"Murder Rooms: Mysteries of the Real Sherlock Holmes" The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes (2000)

Director:

Paul Seed

Writer:

David Pirie (writer)

TV Series:

"Murder Rooms: Mysteries of the Real Sherlock Holmes" (2000)

Original Air Date:

4 January 2000

Tagline:

He taught him the finer points...of murder!

Plot:

Arthur Conan Doyle reveals the story behind Sherlock Holmes and his mysteries by telling about Dr. Joseph Bell.

Plot Keywords:

Sherlock Holmes | Surgeon | Gas | Medical School | Author

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Ian Richardson	...	Dr. Joseph Bell
Sean Wightman	...	Mortuary Clerk
Robin Laing	...	Arthur Conan Doyle
Dolly Wells	...	Elspeth Scott
Charles Dance	...	Sir Henry Carlyle
Ralph Riach	...	The Strand Editor
Aly Bain	...	The Fiddler
Andrew John Tait	...	Eustace Stark
Alan Sinclair	...	Medical Lecturer
Alec Newman	...	Thomas Neill
Tamsin Pike	...	Sophia
Joel Strachan	...	Crawford
David Walker	...	Baxter (as David MacDowell)
Sarah Collier	...	Mary Doyle
John Bett	...	Charles Doyle

Runtime:

104 min (2 parts)

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Sweden:Btl

Filming Locations:

Overtoun House, Dumbarton, West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, UK

Company:

The Television Production Company

Quotes:

Arthur Conan Doyle: I only wish I'd never met you. He kills her and then escapes and you can do nothing? Your method sir, is a pitiful lie!
Dr. Joseph Bell: No, this is the lie! There is no possible reason for it, no gain, no profit - not even wicked pleasure. And if this is the future Doyle, I reject it - utterly and with contempt!

Movie Connections:

Followed by "Murder Rooms: Mysteries of the Real Sherlock Holmes: The Kingdom of Bones" (2001)

Engrossing biodrama

There is something completely engrossing about this dark drama. The characters are all the more interesting because you know they exist, and all the brilliance of the Sherlock Holmes novels is present.

And whats more, it's a fascinating insight into the beginnings of both Sherlock Holmes, and possibly, more importantly, Dr Watson, who is in fact Sir Arthur Conan Doyle himself. It is dark, and may be considered gruesome, but all the while, this TV movie paints a vivid picture of turn of the century England. Entertaining and fascinating, "Dr Bell and Mr Doyle: The Dark Beginnings Of Sherlock Holmes" is possibly the best telemovie I've seen.