Holmes play in-between scenes for the movie to entertain the cast and crew.
One of the actors in Dictator was Henry Daniell, who later who appear in three of the Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce Sherlock Holmes films: Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror (1942), Sherlock Holmes in Washington (1943), and The Woman in Green (1945, playing Professor Moriarty, the role I best remember him for.)
Which also brings us to Nigel Bruce. Chaplin hired Bruce for his 1952 film, Limelight. Bruce was hired not only because of his talent but mainly because of his strong connection with the Holmes franchise having famously played Dr. Watson.
Basil Rathbone (left) as Holmes, Nigel Bruce (back, center) as Watson and Henry Daniell (right) from Voice of Terror (1943)
In the film Limelight, Bruce plays Mr Postant, an homage to the real life who was William Gillette’s stage manager, and who had played an important role of keeping an eye out for the young Chaplin during the Holmesian days.
I have often felt that if he played Watson like he later played Postant, Watson would have been considered less bumbling. Below is a clip from Limelight which not only includes Bruce, but also Claire Bloom (many years later she would costar with David Tennant in Doctor Who, “The End of Time”), and Buster Keaton who plays Calvero’s partner (Keaton’s Holmes connection is making the brilliant 1924 silent film Sherlock Jr.)
One of the reasons why I picked using the name Calvero on the internet, and have kept it for almost 20 years, is the Holmes connection (along with Keaton, and the later Doctor Who connection,
To Modern Times
In 1992 came Robert Downey Jr playing the title role in Sir Richard Attenborough’s “Chaplin”. Absolutely brilliant! And he was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor (he was ROBBED! ROBBED, I tell you!). Downey did such a great job, that most of the time I forgot I was watching someone else playing Charlie.
Fast-forward 17 years and he was picked by Guy Ritchie to play the lead in Sherlock Holmes, which, honestly, sounded a little weird. For Chaplin, he played someone who was about 5’4″. And years later he plays someone who is described by Watson as being at least 6 feet tall. Either way, I did (and still do) enjoy his take on the Great Detective. He did win a Golden Globe for “Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy” for his portrayal of Holmes (a category I still don’t understand how he won, but he won it. So, YAY!)
Chaplin and Holmes meet once again
On season 2, episode 1 of BBC’s excellent show Sherlock, “A Scandal in Bohemia”, John Watson’s girlfriend Jeanette is played play by Charlie’s granddaughter (Geraldine’s daughter), Oona Chaplin. When I was first watching the episode, I didn’t know who the actress was but there was something about her… I couldn’t put my finger on it. She seemed familiar, and at the same time not familiar. When I immediately re-watched the episode for the second time (because it was so mind blowingly awesome), I paid more attention to the ending credits, and the name “Oona Chaplin” jumped out at me. I threw my arms up in the air and shouted “WOOOOOOOHOOOO!!!” and did a happy dance. And so a new Chaplin comes face to face with the great detective.
Close encounter of a Sherlockian/Chaplinesque kind: Aidan Quinn
Sherlock Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller), Joan Watson (Lucy Liu), and Captain Gregson (Aidan Quinn) from Elementary
Another recent connection (though not as strong as the above ones, but still there) is CBS’s newest take of the Holmes and Watson interpretations in Elementary starring Jonny Lee Miller as Holmes, and Lisa Liu as Joan Watson (that’s right, a female Watson…a very good one), which premiered during Holmes’ 125th anniversary (2012). Co-starring is Aidan Quinn who plays Captain Thomas Gregson of the NYPD.
Joon (Mary Stuart Masterson), Sam (Johnny Depp), and Benny (Aidan Quinn)
Almost 20 years earlier (1993), Quinn played in an adorable movie that also starring Johnny Depp and Mary Stuart Matherson, Benny and Joon (released just a few months after Downey’s Chaplin.). Quinn plays the older, and pretty protective brother, Benny to Matherson’s Joon who slowly falls in love with Depp’s Sam who is a eccentric person who is obsessed with Chaplin and Buster Keaton.
What kind of connections will show up later? Who knows. What I do know is that they keep popping up from time to time. And if I notice them, I’ll create a “Part 2”.
Since the posts I made about what was cut out of the first two seasons of BBC’s Sherlock have been the most popular, I have been working on and *just* finished putting up all the pictures for those posts.
While I’m still working on moving the blog to here (all the images….argh! It’s getting there), I thought I would share another great Sherlock Holmes fanvid made by one of my favorite fanvidder YouTubers: KatrinDepp . Below is a great video,”We Solve Crimes” using ColdPlay’s Charlie Brown
http://vimeo.com/56395194
One of my favorite shows with one of my favorite band’s best songs that was inspired by the theme song of my favorite comic strip, whose anniversary is today (Peanuts first appearance was on Oct. 2, 1950)
This one is so good, it deserves it’s own post. I found it shortly after watching series 2 of BBC’s awesome “Sherlock” and, wow! What emotion it brought out! Read My Mind almost brought me to tears, Fix You got me really choked up, but this one got me crying.
Sherlock’s line about not having any friends and then later saying that he only has one is from the “Hounds of the Baskerville” episode. It’s partially taken from Doyle’s “The Five Orange Pips” story (from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes collection). In the beginning of the story, Watson visits Holmes at 221b (having moved out when he got married). They hear ringing the doorbell. Watson speaks:
“Why,” said I, glancing up at my companion, “that was surely the bell. Who could come to-night? Some friend of yours, perhaps?”
