Holmes

Watched Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.

An excellent piece for entertainment I must say. Nonetheless, there remains a slight dissatisfaction to a fan of the great detective - and a real disappointment to a loyal reader of Arthur Conan Doyle. In the first movie two years ago, personality and personal history of all original characters - Irene Adler, Dr. Watson, Mary Morstan - were preserved; we saw one of their untold tales. Now, the Game has changed; we see Professor Moriarty, Mycroft Holmes, and Colonel Moran, but they are not the same persons whom we know from Sir Arthur.

For example, Mycroft is no longer an inconspicuous civil servant hidden in the London city; he becomes an important figure of the English government and needs to attend the Peace Summit in Switzerland. (I am sure the real Mycroft would never agree to leave England - even if ordered by the Queen.) In fact, the scene that a naked Stephen Fry, playing Mycroft Holmes, was looking for his breakfast, reading letters, and talking to Kelly Reilly, did not remind me of the great detective's elder brother; that copious volume of fat moving around in his house looked more like Winston Churchill.

PS. Vivian and Euterpe watched the film with me. My daughter was obviously bored. To her, the only story of Sherlock Holmes that I ever told is this one:


Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson went on a camping trip. After a good meal and a bottle of red, they lay down for the night and went to sleep.

Some hours later Holmes woke up, nudged his faithful friend and said, "Watson, I want you to look up at the sky and tell me what you see." Watson said, "I see millions and millions of stars." Sherlock said, "And what does that tell you?"

After a minute or so of pondering Watson said, "Astronomically, it tells me that there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets. Astrologically, I observe that Saturn is in Leo. Horologically, I deduce that the time is approximately a quarter past three in the morning. Theologically, I can see that God is all powerful and that we are small and insignificant. Metereologically, I suspect that we will have a beautiful day today. What does it tell you?"

Holmes was silent for about 30 seconds and said, "Watson, you idiot! Someone has stolen our tent!"