Ten Favorite SHERLOCK HOLMES Movies
Below is a list of my favorite movies featuring Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes:
TEN FAVORITE SHERLOCK HOLMES MOVIES
1. "Without a Clue" (1988) - I still love this spoof of the Sherlock Holmes stories in which the real detective is Dr. John Watson, who has hired an unemployed alcoholic actor named Reginal Kincaid to satisfy the public's demand for a real Sherlock Holmes. In this film, the pair investigate the disappearance of Bank of England banknote plates and a printing supervisor. Michael Caine and Ben Kingsley are magic under Thom Eberhardt's direction.
2. "Sherlock Holmes" (2009) - Guy Ritchie's adaptation of Doyle's character about Holmes' conflict against a nefarious aristocratic with plans to assume political control of the British Empire has been in the theaters for five days and I have already seen it twice, That . . . is how much I love it. Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams and Mark Strong star.
3. "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" (1939) - I am a big fan of this adaptation of William Gillette's play about Sherlock Holmes' investigation of a series of death threats against a well-to-do London family. This is the second film to feature Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce as Holmes and Dr. Watson. Directed by Alfred L. Werker, the movie co-starred Ida Lupino and George Zucco.
4. "The Hound of the Baskervilles" (1939) - This is my favorite adaptation of Doyle's novel about Holmes' investigation of an English family's connection to a "demon" hound and a Candandian heir to the family's fortunes. This is the first film to feature Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruc as Holmes and Dr. Watson. Sidney Lanfield directed.
5. "Young Sherlock Holmes" (1985) - Steven Spielberg produced and Barry Levinson directed this fanciful imagining of Holmes and Watson's first meeting as adolescents at a prestigious boys school, as they investigate a series of suspicious suicide deaths. Nicholas Rowe, Alan Cox, Anthony Higgins and Sophie Ward starred.
6. The Seven-Per-Cent Solution" (1976) - I have always enjoyed Herbert Ross' adaptation of Nicholas Meyer's 1974 novel about Holmes and Watson recruiting Dr. Sigmund Freud to guide the detective in overcoming his cocaine habit and investigate a nefarious kidnapping plot. Nicol Williamson, Robert Duvall, Alan Arkin, Vanessa Redgrave and Laurence Olivier starred.
7. "The Return of Sherlock Holmes" (1987) - Margaret Colin and Michael Pennington starred in this original tale in which American private detective Jane Watson, inherit the estate of her ancestor Dr. Watson and finds a primitive cryogenic capsule with the body of legendary detective, Sherlock Holmes. Bob Shayne directed.
8. "The Hound of the Baskervilles" (1988) - This is my favorite adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes novels featuring Jeremy Brett as the detective. Edward Hardwicke co-starred as Dr. Watson. The movie was directed by Brian Mills.
9. "Sherlock Holmes in New York" (1976) - I have always liked this tale about Holmes and Watson solving a kidnapping case in turn-of-the-century New York. Roger Moore and Patrick Macnee made an effective screen team as the sleuthing pair. Directed by Boris Sagal, John Huston, David Huddleston and Charlotte Rampling co-starred.
10. "Murder By Decree" (1979) - Directed by Bob Clark, Holmes and Watson investigate the Jack the Ripper murders. Excellent, although a bit bloody for my tastes. Christopher Plummer and James Mason co-starred as Holmes and Watson.