'The Red on White', part 3 of 4.
(someone remind me to pick up my laundry at 6pm!)
As before reviewing this in two parts, for no other reason other than my flat is an absolute tip and must be cleaned. I decided to stop at the half-way point which was a convenient plot stop as well. In two weeks time I have a week off and promise to write a more in-depth review of the various components that make up the series (script, music, setting, costume) and a few of my thoughts on the translation as alek_morse asked my opinion on it :-)
Something I've not mentioned before but I really think that the opening titles used for each episode are absolutely fantastic and very clever.
Lestrade - Bronislav Brondukov
Gregson - Igor Dmitriev
(thank you merry1978)
One difference I have noticed is that Holmes's cocaine use
isn't mentioned at all. I for one am actually quite pleased about this, the recent BBC adaptations ('Hound of the Baskervilles' and 'The Silk Stocking') have pretty much become 'The Holmes on Cocaine Series' as it was very over-used. Sherlock Holmes shouldn't be just about his cocaine use, and it's refreshing to see an adaptation that sticks closely to the canon and yet chooses not to give Holmes this vice. Even Jeremy Brett asked for Holmes to over-come his cocaine habit and with the permission of Dame Jean Conan-Doyle in the Granada episode 'The Devil's Foot', Holmes kicked the habit. Both series' are very respectful towards the characters of Holmes and Watson, which is lovely.
Moving back to the story...
In this instance, Holmes's boredom results in decorating the wall with 'V.R' which famously adorns the room in Baker Street. Watson is understandably reproachful, not wanting to encourage Holmes and showing his displeasure by not letting him have a rug to hide the holes from Mrs Hudson. A bored Holmes is certainly a restful Holmes!
The first part of the chess game is quite fun for a chess fan - they play through a couple of opening moves before the game settles down. Not being particularly versed in my opening moves I couldn't say what they were. I quite like that Holmes plays chess with Watson, it's something that we certainly don't see very often in adaptations (Arthur Wontner's Holmes played draughts [checkers] in the 1930s films), and a book written by June Thompson about Holmes and Watson attempts to argue that Holmes doesn't like chess, but there is no evidence for this. Holmes and chess are certainly two things that I would put together, it's a logical game that requires imagination. As Vitaly Solomin's Watson is sticking very closely to Watson-as-written (an intelligent retired army doctor), is a suitable opponent and match for Holmes.
Watson provides a suitable distraction in the form of his pocket watch. You could play 'spot the story' with Holmes's various deductions about Watson (his playing billiards and loosing). It's still early days in their friendship/association and Watson seems still a little sceptical of Holmes's abilities, going to the point of suspecting him of making enquiries about Watson's life. It's a nice touch that Watson is keeping up his reading on medicine.
A bored Holmes is also up for teasing Watson. He surprises Watson with his very precise deductions about a man walking down the street (48yrs old, married, has a son, fond of his red-setter and works for the forgein office), but then reveals to Watson that it's his brother Mycroft. Whilst he's pulling Watson's leg over all this, it would be quite nice if this was indeed the history created for Mycroft by the series. Vasily Livanov's laugh is quite addictive, I dare anyone not to smile.
Giving Mrs Hudson a skill for observation and deduction is an absolutely lovely touch. She's a sharp woman and I suppose must be to put with a man like Sherlock Holmes for her lodger.
Holmes + glasses = interesting, but not odd.
Off they go to Brixton Road, accompanied by fun dramatic bouncy music. Having lived near Brixton I have to say it certainly doesn't look much like Brixton, but I'm sure that Victorian Brixton was probably much greener than it is now. (How many times can I get 'Brixton' into a paragraph!) Holmes examines the pathway with some enthusiasm. Livanov's Holmes seems to have this calm exterior but has a bouncy rubber ball inside which is very much Holmes as we see him in 'Study in Scarlet' - quite calm about the crime but enthusiastic and a little excited in his investigation. Solomin's Watson is intrigued and is watching Holmes keenly, taking things in a quiet manner.
We meet Gregson, the man described as one of the more intelligent Scotland Yard detectives. The house itself looks particularly run down and abandoned, attention to detail is certainly something I really admire about the series. The rivalry between Gregson and Lestrade is established very quickly, with very different contrasting characters. Why Lestrade carries a Highland Terrier around with him I will never know, but it's very cute.
(Next Sunday when I finish off the review I'm going to write something about the story and particularly the changes but I don't want to do that just yet.)
Holmes examines the scene, and gives the two Scotland Yard detectives their first clues with his deductions about the murderer. Lestrade is naturally sceptical and Gregon is too about Holmes assertion that the murderer using poison. Gregson pretty much says that poison is a woman's crime, which I suppose at the time was quite true - most of the women murderers were poisoners. Livanov is not a particularly tall Holmes, which I no issue with (being short myself it's nice to see that Holmes is average in height), but there do some to be some incredibly tall actors playing policemen! Which is why I presume that during the interrogation of the officer on duty that the two shorter actors (Livanov and the gentleman playing Lestrade) are standing on different levels, it makes for a intriguing image. Watson is getting closer as he gets more and more interested in the case, Gregson is pondering and thinking, Lestrade is more dismissive and bit superior towards the policeman who has suspicions and Holmes is silently thinking, smoking and listening in the corner.
Watson is asking question after question, he's interested and wants to now more. Holmes needs to think, he they bid each other good night. Holmes's thinking takes place with his violin, as usual. Watson on the other hand is keen to find out more about the case, he is more of a man of action. He sneaks out with his gun, no doubt to return to the scene of the crime. Whilst this is a complete deviation from the original story, I think it's a good one as we learn more about Watson's character - he's a man of practical action, brave and at the same time very involved in the case now.
