There are two things to recommend this film. First of all, it is in marvelous condition for something made in 1916. Secondly, we get to see the famous William Gilette, who played the great detective over 1000 times on the stage. This version is the stage version, sans most of the dialogue. The story is a bit confusing at first, but it involves a young woman whose sister had an affair with royalty. She has letters that would prove embarrassing to a prince. Holmes has been hired to get those letters (like in "A Scandal in Bohemia"). There are a man and his wife, the Larabees, who also want to get their hands on those letters in order to turn a profit. Enter Moriarity, Holmes' arch rival. There are a series of ridiculous plots that don't work because people are stupid. The young woman is clueless. She also becomes a love interest for Holmes. This is out of bounds in the canon. One thing lacking is that Holmes is uninteresting and dull. He is coy and sad. His overconfidence is his greatest trait and he has none of that here. Still, as a period piece, it is fun.
Sherlock Holmes
1916
Crime / Mystery
Sherlock Holmes
1916
Crime / Mystery
6.3Keywords: kidnappingsilent filmletter
Plot summary
Sherlock Holmes, while out for a stroll with Dr. Watson, meets a beautiful woman. They are mutually attracted, but pass without recognition. Later Holmes is engaged by a noble family to recover papers involving the family in a scandal, and which are in the hands of a woman, whose sister was ruined by one of the members of the noble family. She is holding them in order to get revenge. Holmes discovers that the woman who holds these papers is the one that he had passed in the street, and to whom he was so singularly attracted. He tricks her out of the papers, but returns them to her, telling her that he believes that she will eventually give them to him of her own accord. He points out to her how much better it is to let the matter rest than to connect her own name with scandal in order to get revenge, not only on the man who caused her sister's unhappiness, but on the innocent members of his family. Holmes then goes to Watson's house, where he sends a note for the woman who holds the papers to meet him there. His cab driver, who is waiting outside, is the leader of the band of crooks. Holmes has penetrated his disguise, although the crook does not know this. Holmes brings him into the house under a pretext, and there slips handcuffs on him. He has also sent for the nobleman to come to Watson's house. He has Dr. Watson place the woman in a rear room so that she can overhear his conversation. He then turns over a package of blank papers to the nobleman, pretending he thinks they are the right ones. The nobleman berates him for having been duped. Sherlock admits it, and cries that he is ruined. The woman then rushes into the room and through her love for Sherlock gives up the real papers. The nobleman leaves satisfied and as Watson shows him to the door, Holmes slips his arms about the woman, and tells her of his love.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
Director
Top cast
Movie Reviews
Somewhat Disappointing Story
The Scarlet Letters
SHERLOCK HOLMES (Essanay, 1916),directed by Arthur Berthelet, is not the first nor the last motion picture produced depicting on the most recognizable and famous fictional detective of all time, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. What makes this edition so special is it's historical account and reproduction and cast reprising their original roles from the popular stage play, notably William Gillette (1855-1937),the actor long associated with the title role decades before Basil Rathbone won that honor though his 14-film theatrical series produced by Universal in the 1940s. Anyone familiar with the carnation of Rathbone (Sherlock Holmes) and Nigel Bruce (Doctor Watson) would immediately realize how little the renown forties series and Gillette's screen adaptation have nothing in common, not even any by-plays and great chemistry between Holmes and Watson that made the Universal films work so well.
As with many silent films of this nature, prints to SHERLOCK HOLMES have been lost to extinction until (according to the title cards with tiny printing readable only through the use of a magnifying glass) inserted prior to the opening credits),"a print was discovered in France 2014, with French-language inter-titles translated back to English." Another interesting fact is that this 1916 production was initially released as a seven reel feature while the European release in 1920 was extended with French inter-titles formatted into a four-part chaptered serial edition: ( "The Prince's Letters," "Moriarty vs. Sherlock Holmes," "A Tragic Night," and "The Triumph of Sherlock Holmes"). The restored 116 minute, color-tinted, accu-speed silent film process, completed by January 2015, would make its world television premiere October 18, 2015, on Turner Classic Movies cable channel.
