The 1970 film The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes is a British mystery comedy film directed by Billy Wilder and starring Robert Stephens as Sherlock Holmes and Colin Blakely as Dr. Watson. The film is a loose adaptation of the Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle, and it is notable for its humorous and satirical approach to the character of Sherlock Holmes.
The film begins with Holmes being bored and restless. He is approached by a beautiful Russian ballerina, Madame Petrova (Tamara Toumanova), who asks him to be the father of her child. Holmes is initially reluctant, but he is eventually persuaded to agree.
However, Holmes's plans are complicated when he is called upon to investigate the case of a missing woman. The woman's husband, Gabrielle Valladon (Genevieve Page), is a French engineer who is working on a secret project for the British government. Holmes and Watson travel to Scotland to investigate the case, and they soon discover that the missing woman is involved in a conspiracy to steal the British government's secrets.
Along the way, Holmes and Watson encounter a variety of strange and interesting characters, including a group of dwarves, a Scottish lord, and a beautiful woman named Mycroft Holmes (Christopher Lee).
The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes is a unique and entertaining film that offers a different perspective on the character of Sherlock Holmes. It is a film that is sure to please fans of the Sherlock Holmes stories, as well as fans of comedy and satire.
Here are some of the themes of the film:
- The nature of love and relationships
- The conflict between science and superstition
- The importance of friendship and loyalty
- The power of the human mind
- The absurdity of bureaucracy
The film was a critical and commercial success upon its release, and it has since become a cult classic. It is considered to be one of the best films ever made about Sherlock Holmes.
Trailer
Cast
- Robert Stephens as Sherlock Holmes
- Colin Blakely as Dr. John H. Watson
- Geneviève Page as Gabrielle Valladon/Ilse von Hoffmanstal
- Christopher Lee as Mycroft Holmes
- Irene Handl as Mrs. Hudson
- Clive Revill as Rogozhin
- Tamara Toumanova as Madame Petrova
- Stanley Holloway as 1st Gravedigger
- Mollie Maureen as Queen Victoria
- Catherine Lacey as Old Woman
- James Copeland as the guide
- Jenny Hanley as a prostitute (scene deleted)
- Peter Madden as Von Tirpitz
- Michael Balfour as Cabby
- Robert Cawdron as Hotel Manager
- Alex McCrindle as Baggageman
- Frank Thornton as Porter
- Graham Armitage as Wiggins (uncredited)
- Ina De La Haye as Petrova's Maid (uncredited)
- George Benson as Inspector Lestrade (uncredited
Director: Billy Wilder
Writers: I. A. L. Diamond Billy Wilder
Box Office Gross: $19,773
Distributor: United Artists
Genre: Adventure Comedy Crime Mystery Romance Thriller
Release Date: 29 October 1970