Silent Sherlock: analysis of three classic cases

Several actors have portrayed Sherlock Holmes on the big screen over the past century, but no one comes close to Eille Norwood, who starred as Arthur Conan Doyle’s legendary detective in 45 shorts and two feature films for Stoll Pictures between 1921 and 1923. The entire Stoll collection of Sherlock Holmes films is being restored by BFIand the first fruits of this invaluable effort were showcased at this year’s London Film Festival Archive Gala, which took place in the Victorian setting of Alexandra Palace.

The event premiered three of the two restored reels, with each short being accompanied by an ensemble from the Royal Academy of Music playing newly commissioned scores. A Scandal in Bohemia (1921) was composed by Joseph Havlat and The Golden Pince-Nez (1922) had music by Neil Brand, and both compositions perfectly complemented the playful tone of these mysteries. Joanna MacGregor – who conducted all three performances while playing the piano simultaneously – created a darker, more suspenseful score for The Final Problem (1923), which is fitting for a film in which Holmes seems unusually shaken, having apparently met his match. in the underworld boss, Moriarty.

What’s impressive about these films is how well they distill the essence of Conan Doyle’s stories into about twenty minutes of screen time, efficiently establishing the mystery, deduction, and solution, and inserting flashbacks to reveal important details. Directed by the reliable hands of Maurice Elvey and George Ridgewell, these are witty, engaging productions that move at a brisk pace toward satisfying endings. Even when you know what’s coming in The Final Problem, the literal suspense of the story is dramatically staged and drew a pleasant sigh from some audience members.

But the real attraction in these films is Norwood, who is an authoritative presence and a rather understated performer, although he has great fun with the many disguises that Holmes adopts. There’s a wonderful moment when Watson (Hubert Willis) is worried that Holmes has missed the train, only for the mustachioed passenger next to him to remark, “My dear Watson, why don’t you say good morning?”

Arthur Conan Doyle himself was extremely impressed with Norwood’s work. “He has that rare quality, which can only be described as glamour, that forces you to watch an actor closely, even when he is not doing anything,” said the author. “He has a brooding look that arouses expectation and also an incomparable power of disguise.” Everyone has their favorite portrayal of Holmes, of course, but the long-awaited restoration of this complete film series will give modern audiences the opportunity to discover the man who set the standard for all screen Sherlocks to come.

► Read more about the restoration of Silent Sherlock here.