Following the opening sequence capturing the legendary stage actor, William Gillette, as Sherlock Holmes, working on experiments in his laboratory, the introduction of its supporting players of the four-act story are as follows: The Larrabees, James (Mario Majeroni) and Madge (Grace Reals),unscrupulous adventurers; Alice Faulkner (Marjorie Kay),a young girl whose abused sister, now deceased, having been entrusted the indiscreet love letters written to her by the crown prince; Baron Von Stalburg (Ludwig Kreiss),the prince's assistant, and Sir Edward Leighton (Stewart Robbins),a British official, knowing the great value of those letters, attempting to retrieve them; Sid (William Postance),a resourceful cracks-man and member of the Larrabee gang; and Doctor Watson (Edward Fielding),Holmes' occasional confident. As Sherlock Holmes is hired to retrieve the stolen letters, as well as protect and later rescue the abducted Alice, the ace detective also encounters his arch enemy, Professor Moriarty (Ernest Maupain),getting into the act with the villains while at the same time avenging himself on Holmes; and Billy (Burford Hampden),a boy secretly assisting Holmes supplying him with some valuable information needed for his investigation.
Considering when SHERLOCK HOLMES was made, one can forgive primitive stand-still camera technique and limited visual close-ups on central characters most associated with movies nowadays. The acting style and method of storytelling can prove disappointing to contemporary viewers, which in fact, it is. At least it wasn't too stage bound.
As much as it's a film buffs dream having lost silent movies rediscovered and available for viewing again, especially the opportunity of seeing the actual visual image of William Gillette captured on film, rather than associating his name with his Gillette Castle home overlooking the Connecticut River. The disappointment in general lies mostly by its new scoring that accompanies this movie. Definitely not for its listening pleasure considering this being shown for the first time in nearly a century. The piano accompaniment is okay, but its overuse of violin playing simply ruins it. This film deserves better. Had SHERLOCK HOLMES been discovered in the 1960s, no doubt it would have sufficed on public television during the nostalgia boom of the 1970s with excellent William Perry piano or Gaylord Carter organ scoring from the Killiam Collection. A pity this didn't happen here.
The title SHERLOCK HOLMES would be used again in latter screen adaptations: (Goldwyn, 1922) starring John Barrymore (Holmes),Carol Dempster (Alice Faulkner) and Roland Young (Doctor Watson); and (Fox, 1932),talkie edition with the Gillette look-alike Clive Brook (Holmes),Miriam Jordan (Alice Faulkner) and Reginald Owen (Doctor Watson),all forgotten editions with limited reissues and appeal in modern times, yet there's more to Sherlock Holmes of the movies than anyone would come to realize. This is one of them. (**)
Sherlock Holmes lives once more!
OMG, do I love this classic movie.
At long last, the great William Gillette is more than a footnote and a photo, but the man who MADE Sherlock Holmes alive for so many before us! The curved Meerschaum pipe is at last remembered for what it was... A stage relived item so as not to maim the voice of the REAL Sherlock Holmes. And the famous Sherlock robe we have seen in Sidney Paget illustrations in the Canon that was created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in his 56 treasures.
For over 1400 performances on stage, this Connecticut Yankee brought the British detective as actor William Gillette... not to mention, the radio play he once did, and many actors had wonderful careers bringing Sherlock onto the stage for at least 100 years.
It's hard to conceive after watching this recording of historic magnitude, that Gillette got boos from London audiences but Gillette stood through this before speaking to them. This amazing moment was brought to the British public by an English reviewer who said that this same British public owed Gillette an apology, and he said it all n his review. Imagine! A Brit praised this Connecticut Yankee this way. Good for him.
The DVD brings to marvelous excellence William Gillette's astounding performance. I had expected the usual almost cartoonish physicality, but I was so wrong. Gillette makes me understand why he was as revered actor and performer. One reviewer brought up that he was almost doing the later performance of Jeremy Brett, and having seen it now, I cannot disagree.
The astonishing work of this movie has marveled me into a luxurious gift into the long past that never ages. I feel blessed to having seen this incredible actor's most celebrated performance to know that the true Sherlock Holmes is alive forever!
To the guide of Gillette Castle in Connecticut gave me terribly wrong information that THE William Gillette never performed this movie even with an enlarged photo of the man in this performance I now own with all of my Sherlock performances on video, and for that I feel I am blessed forever.
Please watch this fabulous film and see for yourselves all that I have said is true. Basil, Arthur Wontner, Eille Norwood and Jeremy Brett owe everything to William Gillette as well as they and the Conan Doyle Canon.
It's all here on this gift to all of you Sherlock Holmes fans.