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DVD Review: SHERLOCK HOLMES

Studio: Kino
Year: 1922
Cast: John Barrymore, Roland Young, Carol Dempster, Louis Wolheim, Gustav von Seyffertitz, William Powell,Hedda Hopper
Director: Albert Parker
Release Date: July 07, 2009
Rating: Not Rated for (mild violence, brief scene of torture, suicide)
Run Time: 01h:25m
Genre(s): mystery

"Now go and tell the others what happens when they disobey me." - Professor Moriarty (Gustav von Seyffertitz)

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While Arthur Conan Doyle's detective was a huge hit in print, many of the enduring qualities that are featured in the movies and television presentations had their roots in the play by William Gillette. Kino provides us with a new restoration of the filmed version starring the legendary John Barrymore. But is it a Jekyll or a Hyde?

Movie Grade: B

DVD Grade: C

The story centers on Holmes' legendary conflict with Professor Moriarty (Gustav von Seyffertitz), who is at the center of numerous unsolved crimes. The origin of this conflict is traced to a confrontation between the two while Holmes is still a student, in a lengthy prologue devoted to an attempt by Moriarty to frame Prince Alexis (Reginald Denny) for a theft of funds. Years later, Holmes is again contacted by Alexis, who is being threatened with blackmail based on some letters in the hands of his former fiancee's sister, Alice Faulkner (Carol Dempster). Alice is resentful, since her sister committed suicide after being jilted by the prince years before, and there are some sinister matters hinted at but never entirely explained. Holmes decides to take the case after learning that Moriarty is interested, and he has an interest of his own since he has long had an affection for Alice. Moriarty is not only determined to blackmail the Prince, but is also desirous of eliminating the thorn of Holmes from his side once and for all.

The screenplay is very loosely based on the stories by Doyle, though the source material can on occasion be seen peeping through. While Barrymore looks as if he had stepped out of a Sidney Paget illustration for the stories, Holmes doesn't much act according to his familiar characterizations. There is one instance of him using a disguise, but there is no deduction used at all other than the obligatory sequence in which he mystifies Dr. Watson by knowing so much about his personal habits. It's a little annoying that Holmes blunders about through most of the picture, and is rather ineffectual for large parts of it.

The casting is for the most part excellent, however, with von Seyffertitz making a marvelously wicked Moriarty, and credibly commanding an army of the underworld (the likeness to Dr. Mabuse, who was appearing at about the same time, is probably not coincidental). The picture marks the film debuts of Roland Young as well as an unrecognizably young William Powell as a henchman of Moriarty who turns coat and works for Holmes. Dempster is the weak link unfortunately, since there is little about her that demonstrates any reason for her to be appealing to Holmes; no Irene Adler this woman, though that's the obvious model.

Despite its stage origins, the picture never feels stagebound. Director Albert Parker does a fine job of opening up the movie with exterior sequences and significant editing that avoids a static appearance. However, he cleverly shoots the suspenseful moment of the second confrontation between the protagonists as if it were a stage play, using the full screen to keep the viewer at the edge of the seat.

The presentation is that of the George Eastman House's print, which was restored in 2001 (and apparently again in 2008). It seems a little choppy and disjointed at spots, which may indicate some missing footage, though I'm not familiar enough with the picture to say for certain that there are scenes gone astray. The finale feels rushed a bit, and just a little too convenient. The source print is in decent enough condition, with few major tears, and most of the damage limited to speckling and typical wear. Ben Model contributes an evocative organ score that makes use of a highly convincing synthesizer to give plenty of impact and a sensation of a genuine theatre organ (including nice low bass to give even the most sturdy of subwoofers a workout).

Posted by: Mark Zimmer - July 7, 2009, 8:10 pm - DVD Review
Keywords: doyle, detective, mystery, sherlock holmes