Finally, Reichenbach! Took some time, and I was beginning to wonder if I would get this done before PBS took down the show from their website (which is still there, until the the 19th!)
Also want to say that I missed Alan Cumming not doing an intro for Baskerville and Reichenbach :(. His other intros were awesome!
Poor John
A couple seconds are cut from John talking to his therapist, right after she asks him “What happened, John?”
Importance – Minor, though it does show John struggling even more to say what he wants to say.
Going to see the Crown Jewels
A couple seconds are cut as Jim enters the security scanner.
Away in handcuffs
A coupkle seconds cut of Jim being put into a police car and then Lestrade looking at Jim’s iPhone.
To the Courthouse
It’s cut from the moment Sherlock enters the police car to head to the trial up to the shot of the walking feet in the prison.
Jim and his gum
After showing the press coverage outside the courthouse, it’s cut where Jim Moriarty is taken to his place in the courtroom. His is held in place be three men. A woman comes over to check him.
Jim: (turning to the woman) Would you mind slipping your hand into my pocket?
The woman looks towards one of the men, who nods. So she slides her hand into his pocket and pulls out a piece of gum. Jim sticks out his tongue and she places the gum there. He starts to chew.
Jim: (with a sly smile) Thanks.
She quietly walks away.
You repel me
A second of Kitty is cut right after Sherlock walks out of the bathroom.
Sherlock and Jim, prison buddies
Right after the judge sends Sherlock to a cell for “showing off”. Right after he gets pushed in, cut of Jim also being put back into his cell. Below is a great shot of the both of them:
Importance — Very little, though it’s a great shot of the both of them.
Sherlock senses something more
After John bails Sherlock out, they head back to Baker Street, continuing to talk about what’s going on.
Sherlock: The only reason why he’s still in a prison cell is because he chose to be there. (cut) Somehow, this is part of his scheme (cut ends).
You must find him guilty
The defense attorney says”the defense rests”. Jim looks back to John who is sitting in the back with a smug smile. Sherlock is at Baker Street.
Judge and (who is imaigning what’s going on in the courtroom, in a voice barely louder than a whisper) Sherlock: Ladies and gentlemen of the jury. James Moriarty stands accused of several (just Sherlock is heard) accounts of attmpts of burglery. Crimes, which if he is found guilty, *which could lead to a long sentence. His legal team* (this part I could not understand what exactly Benedict was saying 🙁 ) (judge’s voice is heard again, Sherlock’s fades off) has chosen to offer no evidence whatsoever to support their plea. I find myself in the unusual position of recommending a verdict wholeheartedly.
Sherlock: You must find him guilty. (closes his eyes) Guilty.
Judge: You must find him guilty. (cut ends)
John and Mycroft, together again
A couple seconds are cut of the car pulling up beside John after he tried, unsuccessfully, to use an ATM, and a second or so more while going into the Diogenes Club.
After John is taken back to Baker Street, there’s some shots of the hit men and woman wandering around the vicinity.
At the school
Although no dialogue was cut, a second here and there was cut while they were at the school.
Anybody can walk in anywhere if they pick the right moment
Right after Sherlock scraps bits of the floor, cut of he and John in a cab.
John: How can he get past the CCTV? If all the doors were locked…
Sherlock: He walked in when they weren’t locked.
John: But a stranger can’t just walk into a school like that.
Sherlock: Anyone can walk in anywhere if they pick the right moment. Yesterday, end of term, parents milling around chauffers, staff. What’s one more stranger among them? He was waiting for them. all he had to do was find a place to hide.
Shot of exterior of St. Bart’s is also cut. Edit ends with shot of hallway inside the hospital.
Molly and Sherlock
Right as Sherlock is identifying the chemicals in the lab.
Molly: What did you mean, I owe you? (cut) You said I owe you? (cut ends). You were muttering it while you were working?
Sherlock: Nothing. Mental note.
Bits and pieces
Second here and there cut from the factory and after Sherlock enters the cab from the police station. Lestrade with Donovan and Anderson. Sherlock and John being chased around London.
Sherlock and John apporoach Kitty… and face “Richard Brook”
The first few seconds of Kitty exiting her car and walking up to her residence. She opens the door.
Sherlock is pacing back and forth. Kitty sitting on a chair.
Sherlock: Congratulations. The truth about Sherlock Holmes. The scoop that everyone weanted, and you got it. (in a loud whisper) Bravo!
Kitty: I gave you every oppertunity. I wanted to be on your side, remember? You turned me down.
Sherlock: Someone turns up and spills all the beans. How utterly conveniant. Who’s Brook?
Kitty shakes her head.
Sherlock: (cut) Oh , come on Kitty. No one trusts the voice at the end of the telephone. And all those flirty little meetings in cafes, those sessions in hotel rooms where you get it on dictaphone. How do you know you can trust him. (cut ends) Man turns up with the Holy Grail in his pocekts. What were his credentials?
After they unsucessfully try to catch up with Jim, the last few seconds of John standing in the street alone are cut.
Sherlock visits Molly
A couple seconds are cut of Molly walking our of a room, turning off the light and passing through the lab. Sherlock surprises her.
Sherlock: You were wrong, you know. You do count. You always counted and I’ve always trusted you. (turns toward her) You were right. I’m not okay.
