TCM Broadcast of Sherlock Holmes (1922) on 27 December 2009
gerry
restored Eastman House version of the John Barrymore silent.
TCM December 27, 2009
12:00 AM Sherlock Holmes (1922)
Sherlock Holmes faces off against Professor Moriarty. Cast: John
Barrymore, Roland Young, Carol Dempster. Dir: Albert Parker. BW-86
mins, TV-G
Old Movie Fan
Perhaps we can stay on topic when the film is discussed next week?
Rich Wagner
gerry
Probably not. Not one of my New Year's resolutions.
This film's director, Albert Parker, had an odd sort of movie career,
from the IMDb record. After making the hit Fairbank's movie, The
Black Pirate, in 1926, he directed one more movie in Hollywood, The
Love of Sunya (1927) for Gloria Swanson, then he pops up 5 years later
directing a talkie in England. Most of the UK movies are Fox movies
for British first release.
It would be interesting to know what happened in the Parker movie
interregnum between Hollywood and London. In Hollywood then and now,
maybe the principle of "out of sight, out of mind" applied to Parker.
Or maybe Parker could not adapt to the rigid studio setup, the "dream
factory," that characterized Hollywood movie making from the late 20s
to the mid 50s.
Old Movie Fan
Holmes saga, and was prepared to be disappointed when watching it today.
I was not disappointed at all! I found the entire film exciting to
watch, and that's seldom my reaction to anything I see.
The critics were wrong perhaps because they have only seen this during
some marathon of silent films on the screen? This has a very compelling
story and much attention is required to see all of the details.
At nearly 90 minutes in length, it can be a challenge for many to
watch such an intellectual story in one sitting. There's no comic
relief or much exciting action, but it did remind me of Fritz Lang's
"Dr. Mabuse" (also made in 1922).
The only complaint I had after watching the film was that some of the
early titles (in white letters), were superimposed over a bright image
where the white was washed out by the background. These were apparently
from the original 1922 film and they would have been nearly impossible
to decipher while watching it on the screen. It's too bad that they
weren't replaced by traditional intertitles.
I was able to pause at these points (to figure them out), since I
recorded this from TCM.
The story is really quite fascinating, as is the development of
Sherlock Holmes, from the student, to Sherlock Holmes the detective.
His pipe, his violin, his famous hat, deductive reasoning, clever
disguises; every aspect of the legendary character was seen in the film
at some point. There's also a fiendish scene where a secret gas chamber
is used that adds lots of tension to the plot. There is some missing
footage at this point, but it did not prevent me from enjoying the hard
work done by Kevin Brownlow and the film's director, Albert Parker.
And what a moral character Barrymore's Holmes was!
Learning that the Prince had driven his espoused to commit suicide,
Holmes holds the prince morally responsible for the deed, refusing to
help him, even when it concerned a threat from Professor Moriarty
(Holmes' nemesis).
Professor Moriarty appearance seemed much like Barrymore's portrayal
of Mr. Hyde in the 1920 film (only without the pointed head).
Roland Young (best known as Topper), begins as a clean shaven student,
before we later see him with his trademark moustache, very much like he
had in most all of his later films.
I'm only just beginning my relatioship with Sherlock Holmes and this
silent will be seen again and again.
Rich Wagner
Stephen Cooke
I'm assuming it is, since that disc is fairly recent, but any info would
be appreciated.
Thanks!
*s*
gerry
The KINO DVD identifies itself as an Eastman House restoration, so it
is the same version if the Nitrateville info is correct. The movie
starts off with a view of London taken from an airplane, something you
would not expect from a Sherlock Holmes silent. But then, Samuel
Goldwyn shipped his cast of American stars to London to film the
movie, when studios like Fox recreated overseas venues on their back
lot.
Stephen Cooke
list.
Also, I don't know if it's been mentioned here, but there's a recent
three-DVD set called Sherlock Holmes: The Archive Collection that mixes
sound and silent versions of the great detective, plus some TV pieces and
short films and cartoons that spoof him.
On the silent side of things, there's a French adaptation of The Copper
Beeches from 1912 with Georges Treville as Holmes, and 1921's The Man With
the Twisted Lip starring Eille Norwood, who played Holmes nearly 50 times
between 1921 and 1923.
There's also the early talkie The Sleeping Cardinal (a.k.a. Sherlock
Holmes Fatal Hour) from 1931 with Arthur Wontner, 1933's The Strange Case
of Hennessy (a comedy short with Cliff Edwards as "Silo Dance") and the
all-chimp cast of A Case of Hypnosis, among other things. There's also a
1930 puppet film called Limehouse Mystery with "Herlock Sholmes" and a
Chinese dancer named "Anna Went Wrong" (of course Anna May Wong was in
Robert Florey's A Study in Scarlet, but that was a few years after this
little novelty).
Considering it's only $20 or so, the quality of the films is surprisingly
good (the French silent is very sharp, with some decomp at reel changes).
*s*