Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Silk Stocking (2004) (TV)

Director:

Simon Cellan Jones

Writers:

Allan Cubitt (writer)
Arthur Conan Doyle (characters)

Release Date:

26 December 2004 (UK)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery

Plot:

A serial killer stalking the teen-aged daughters of the aristocracy brings Sherlock Holmes out of his drug-filled semi-retirement. |

Plot Keywords:

High Society | Funeral | Foot | Debutante | Drugs

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Rupert Everett	...	Sherlock Holmes
Nicholas Palliser	...	Dr. Dunwoody
Neil Dudgeon	...	Lestrade
Ian Hart	...	Dr. Watson
Anne Carroll	...	Mrs. Hudson (as Anne Caroll)
Tamsin Egerton	...	Miranda Helhoughton
Perdita Weeks	...	Roberta Massingham
Jennifer Moule	...	Georgina Massingham
Eleanor David	...	Mary Pentney
John Cunningham	...	Bates
Michael Fassbender	...	Charles Allen
Jonathan Hyde	...	George Pentney
Gina Beck	...	Maid
Helen McCrory	...	Mrs. Vandeleur
Andrew Wisher	...	Constable (as Andy Wisher)

Also Known As:

The Return of Sherlock Holmes (UK) (working title)

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

UK:15 | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

Tiger Aspect Productions

Trivia:

Daniel Webb played Lestrade in Hound Of The Baskervilles but was not available to play the role again

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The police are seen using telephones in 1902, but in reality, the first phone was not installed at New Scotland Yard until 1903.

Quotes:

Dr. Watson: Once again, Holmes, you've deliberately held me at arm's length. I really think you might treat me with a little more frankness.
Sherlock Holmes: My profession would be a drab and sordid one, Watson, if I did not sometimes set the scene to glorify the results.
Dr. Watson: You have a peculiar secretive streak in you, Holmes.
Sherlock Holmes: The only safe plotter is he who plots alone.
Dr. Watson: Thank you for that vote of confidence.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Time Shift: A Study in Sherlock" (2007)

A Good Holmes, A Mediocre Story

Stage, screen, and television adaptations or features using Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's characters turn on one simple, inescapable point: do we believe the actor as Holmes? If the answer is yes, then a bad story is still pretty good. If the answer is no, then whatever other attractions the story holds are worthless.

The answer here is clearly yes: Rupert Everett is very good as Sherlock Holmes. The transfer from print to screen is almost flawless. If anything, too much is made of Holmes' obvious flaws as a human being: his recreational drug use, patronizing arrogance, indifference to the feelings of others, preoccupation with the workings of his own mind. This Holmes reminds me of Dorian Gray. It is only his love of solving crimes that keeps him from committing them.

The story is pretty pedestrian. This isn't quite as bad as "the butler did it," but it's close. I won't spoil the movie as others here have by saying more. I liked the scenes where Holmes is reasoning out who the killer is. This was clever, unforeseen, and quite believable. But, from the time the chief suspect is identified, until he was finally caught .. the entire climax of the movie, in other words .. was ..well, trite, clichéd, and elementary, my dear Watson ..

Kudos to Helen McCrory and Perdita Weeks in supporting performances.