Molly: Tell me what’s wrong.
Sherlock: (slowly walks toward her) (cut) Molly, (cut ends) I think I’m going to die.
Molly: What do you need?
(cut) Sherlock: I wasn’t everything you think I am. Everything I think I am. Do you still want to help me?
Molly: What do you need? (cut ends)
Sherlock: (Walking a couple steps clser, looking her staright into her eyes) You.
Confronting, and scolding, Mycroft
John is sitting in the Diogenes Club, with papers, his back to Mycroft who is coming in from behind him. As soon as Mycroft enters…
John: She has really done her homework, Ms. Riley (turns halfway towards Mycroft). There are things that only someone close to him would know.
Mycroft: Ahh…
Have you seen your brother’s address book lately? Two names. Yours, and mine. And Moriarty didn’t get this stuff from me.
Mycroft: John…
John: (cutting him off) So how does it work, then? Your relationship? (Mycroft sits down at a chair opposite) You go out for a coffee, now and then? Eh? You and Jim? (cut) Your own brother, and you blabbed about his entire life to this maniac?
Mycroft: I never intend… I never dreamt. (cut ends).
John: This… you see this (holding a paper in his hand, looking down at more sitting on his lap) This is what you were trying to tell me, isn’t it? ‘Watch his back, because I’ve made a mistake’
Back at Bart’s
Exterior of Bart’s hospital is cut by a few seconds
The rooftop
Various seconds here and there cut, no dialogue or important actions cut out.
After the fall
Cut between the marksman who was aiming for John from the window putting away his gun, up until the scene with John and his therapist. No dialogue.
Stuff that you wanted to say
Right at the end of the shot of John sitting at Baker Street, there is a voice-over of his therapist.
Therapist: The stuff that you wanted to say (cut ends)(shot of John in the therapist office) but didn’t say it.
And that was about it for the edits. Yay!
What I’ve learned
Writing out a good bit of dialougue and describing actions has been some experience. While there is a *ton* to admire in just watching (and rewatching, over and over) the show, through this project I have had a deeper appreciation of the skills of Moffat, Gatiss, and Thompson (aka “the ‘other’ Steven”) as writers (as well as Cumberbatch, Freeman, and the gang, as actors).
And I would like to think that my observational skills have increased… I like to *think* that…
Okay now, hurray up with series 3 guys! I know I’m not the only one to say that I’m looking forward to it!
I have been dealing with a couple health setbacks since Saturday before it aired, so I have a later start with this than I had planned. Now that I’m feeling almost 100% better, I can tackle the Hounds!
Thanks for those of you who told me they enjoyed my previous posts about the differences. Special thanks to the Baker Street Blog for being nice enough putting my write-up for Scandal in Belgravia on their news page.
Mrs. Hudson storms out of their room, hurt by the deductions that Sherlock has made about her.
John: What the bloody hell was that all about?
(cut) Sherlock (gives out a short exhale, rocking himself in his non-rocking chair) You don’t understand.
John: Go after her and apologize (thumbing to the door behind him).
Sherlock: Apologize?
John (nodding): Mm-hmm.
Sherlock: (takes a breath) Oh, John, I envy you so much.
John looks at him, puts down his thumbed arm and rests his on his other arm.
John (not knowing whether to believe it or not): You envy me?
Sherlock: (looking off to the side): Your mind is so placid, straight-forward, barely used. Mine’s like an engine, racing out of control. A rocket, tearing itself to pieces, trapped on the launchpad. (cut ends) (shouts): I NEED A CASE! (shaking his arms).
John: (shakes his arms, imitating Sherlock) YOU JUST SOLVED ONE! By harpooning a dead pig, apparently.
Importance — Somewhat. Continues Sherlock’s opinion of John’s brain (and probably everyone else’s) not being seriously used. And a side comment about Sherlock’s entrance with a harpoon, which is from The Adventure of Black Peter.
To Gripen
A second here and there cut of the different shots of the moor. And a couple seconds of Sherlock and John silently traveling to Grimpen. Also a second or two of mroe traveling after Sherlock and John take a stop to get a lay of the land.
At the inn
Shot of Sherlock walking in the door of the inn was cut.
Talking with Fletcher
A brief second cut from Sherlock and Fletcher’s conversation
At Baskerville
A couple quick shots when Sherlock and John pull up the the security gate are cut.
After passing the main security gate, a few seconds are cut of Sherlock and John driving a bit more then getting out of the vehicle and begin walking. Below is a shot that was cut, of them walking away from the vehicle. Cut ends when Corporal Lyons drives up.
Importance – Somewhat. One second they are in the Hummer-like vehicle, next second they are on foot. This bit helps explain that.
Inside the labs
Sherlock and John are led by Corporal Lyons through the different labs. John asks Lyons questions while Sherlock, while following, looks around the rooms.
John: So what exactly is it that you do here?
(cut) Lyons: I thought you’d know, sir, this being an inspection.
John: Well, I’m not an expert, am I?
(cut ends) Lyons: Everything from stem cell research to trying to cure the common cold, sir.
A few seconds later, the three walk through swinging doors, approaching Stapleton
Lyons: Dr. Stapleton?
Sherlock (to himself): Stapleton…
Stapleton: (cut) Yes? (cut ends) Who’s this?
Importance — Very minor. Just a little snip.
