chronology question

[kattahj]

Do we have any definite knowledge of the timeline of the film - specifically, what year it is and how long Holmes and Watson have known each other? Book canon is of no use, since by the time they meet Irene Adler for the first time there, Watson is already married

Comments

[vampyran]

How I see it, it's just a mash of all the first stories (before ACD decided to kill holmes and then bring him back)... so.. 1881-1890? :P

[kattahj]

Okay, thanks!

[therru]

Yes, and also because in the books Watson actually meets Mary through Holmes (she's a client, I think). Since they have changed that, there is not much to go on. But if you go by the clothes (I tend to do that, although I realize that it's hardly a reliable clue in a film like this) I would guess late 1880s-early 1890s.

[e_starbuck17]

I always do that too, probably because I was briefly a costume designer. And then I get upset when I see something that wasn't around in that time period, like a zipper or something.

[therru]

...like modern makeup on the women...

[kattahj]

Thanks! Judging by the comments below, that seems to be the consensus, and it fortunately fits with my story. It just means that either they have known each other for quite some time, or Watson doesn't come to live at Baker Street until much later compared to the books.

[tailoredshirt]

The wikipedia entry says it takes place in 1891, but lord knows where they got that information, since I don't remember seeing it in the film...unless it was in the newspaper shots? I can't find a screenshot of it, but maybe someone else has one.

[foxestacado]

It miiight be from when the bridge started being built, or the stage of the bridge building? That's what they've said during SH press conference interviews.

[tailoredshirt]

Ah, yeah, good point! I was just looking at the wikipedia article on the Tower Bridge, and it says, construction started in 1886 and took eight years. Looking at a picture of its progress in 1892, it looks a bit more complete than it did in the film, so 1891 fits!

[kattahj]

Okay, that fits with my idea, then! I just got confused because at a second viewing, I noticed that Watson mentioned "the past seven months", as if they'd only known each other for that long. But in the books he comes to live at Baker Street not long after the war, and even in the film, they seemed much too close to only have known each other half a year. (Of course, you can get plenty close in half a year.)

[ldhenson]

The official production notes for the movie say 1890.

Book canon is of no use, since by the time they meet Irene Adler for the first time there, Watson is already married.

It also tosses out the fact that in canon, Watson married in 1887. Oh well.

[rabidsamfan]

the materials from the 221b game imply 1890, and Maiwand was 1880 -- which is the battle where Watson got wounded.

My costume savvy friends say the bustles put it mid-1880s, but the bridge puts it later.

In other words, fudge!