Golden Age of Hollywood Book Club discussion

Your five favorite Holmes stories?

Either in film, print, stage, or any other media

Mine:
The Bruce Partington Plans
The Second Stain
The Six Napoleons
The Red-Headed League
The Speckled Band

Favourite book-length:
The Sign of the Four

Favorite adaptation:
The Case of Alice Faulkner
(Frank Langella)

Setting aside Nigel Bruce / Basil Rathbone, I've seen all these guys play Holmes and was always left feeling so-so:
Michael Caine
Nicol Williamson
Roger Moore
Charlton Heston
Larry Hagman
George C. Scott
Christopher Plummer

1. The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle
2. The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual
3. The Adventure of the Final Problem/ The Adventure of the Empty House
4. The Adventure of the Three Garridebs
5. Hound of the Baskervilles

Mine are not in any particular order.

I realize the TV series with Jeremy Brett is not applicable for this list, but I don't think it should be ignored. Brett was superb and when I think of Holmes, he's the one I think of.

Brett was excellent as Holmes but I always go back to Basil Rathbone as he looks exactly as I imagined Holmes looked. But the films were ruined by the idiotic buffoonery of Nigel Bruce's Dr. Watson. Why in the world did they do that as it was nothing like the book's character?

It is tough to pick out my favorite of the stories but I will mention two that I really enjoyed.

The Red Headed League
The Bruce Partington Plans

I agree that Basil Rathbone made an excellent Holmes, but as you say the Watson character was so ludicrous that it 'ruined' much of the enjoyment.

I concur about Jeremy Brett. He was a consummate professional. His early film roles are as fascinating as his work for Granada and Thames television.

Look for him in a thriller called the Narrow Verge or something.

Jill H. wrote: "Brett was excellent as Holmes but I always go back to Basil Rathbone as he looks exactly as I imagined Holmes looked. But the films were ruined by the idiotic buffoonery of Nigel Bruce's Dr. Watson..."

Probably because the Rathbone movies were not closely adapted from Conan Doyle scripts.

When writers from the studio 'stable' took over, they gave Holmes standard crime yarns to engage in. Everyday bargain-basement crook-chasing which required none of the amazing deduction which Conan Doyle devised.

Under such circumstance, Holmes was just like any other sleuth (Nick Carter, The Saint, etc). All his rather dull contemporaries.

Those kind of detectives always need a sidekick to "ask the stupid questions" and make the Hero shine up better.

It carried over into the Rathbone/Bruce radio program. Several times there, Holmes actually chides Watson out loud, as an idiot.

Shocking lack of British decorum

BTW, I've even heard it said that Holmes is the most-adapted fictional character (adapted into radio, movies, TV, etc).

More so than all the robots, vampires, pirates, ninjas, or zombies out there.

More than Dracula, more than Batman or Superman.

Can you name any other character who is as well known?

I doubt if anyone will top Holmes but during the 30-40's there were many B pictures and radio programs based on book fictional detectives. Some of them are fairly well known.

Just a few are:
Charlie Chan (film and radio)
Boston Blackie (film and radio)
Ellery Queen (film, radio, tv
Nick and Nora Charles (film)
Michael Shane (film and radio)
Perry Mason (tv adaptation made this character most recognized)
Hercule Poirot (film, tv)

I'm sure I've left out many but Holmes takes the prize.