Leaving Baskerville
Cut scene of Sherlock and John driving away from Baskerville:
John: So the email from Kirsty, the, uh, missing luminous rabbit?
Sherlock: Kirsty Stapleton, whose mother specializes in genetic manipulation.
John: She made her daughter’s rabbit glow-in-the-dark?
Sherlock: Probably a florescent gene. Removed and spliced into the specimen. Simple enough these days.
John: So…?
Sherlock: So we know that Dr. Stapelton performs secret genetic experiments on animals. Question is, has she been working on something deadlier than a rabbit?
John takes a breath and nods.
John: To be fair, that is a pretty wide field.
They both exchange looks.
Looking for trouble on the moor
Random shots of Sherlock, John, and Henry exploring the moor at night that were shortened or cut.
Back at Henry’s
This whole scene was cut. The three of them return to Henry’s right after the moor.
Henry: Look, you must have seen it, I saw it. You *must* have… you *must* have… why? (Sherlock walks to another room. John and Henry continue into the living room) Why would he say that? It was there. It *was*…
John: Henry (takes Henry gently by the arm and points him to a place to sit down) Henry, I need for you to sit down. Try and relax. Listen, I’m going to give you something to help you sleep, alright?
Henry: (sitting down, while John is talking) I’m okay. I’m okay…
Henry unwraps and takes off his scarf while John goes to a corner of the room
Henry: It’s good… it’s all good. I’m not crazy. (putting his scarf to the side, voice shaky) There is a hound. There is… And Sherlock, he saw it too. No matter what he says, he saw it.
Scene cross fades from Henry in his home to profile of Sherlock at the inn in front of the fireplace joined by John. Cut ends.
Importance – Somewhat. Begins to show that Henry feels confident that he isn’t crazy because he knows that Sherlock saw something out there.
The sleepy meds aren’t working
Between John leaving Sherlock at the fireplaces, a short scene of Henry is cut. Shows him not able to sleep after John had given him something. He walks from the couch a few feet to the large windowed back wall. He has violent memories of “Liberty” and “In”. Cut ends with John investigating the blinking lights.
Sherlock and John
A few shots of Sherlock approaching John in the church cemetery were cut. And a little cut of Sherlock preparing John’s cup of coffee.
Lestrade on the case
After Lestrade interagates Billy and Gary at the inn, there’s a couple shots cut of Billy and Gary exchanging guilty glances.
Back to Baskerville
Sherlock and John drive back to Baskerville. Stopping at the gate, a guard meets them.
(cut) Guard: Afternoon (?) sir. Turn the engine off.
Sherlock hands over his proper ID now, and the guard walks away to check it.
Sherlock: I need to see Major Barrymore as soon as we get inside.
John: Right.
Sherlock: Which means you’ll have to start a search for the hound.
John: Okay.
Sherlock: In the labs. Stapleton’s first. Could be dangerous.
While Sherlock is talking another guard walks a dog to the front to check the vehicle.
The first guard hands Sherlock back his ID, and the gate opens. (cut ends) They drive through and down the road.
Cut of scene of Major Barrymore and Sherlock in Barrymore’s office.
Barrymore (sarcastic): Oh, you’d know I’d love too. I’d love to give you secret access to this place. Why not?
Sherlock: This isn’t a request major.
Barrymore (irritated): I’d never heard of anyhting so bizarre
Sherlock: Give me 24 hours. It’s what I negotiated.
Barrymore: And not a second more. I may have to comply with this order, but I don’t have to like it. (turns around in his chair. Sherlock turns and begins to step out of the door) I don’t know what the hell you expect to find here anyway.
Sherlock: Perhaps the truth.
Barrymore: About what? (looks down then up at Sherlock) Oh, I see. The big coat should have told me. You’re one of the conspiracy lot, aren’t you? (smirks) Well, then, go ahead. Seek them out the monsters, the death rays, the aliens.
Sherlock (raises an eyebrow): You got any of those?
Barrymore rolls his eyes.
Sherlock (sarcastically) : Oh, just wondering.
Barrymore (leans in): A couple. Crashed landed here in the 60s. We call it Abbott and Costello. (turns back to his desk) Good luck Mr. Holmes.
Sherlock turns and walks out, the door closing behind him.
Cut ends with exterior shot of Henry’s house
Importance — Pretty important. Sets up more of what Sherlock’s plan was for he and John. And hooray for the mention of Abbott and Costello! It ‘s thrown in there oddly, but a mention non the less. Like Chaplin’s appearance in Scandal, I’m a big fan of Bud and Lou as well.
John investigates
A couple quick shots of John checking out the labs were shortened.
Cracking Barrymore’s password
Right before Stapleton, Sherlock, and John going to a lab room with computers, there is a shot of a man in camoflage gear walking out of another door before the camera pans over.
Firstly, I am not connected to the BBC, PBS, or anything like that. I’m just a fanof both the show and the original stories :). This is not an official list, just one that I put together on my own. 🙂
I have discovered that doing these differnces betweeen the original BBC version and the recut PBS version is like those cartoons in the paper where there are two pictures, but with six differences, and your job is to notice them. In fact, there is a Sherlock version of that game: the Sherlock Observation Game. (I keep getting the rank of DI Lestrade…. I feel insulted!… yes I”m kidding, of course…sorta).
But this “game” is different in that it’s video, and the total amount of edits are unknown (to me, anyway). So there is that challenge.
