Jeremy Brett: the perfect Sherlock Holmes or no?

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

according to this week's issue of The Lineup, actor Jeremy Brett is "widely considered the most accurate Holmes in history."

Here's an article from the archives of "The Armchair Detective" to read, but this is a great question.

http://www.the-line-up.com/jeremy-bre...

Who's your favorite Holmes????

[Bill]

Good question, I'll have to think about this. Is it the one who portrayed Holmes the most accurately or the one who was most entertaining? Thinking now.. :)

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Most entertaining -- definitely Benedict Cumberbatch for me. Most accurately portrayed -- have to think about that one!

[Feliks]

Augh! Oy vey. This very question has generated one of the most vociferous and long-winded debates in Goodreads' brief history.

See here:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Feliks wrote: "Augh! Oy vey. This very question has generated one of the most vociferous and long-winded debates in Goodreads' brief history.

See here:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/......"


Thanks for the link, and if people wish to revisit that topic, well, good for them.

Here I'm just asking a question that is meant to be purely for fun. Not for debate purposes, although comments are always welcome.

[Feliks]

I'm safe on this score. I'm going to leave all my comments in that link rather than repeat them here. People can seek them out if they wish. I'm on best behavior! :D

[Terri]

Benedict first then Jeremy...

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Feliks wrote: "I'm safe on this score. I'm going to leave all my comments in that link rather than repeat them here. People can seek them out if they wish. I'm on best behavior! :D"

And I sincerely (NO LIE) appreciate that, Feliks! Thank you.

[Feliks]

The link is just above in message#4! You can see me fly off the handle there, not here. Basically I'm a passionate fan of the Brett Series and I explain why in detail, therein. Cheers also to the two Watsons in that series -- Edward Hardwicke (the Hardwickes are an acting family of long tenure, Hardwicke had a cameo in 'Jackal' and his grandfather held an Oscar) and young David Burke. Burke went on to play Stalin in 'Reilly'.

[Skye]

Great question, Nancy, and if I gave my opinion, I would probably be banned forever from this thread.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Skye wrote: "Great question, Nancy, and if I gave my opinion, I would probably be banned forever from this thread."

not true at all, Skye!

[Skye]

Mary wrote: "Skye wrote: "Great question, Nancy, and if I gave my opinion, I would probably be banned forever from this thread."

Haha! You should read what I said about Downton Abbey! If I'm not banned no one ..."

:)

[Barbara]

Jeremy Brett is an excellent Sherlock; I liked Basil Rathbone also.

In the modern version Cumberbatch is fine; I can't quite see Brett or Rathbone as techies with cell phones, computers, etc.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Mary wrote: "Jeremy Brett had to use an oxygen tank behind the scenes. He had a heart disease. He was dying and he knew he was dying. He said, "But darlings, the show must go on." Ya gotta love that!"

He was also married for a time to one of my all-time favorite actresses, Anna Massey.

[Feliks]

Barbara wrote: "In the modern version Cumberbatch is fine; I can't quite see Brett or Rathbone as techies with cell phones, computers, etc."

Good grief. That --by definition--is not Sherlock Holmes. Holmes stories either take place in the late 1800s or not at all. Sorry, there's just no two ways about that point. I hadn't realized this Cumberbatch version is written for contemporary times. This immediately disqualifies it--I'm going over to that other thread and tell them so.

I have seen the show 'Elementary' and--well--nevermind. :)

[Feliks]

Nancy wrote: "He was also married for a time to one of my all-time favorite actresses, Anna Massey...."

Brett was a fine, fine, authentic-as-they-come, British actor who earned-his-chops under the old school. He came up through the system when Olivier, Guinness, Richardson, Gielgud, and Burton ruled England. Although never a superstar himself, he acquitted himself very ably all throughout his quiet career, long before he was chosen for Holmes. I've seen him in stage plays and in suspense movies; in old b&w flicks and in color TV..seen him play romantic leading men, dab/debonair playboys, and violent psychos. He was experienced and professional; and learned his craft in the toughest & most competitive era of Brit media. 100% respect for Brett. He had unmatched credentials for the price BBC paid. They'd have been hard put to find better. Patrick Stewart perhaps; but he hadn't made his comeback yet at that date. It's fun to watch old episodes of "I, Claudius" to see Stewart when he had a full head of curly black hair; as well as seeing a boyish Derek Jacobi..Jacobi co-stars in 'Jackal' of course, but who could tell just by looking at him? What a chameleon!

[Feliks]

p.s. Anna Massey! I've seen her in at least one role: a little English movie called 'Rabid'. She's the kind of star whom I know more by her 'face' than by her name.

Another one who strikes me similarly: actress Wendy Craig.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Feliks wrote: "p.s. Anna Massey! I've seen her in at least one role: a little English movie called 'Rabid'. She's the kind of star whom I know more by her 'face' than by her name.

Another one who strikes me simi..."

she did a GREAT Mrs. Danvers in an old production of Rebecca.

[Feliks]

Oh aye? How about Kay Walsh, y'know her as well I imagine...what're some others...Joan Greenwood, for instance. Troopers all. Women were the backbone of the British stage.

[Bill]

Feliks wrote: "p.s. Anna Massey! I've seen her in at least one role: a little English movie called 'Rabid'. She's the kind of star whom I know more by her 'face' than by her name.

Another one who strikes me simi..."

I liked Anna Massey in Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy.

[Feliks]

Ah yah! That's actually my #1 favorite Hitch film. See? I know her face but not her name. Wouldn't have remembered her from the credits. Anyway, that flick is a corker! Its..unwholesome!

[Bill]

It was indeed. I kind of liked it too.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Bill wrote: "Feliks wrote: "p.s. Anna Massey! I've seen her in at least one role: a little English movie called 'Rabid'. She's the kind of star whom I know more by her 'face' than by her name.

Another one who ..."

There's another very strange film she was in called "Peeping Tom."

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Peeping Tom -- ghastly, but excellent in its own way.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

I saw it on TCM as well. Did you feel sorry for the "bad"guy?

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Mary wrote: "If memory serves, I don't think I did. Wasn't he pretty horrible?"

He was, but the idea, I think, was to examine his background. I felt incredibly sorry for him. Then again, I'm an underdog kind of person.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

Mary wrote: "He had a horrible life but he still had choices. It's true for most serial killers. That sounds cold but because of "troubled" perpetrators, people are always potential victims. Scary thought."

I've voiced that opinion more than once, Mary.

[Feliks]

For a series of superb Sherlock Holmes illustrations, use the 'net to search for the artwork of Frederick Dorr Steele

For instance:

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=Frederic+Do...

Really captures the essence of Conan Doyle's descriptions