IMDb > The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970)
The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes
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The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970) More at IMDbPro »

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The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970) -- From the collaborative genius of writer/director Billy Wilder comes this highly entertaining mystery that unfolds from Dr. Watson's (Colin Blakely) diary involving the great Sherlock Holmes (Robert Stephens).
The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970) -- Trailerfan.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
7.3/10   2,936 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?

Up 4% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.

Director:

Billy Wilder

Writers:

Arthur Conan Doyle (characters)
Billy Wilder (written by) ...
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Contact:

View company contact information for The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes on IMDbPro.

Release Date:

29 October 1970 (USA) more

Tagline:

What you don't know about Sherlock Holmes has made a great motion picture. [USA Theatrical] more

Plot:

When a bored Holmes eagerly takes the case of Gabrielle Valladon after an attempt on her life, the search for her missing husband leads to Loch Ness and the legendary monster. full summary | full synopsis

Awards:

2 nominations more

User Comments:

Grand even as an edit more (59 total)


Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
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Additional Details

Runtime:

125 min | Germany:120 min (TV version)

Country:

UK

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1 more

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | USA:PG-13 (certificate #22200) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (1988) | USA:GP (original rating) | West Germany:6 | Singapore:PG

Company:

Compton Films more


Fun Stuff

Trivia:

Stills and soundtrack show John Williams in a substantial role as a bank official and Edward Fox as Inspector Lestrade. All their scenes were ultimately cut. more

Goofs:

Errors in geography: When Holmes, Watson and Gabrielle get off the train at Inverness, the train goes forward to another destination. The railway station at Inverness is a terminus. more

Quotes:

[Holmes is about to inject cocaine]
Watson: Where's your self-control?
Holmes: Fair question.
Watson: Aren't you ashamed of yourself?
Holmes: Thoroughly. This will take care of it.
more

Movie Connections:

References Hamlet (1948) more


FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
9 out of 9 people found the following comment useful.
Grand even as an edit, 21 December 2005
9/10
Author: kurt_messick from Bloomington, Indiana

This film is sometimes described as a comedy, and while it has humorous bits (a more sardonic and biting form of humour most of the time), it has never really felt at home being classified as a comedy, in my estimation. I do like the rapid-fire wit that Holmes seems to have here (a bit more in abundance than in the canonical Conan Doyle stories), but the Holmes presented here is a bit more dark and brooding, more akin to the extra-canonical 'Seven Percent Solution' Holmes in many ways.

Wilder was an extraordinary director and genius who sometimes gets carried away with his subject (in this regard, he is sometimes compared with Stanley Kubrick). His films are often of epic-proportions, even though they are not essentially 'epic' subjects. This film is reputed to have been nearly twice as long as the final cut version, but this may be apocryphal in that much of the raw footage never made it to final print and production. The restoration available on the disc currently available is, in fact, rather minimal - a few scenes and a few extras, but not much more than the original release of the film. This is disappointing to many fans, but in fact is more than most of us have had for a long time, as the somewhat choppy film was often mercilessly cut for television broadcast.

Holmes in this case is played by Robert Stephens, an unlikely Holmes in comparison to standards such as Rathbone, Brett, or Gillette, but still an interesting choice - quintessentially British, reserved but daring, brilliant yet flawed and faltering. Colin Blakely presents a stronger Watson than often portrayed before (this film, being made in 1970, presented this as a newer idea for Watson, one that has been picked up by many subsequent productions). Wilder has the actors play at various issues of Victorian sensibility and morality, including the implication (dismissed in the end) that Holmes might have a sexual identity issue. Christopher Lee, who himself plays Holmes in other productions, plays Holmes' smarter brother Mycroft here, to good effect.

The story line does have some inspiration from the canonical stories (the Bruce-Partington Plans, for one), and from Gillette's play (the strange case of Miss Faulkner, introducing an ending that allowed for a love interest for Holmes in the end), but for the most part takes the characters from Conan Doyle and runs far afield. Still, this is must-see film for any fan of Holmes, and any fan of Wilder, who saw this as one of his last great productions.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970)
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The Road Show Version - What Might Has Been ... dknow3
Robert Stephens' illness? tippusmaximus
Made at the wrong time...? nickrogers1969
Christopher Lee bald?! darthquincunx
Screenplay roark-12
Yes, has everyone gone mad? weichikris
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