I will say though that this is done for fun. I’m not ranting away at PBS who,I later learned from Steven Moffat himself, did not make the cuts:
Though I do wish they would have played it “as is”. But yes, the DVD and Netflix will have the full version, just like the first season. (YAY!)
(Note – I have done a basic clean up of my notes so there are bound to be a few mispellings. I only have included a small number of the screenshots, the rest of those will be added later. And I’ll add more of my opinions on the importance of the cut scenes later.)
And awaaaayy we go:
Based on the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The opening credits. This wasn’t a change but a pleasant surprise that the PBS version kept the same opening credits, unlike the first season.
Blog Envy
Right after Sherlock questions about John blogging “The Geek Intrepter” (haha! Pun on The Greek Intrepreter”), it cuts to John and Sherlock examining a dead woman on a slab in the morgue:
(Note to self: Must make above image wallpaper for laptop….. Done!)
Sherlock: Do you think people actually read your blog?
John: Where do you think our clients come from?
Sherlock: I have a website.
John: In which you write about 240 different types of tobacco ash. Nobody’s reading your website.
Sherlock gives John a cold hard stare. Both rise from bending over the body, John still looking at the woman, Sherlock still giving John a mean look.
John: Right then. Died. Blonde hair. No obvious cause of death, except for these speckles, whatever they are.
In the middle of John’s observation, Sherlock turns, still iriitated, walks out of the room, followed by Lestrade.
Importance – We begin to see the popularity of John’s blog growing, just as in the canon Watson’s stories also became more popular.
More blogging at Baker Street
John is sitting at his laptop typing away again in his blog. Sherlock comes around from the kitchen, paper in one hand, food in another. He looks over to John, walks over to read what John’s writing
Sherlock: Oh, for Godsakes. The Speckled Blonde?
Then walks away. John stops typing and looks up.
Cut to scene of the two little girls in Baker Street telling Sherlock and John about their grandfather.
Importance – Somwwhat. Shows the buildup of Sherlock’s irritation of John’s writing. Which is very similar to how Holmes felt about Watson publishing about their cases.
Even more blogging in Baker Street
Sherlock confronts John about writing about the unsolved cases.
John “This blog has had almost 2000 hits within the last 8 hours. This is your living Sherlock! (cut) Not 240 types of tobacco ash.
Sherlock: 243 (puts his saftey glasses on and flares up his handheld flamer (for lack of a better word).
I think it’s time, don’t you?
Merging from the scene of Irene Adler calling someone on her phone to the (nice!) crane shot of the exterior of 221B. Just a couple seconds, barely noticeable.
Also a cut of Mr.s Hudson cleaning up the flat by taking a mug and a jug of milk (eww!) off the mantel.
Boys, you got another one!
After man comes in and then faints, Mrs. Hudsonshouts out to the boys and then sympathitically bends over and looks down at the man and lets out a “ohh”
Helicopter for John
After Sherlock’s leptop is closed, John is told that a helicopter was landing for him. The below shot is cut.
Another nitpick
The gentleman walking in and placing down Sherlock’s clothes in front of him is cut as well.
Later, at Buckingham Palace…
After John joins Sherlock on the couch. John notices Sherlock is not wearing any pants, they laugh, he then looks around
John: Buckingham Palace. (cut) I’m seriously fighting an impulse to steal an ashtray. (cut ends)
They both giggle more.
The Woman
Mycroft introduces the case to Sherlock and shows him pictures of Irane Adler
Mycroft: There are many names for what she does. She prefers dominatrix.
(cut) Sherlock (still looking at the photos): Dominatrix…
Mycroft: Don’t be alarmed. It has to do with sex.
Sherlock (sharply looking up at Mycroft): Sex doesn’t alarm me.
Mycroft (smugly smiles): How would you know?(cut ends)
A couple minutes later…
Sherlock: Where is she?
Mycroft: In London, currently. She’s staying…
Sherlock: Text me the details. I’ll be in touch by the end of the day.
(cut) Harry: Do you really think you’ll have news by then?
Sherlock: No, I think I’ll have the photographs
Harry: One can only hope you’re as good as you seem to think.
Sherlock then looks at him and makes the following deductions about Harry —
Dog Lover
Horse Rider
Publis School
Early Riser
Left Side of Bed
Non-Smoker
Father
Half Welsh
Keen Reader
Tea Drinker
Sherlock: I’ll need some equipment of course.
Mycroft: Anything you require, I’ll have it sent…
Sherlock (interrupting): Can I have a box of matches?
Harry: I’m sorry?
Sherlock: Ot your cigerrette lighter,either would do (holds out his hand towards Harry)
Harry: I don’t smoke.
Sherlock: No, I know you don’t but your employer does
John (looks confused, then looks down)
Harry (reaches into his pocket and pulls out a lighter): We have kept a lot of people successful in the dark about this little fact, Mr Holmes.
Sherlock: I’m not the commonwealth (turns to leave)
John: And that’s as modest as he gets. Pleasure to meet you (turns and follows Sherlock (cut ends)
Sherlock: La’ers
Both leave the room
Later in the cab
(cut)
John: Okay, the smoking. How did you know?
Sherlock: The evidence was right under your nose John. As ever, you see but do not osberve.
John: Observe what?
Sherlock (reaching into his coat and pulls out…) An ashtray (flips it in the air)
Both of them laugh
Pictures are shown being taken by someone of both men in the cab (cut ends) and then a shot of Irene holding her phone, looking at them.
