The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes

We assume it's in modern times when "The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes" begins. We hear the voice over of Dr. Watson (Colin Blakely) talk about over the years he's chronicled the many cases of Sherlock Holmes. But then he mentions that there were other cases, we get the impression that they were of a much more personal nature, and they shall not be revealed until fifty years after Watson's death.

It seems we all know the stories of Sherlock Holmes, even those of us who haven't read the books know the legend about the man who was a master at deduction. He liked to play his violin, smoke his pipe, and on occasion have a seven per cent solution of heroine.

Most films about Sherlock Holmes even before or after this one have only eluded to his personal habits, because it's mostly the mystery that's most important. But it always begged the question just what was the world's greatest detective like? Really? Isn't that the mystery that most people want to find the solution to?

"The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes" is in my mind the definitive filmed version for Holmes affectionados, it's an original story not adapted from a book by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, but it respects the source material and the man. There is a mystery involved, but there are more personal things at stake than usual.

The original script written by Billy Wilder and his long time writing partner I.A.L. Diamond was much longer than the finished film that is left for us. It was over three hours long and consisted of more adventures involving Holmes and Watson all of which I assume dissects the Holmes mystique even more. Even though I'd be curious to see the full film, the final two hour version feels like a full story on its own.

The film focuses mostly on the main mystery in Wilder and Diamond's screenplay concerning a young woman named Gabrielle (Genevieve Page). She appears on Watson and Holmes' (Played here with wonderful wit by Robert Stephens) doorstep one night, cold, wet, and suffering from amnesia. The next day, she is able to come to her senses and tells them that her husband went missing. This leads them to an investigation which will later concern a mystery involving a trip to Loch Ness, government secrets, and German spies. The plot may sound convoluted, and perhaps it is, but it takes a rather surprising and even tragic turn, and makes it into one of Billy Wilder's most poignant films.

I can see why a man like Wilder would be attracted to a character like Holmes in the first place. Both men could be thought of as cold perfectionists, Wilder has often been criticized for being too cynical for his own good, with scripts that may be clever but too calculating. Holmes is a perfectionist as well, a brilliant mind who could be thought of as isolated from the rest of the world. Wilder probably saw a bit of a kindred spirit in Holmes, but also a character that was too good to be true, which wouldn't be to his liking. I couldn't see Wilder make a straight Holmes movie with the mystery taking centre stage over the man, he always has to make his characters flawed and more human, and you can see the fun he has in his mythical makeover.

The beginning of the film has fun with the relationship between Holmes and Watson. Holmes is invited to a ballet where he is propositioned by famous ballet dance to father her children, her reason being he is a brilliant man so she wants brilliant children. Holmes deflects the issue by implying to her that he has carried on an intimate relationship with Dr. Watson for "five wonderful years". This of course has been the running joke in much of the history between Holmes and Watson, the idea of two bachelors sharing living quarters for such a long time without any question to their sexual preference can boggle the mind. Of course it never is settled, but is soon deflated by Watson's own response to the accusation, and later Holmes' growing relationship and fondness for the mysterious Gabrielle.

The film mostly focuses on two aspects of Holmes' legend that again has only been eluded to, his relationship towards women and his constant drug abuse with heroin. The heroin is first introduced in the film for Holmes when he is bored, there isn't a case for him worth solving and it's something to dull his senses. Watson mentions in voice over how there is nothing he can do but wait it out when he's on one of his drug binges. But then Gabrielle shows up and that's when things start taking shape. Almost right away, Holmes seems intrigued with this woman, in many ways, she is his equal. As a character, Holmes is sometimes thought of as a misogynist, something he debunks right away to Watson "I don't hate women, I simply don't trust them." With Gabrielle, comes a character who challenges him, and we see a growing fondness between both of them.

It's in fact Gabrielle who holds the key to the mystery at the end, and which ultimately becomes Holmes' greatest failure on a professional and personal nature. The ending of the film is one of Wilder's greatest, it should be known just as well as the endings he has for "Sunset BLVD", "Some Like it Hot", and "The Apartment", in that it leaves you with just the right note, and shows that at its core, it really is a rather melancholy film.

The more I see "The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes", the more I love it, it was made by Billy Wilder soon after his golden period had ended. Since "Double Indemnity", Wilder was a hit maker all the way through the sixties, but by the time he made this film in 1970, Hollywood had become overrun by a younger generation. "The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes" has a more traditional look to it than the contemporaries made at that time, and it wasn't a huge hit, but it remains one of Wilder's great films, and one that will hopefully be rediscovered in years to come.