Breakfast at Baker Street
Sherlock, John are sitting at the table. Sherlock reading the paper, John eating. Mycroft is facing them, standing in front of the fireplace.
Mycroft: How can we do anything while she has the photographs. Our hands are tied.
Sherlock: She’d applaud your choice of words. (cut begins) Do you see how this works? That camera phone is her ‘get out of jail free’ card. HAve to leave her alone. Treat her like royalty Mycroft.
John: Though not how she treats royalty (cut ends)
Holmes’ phone makes a ring, the sound of a woman’s gasp
A Christmas evening with the gang
A couple seconds of Sherlock playing the violin from the beginning of the crossing over from the last scene to the Chrstimas scene.
Calling Mycroft
After Sherlock hangs up with Mycroft and John comes in to check in on him
John: You ok?
Sherlock: Yes (and closes the door. (cut) (He stares out while walking back to his bad)
Shot to Mycroft, still holding his phone, staring out of the window as the snow falls. Then turns and walks away. At Bart’s Morgue
A couple seconds cut from Sherlock and Mycroft walking down the hall to the morgue.
Later when Sherlock and Mycroft walk out, there’s a second of Molly (poor Molly!) cut. The nice camera shot of the back of Sherlock’s head through the morgue’s window is shortened.
After Sherlock and Mycroft wish each other Merry Chirstmas and Happy New Year, Mycroft stays inthe hallway and calls John who is still at 221B.
Mycroft: He’s on his way. Have you found anything?
John: No. Did he take the cigerrette?
Mycroft: Yes.
John: (with a sigh) Shit (turns around to Mrs. Hudson) He’s coming. Ten minutes.
Mrs. Hudson: There’s nothing in the bedroom.
John (back on the phone) No, it looks like he’s clean. We’ve tried all the usual places. Are you sure tonight’s the danger night?
Mycroft: No. But I never am. You have to stay with him John.
John: Uh, I’ve got plans.
Mycroft: Nooo. (and hangs up)
(back to 221B) John: Mycroft…Mm (hangs up his end and turns toward his girlfriend who is sitting on the sofa. He joins her) I’m really sorry.
Jeanette: You know, my friends are so wrong about you.
John: Hmm?
Jeanette: You’re a great boyfriend.
John (taken by surprise, looks away) Ok, that’s good. (turns back to her) I always thought I was great.
Jeanette (looking at her watch): Sherlock Holmes is a very lucky man.
John (makes an exasperating sound): Jeanette, please.
Jeanette: No I mean it. It’s heart warming. You’ll do anything for him. (gets up to leave) You can’t even tell your girlfriends apart.
John (gets up and follows her to the door): Look, I’ll do anything for you. Just tell me what it is I’m not doing!
Jeanette: Don’t make me compete with Sherlock Holmes!
John: I’ll walk your dog for you. I said it now, I walk your…
Jeanette: I don’t have a dog!
John (in a loud whisper to himself): Because that was the last one…okay.
Jeanette: Jesus! (picks up her things and walks out)
John: I’ll call you.
Jeanette: No!
John: Okay ( and walks back inside)
Mrs. Hudson: That wasn’t very good, was it?
Importance – Helps show more of Mycroft’s and John’s concern for Sherlock. Not happy that the scene with John and Jeanette was cut. I am a gigantic fan of her grandfather, the legendary Charlie Chaplin (yes, *that* Charlie Chaplin). And there are multi-faceted connections between Sherlock Holmes and Charlie Chaplin which I will write about in a future post, one of them being that as a boy he was in the Sherlock Holmes play as Billy the page during the very early 20th century.
Later at 221B
Exterior shot of the outside of 221B with a cab driving by is cut. John is sitting in his chair reading a book. Sherlock walks in, looksing dazed. John puts down his book and turns around.
John: Oh, hi.
Sherlock stands in the doorway, slowly looks around the room.
John: You okay?
Sherlock still looks around and walks away.
Sherlock: Hope you didn’t mess up my sock index this time.
John turns forward, puts his book down, and rubs his hand on his face, sighs, and rests his face in it. (cut ends. Yup from Mycroft calling John up until now was cut)
Sherlock composing
Next shot is of Sherlock playing his violin and writing down music in front of oen of the long windows in the living room. The first shot of the hallway is cut.
After Sherlock attempting and failing with the 1895 passcode, John mentions that he’s going out.
John: Well, I’m going out for a bit.
Sherlock continues to playin, not replying to him. John walks to the kitchen where Mr’s Hudson is claening up. He picks up his keys off the table.
John (talking a little above a whisper): Listen, has he had any kind of girlfriend, boyfriend, a realtionship? Ever?
Mrs. Hudson( also talking just above a whisper): I don’t know.
They both look toward Sherlock who is still playing the violin, his back to them.
John turns back to Mrs. Hudson.
John (in a somewhat frustrated tone): How could we not know?
Mrs. Hudson (shrugs): He’s Sherlock. How will we ever know what goes on in that funny old head?
John smiles, and they both turn toward Sherlock again.
John (tosses his keys a little into the air): Alright, see ya.
He turns and walks out. (cut ends) Mrs. Hudson looks at Sherlock again while the sound of John’s footsteps are heard going down the stairs. She walks out of the room.
221B exterior. John walks out the front door and starts walking down the sidewalk. A woman in a black dress is standing outside calls out to him.
Woman: John?
John: (turning around. The sounds of Sherlock’s violin can still be heard) Yep? (sees woman) Hello.(then struck by her looks. Slower, he speaks again) Hello.
Woman: So. Any plans for New Year’s tonight?
John (slying smiling): Ahh (looks behind him then back to her). Nothing fixed. Nothing I couldn’t heartlessly abandon. You have any ideas?
The woman looks behind her.
Woman: One. (cut ends) A black car pulls up right next to where they’re standing. He shakes his head a little.
John looks over to the car and then walks towards it.
John: You know, Mycroft could just phone me, if he didn’t have this bloody, stupid, power complex.
Sherlock to the rescue
A couple seconds is cut of Sherlock looking up the stairs with a look of quiet seething on his face
Importance – minor. Perosnally, I am glad that this scene was not cut more than that. This is my favorite scene in the episode :).
After Sherlock sprays and headbutts the gunman, the is a couple cut of Sherlock looking back at the gunman after checking Mrs. Hudson and the black car pulling up and John getting out.
Later when John is attending to Mrs. Hudson’s injuries, the gunman’s shadow is seen falling and a crashing sound is heard.
Mrs. Hudson: Oh, that was right on top of my bins!
The groaning of the gunman from outside is cut out
X-raying the phone
A couple seconds are cut out near the end of the scene with Sherlock and Molly.
The trio at Baker Street
After Sherlok and John finding Irene asleep in Sherlock’s bed, they begin to ask her questions.
Sherlock: So who’s after you?
Irene: PEople who want to kill me.
Sherlock: And who’s that?
Irene: Killers.
(cut) John: It would help yif you were a tiny bit more specific.(cut ends)
Sherlock: So you faked you’re own death in order to get ahead of them?
Irene: It’ll work for a while.
Sherlock: Except you let John know you’re alive and therefore me.
Irene: I knew you’d keep my secret.
Sherlock: You couldn’t.
Irene: But you did, didn’t you?
Pause.
Irene: Where’s my camera phone?
John: It’s not here. We’re not stupid.
Irene: (cut) Then what have you done with it? (cut ends) If they guessed you got it, they’ll be watching you.
Dear me Mr. Holmes, dear me.
A few seconds of Mycroft sitting with a look of worry on his face is cut.
Catching a flight
A souple seconds are cut from the car that is driving Sherlock to the plane.
After the confrontation with Mycroft and Irene, there’s a couple seconds of the plane’s exterior that was cut.
An unlikely meeting place
In the rain, John and Mycroft meet in front of the Speedy’s sandwich shop. A couple seconds are cut from the time Mycroft steps on his cigerrette to after John follows him int othe cafe.
Another second is cut after Mycroft mentions that initially Sherlock wanted to be a pirate.
Last couple seconds of silence at the end of the scene are also cut.
John hands over Irene’s phone
Sherlock: That her phone?
John: Yes, I was just about to take it back. (looks at Sherlock who has gone back to sitting at his microscope) Do you want to…?
Sherlock takes a deep breath. John quietlystands there, still holding Irene’s file and phone, looking at Sherlock. A couple seconds is cut of him standing there.
John: Listen, actually….
Sherlock: No, but I will have the camera phone then. (He holds out his hand while still looking through his microscope)
John (looking down at the pile of Irene’s file) But there’s nothing on it any more. It’s been stripped.
Sherlock: I know, but I…(moves his hand again towards John, still looking through the microscope) I’ll still have it.
(cut) John: I’ve gotta give this back to Mycroft. You can’t keep it…
Sherlock, still holding out his hand. (cut ends)
John: Sherlock, I have to give this to Mycroft. It’s the government’s now. I couldn’t…
Sherlock (still holding out his hand): Please.
John looks at Sherlock’s hand and then back to him. He thinks about it and then goes inside the clear plastic bag and pulls out the phone and puts it in Sherlock’s hand.
Sherlock: Thank you (all while still looking thorugh his microscope.)
The Reenactments
It is fun to see how people re-enact scenes from a Holmes production. Below are live and animated re-enacted scenes both from the Granada series and BBC’s Sherlock. I include the original scene and same scene, redone:
The Dancing Men
Sherlock Holmes – The Dancing Men 1/6
Skip to 2:53 in the video to watch Watson’s astonishment as Holmes makes an “absurdly simple” deduction about him. Ends at 5:47. Or you can watch the whole episode if you wish (I recommend that! One of the best episodes of the series!)
Sherlock Holmes The Dancing Men (Jeremy Brett) Cartoon
An adorable cartoon version, using the audio from the above episode. Animation has a nice folkart quality to it. I posted in the comments section that it reminded me of the 1990s cartoon, Dr. Katz (without the shaking). And I always laugh at Watson’s confused face.
The Resident Patient
The Resident Patient part 6
You only need to skip to :19 to get to the scene. If you watch from the beginning, you’d be spoiled somewhat since this segment is near the end and Watson narrates what happened to the villains after the mystery had been solved. The scene in the sitting room is not in the original story, but incredibly charming and, as far as character goes, it’s very canonical. The song Holmes is playing on his violin is Beethoven’s Violin Concerto, 3rd movement.
The Resident Patient
Take one YouTuber (in this case, dalek42), have him play both Watson and Holmes well, and you have a great little tribute to the show! While the Watson angle is a bit dark, his timing is very good. I love how his Holmes rolls the “r” in “What’s wrong?”. And the smily face on the bedroom door! Just thinking of Holmes having a smily face on his door is hilarious…..
The Great Game
….Which brings me to Sherlock shooting a smiley face into his wall. This is from BBC’s Sherlock, the third episode “The Great Game”. The argument that Sherlock and John have here (in the show, they call each other by there first name rather than their last) is from the canon: Holmes not liking what Watson had published about their first case is from the second story, “Sign of Four”, and the solar system is from the very first story, “A Study in Scarlet”. Along with Holmes shooting into the wall, from The Musgrave Ritual, though in the story he shoots nota smiley face, but the letters V R, standing for Victoria Regina (another name for Queen Victoria).
Although I was not able to find the whole scene in one video, I found three short ones that has almost the whole thing (minus a second or two):
Sherlock “Bored” Scene Recreation
These guys usually do videos based on Doctor Who (both original stories and also hilarious impersonations), but after a number of requests, they redid the above scene (minus the head-in-the-fridge bit):
For those curious, below is the original solar system argument:
My surprise reached a climax, however, when I found incidentally that he was ignorant of the Copernican Theory and of the composition of the Solar System. That any civilized human being in this nineteenth century should not be aware that the earth travelled round the sun appeared to be to me such an extraordinary fact that I could hardly realize it.
“You appear to be astonished,” he said, smiling at my expression of surprise. “Now that I do know it I shall do my best to forget it.”
“To forget it!”
“You see,” he explained, “I consider that a man’s brain originally is like a little empty attic, and you have to stock it with such furniture as you choose. A fool takes in all the lumber of every sort that he comes across, so that the knowledge which might be useful to him gets crowded out, or at best is jumbled up with a lot of other things so that he has a difficulty in laying his hands upon it. Now the skilful workman is very careful indeed as to what he takes into his brain-attic. He will have nothing but the tools which may help him in doing his work, but of these he has a large assortment, and all in the most perfect order. It is a mistake to think that that little room has elastic walls and can distend to any extent. Depend upon it there comes a time when for every addition of knowledge you forget something that you knew before. It is of the highest importance, therefore, not to have useless facts elbowing out the useful ones.”
“But the Solar System!” I protested.
“What the deuce is it to me?” he interrupted impatiently; “you say that we go round the sun. If we went round the moon it would not make a pennyworth of difference to me or to my work.”
Since restarting this blog, there has been a new Sherlock Holmes series, called, simply. Sherlock (Original, right? LOL!). I will post my review of it here (I have it posted somewhere else at the moment). But I wanted to show some brilliant fanvids here.
A Study in Time
Oh My Gosh! This video just blew me away. It’s done like a BBC trailer for a show (even has the BBC One logo on the bottom), combining Sherlock and Doctor Who (BTW, both shows are written and (in the case of Sherlock) created by (Steven Moffat (head DW writer) and Mark Gatiss). Unfortunately, Moffat has said that he will never combine the two on one show though I think he should for charity like Big Nose Day or Children in Need. Anyway….
Short explanation of the Sherlock show. Holmes (played by Benedict Cumberbatch) and Watson (Martin Freeman) are brought up in present day instead of Victorian England. If you haven’t seen it, please do yourself a favor and watch it! Acting, writing, sets, etc., top notch! The song is Cracking the Code by PostHaste Music.
Sherlock Holmes: The Boys Are Back
I found out about this video from the Baker Street Blog (a great blog to find out news from the world of Holmes and Watson) a while back. This includes 5 different sets of Holmes-Watson teams: Rathbone-Bruce, Brett-Burke, Basil-Dawson (from Disney’s Great Mouse Detective movie), Downey-Law, and Cumberbatch-Freeman. Note that in different clips Holmes is playing the violin during the guitar solo…. nice touch!
Sherlock – ‘tick, Tick BOOM’
A short one. And loud music. Probably will attract attention if you play it with people around. Tick Tick Boom by The Hives.
Sherlock – Life in Technicolour
Life in Tecnicolour ii is one of the best songs by Coldplay, so put together with one of the beat teams of Holmes & Watson, it’s hard to not like it :). But it’s a short video :(, still brilliant though.
Fast-forward 17 years and he was picked by Guy Ritchie to play the lead in Sherlock Holmes, which, honestly, sounded a little weird. For Chaplin, he played someone who was about 5’4″. And years later he plays someone who is described by Watson as being at least 6 feet tall. Either way, I did (and still do) enjoy his take on the Great Detective. He did win a Golden Globe for “Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy” for his portrayal of Holmes (a category I still don’t understand how he won, but he won it. So, YAY!)
On season 2, episode 1 of BBC’s excellent show Sherlock, “A Scandal in Bohemia”, John Watson’s girlfriend Jeanette is played play by Charlie’s granddaughter (Geraldine’s daughter), Oona Chaplin. When I was first watching the episode, I didn’t know who the actress was but there was something about her… I couldn’t put my finger on it. She seemed familiar, and at the same time not familiar. When I immediately re-watched the episode for the second time (because it was so mind blowingly awesome), I paid more attention to the ending credits, and the name “Oona Chaplin” jumped out at me. I threw my arms up in the air and shouted “WOOOOOOOHOOOO!!!” and did a happy dance. And so a new Chaplin comes face to face with the great detective.
