BEST SHERLOCK HOLMES MOVIES
“The Hound of the Baskervilles” (1939) Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce began their multiple-movie run as Holmes and Watson in this fine adaptation of one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most famous mystery novels, “The Hound of the Baskervilles” (1959) A story this solid merits more than one screen treatment, and Peter Cushing and André Morell put their own marks on the roles of Holmes and Watson in this fine version that Turner Classic Movies shows Saturday, March 13.
“The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes” (1970) More dramatic than comedic on balance, director Billy Wilder’s portrait of the sleuth (played by Robert Stephens) examines his “true” nature, as discovered by Dr. Watson (Colin Blakely). This also is part of TCM’s salute to Holmes and Watson on March 13.
“They Might Be Giants” (1971) Someone who thinks he’s Sherlock Holmes – namely, a judge (George C. Scott) who immerses himself in a fantasy world after losing his wife – still has a Dr. Watson, the psychiatrist (Joanne Woodward) who takes his case.
“The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother” (1975) Sherlock (played by Douglas Wilmer, who also had the part in a 1960s television series) is only a relatively minor character in this satire, with writer, director and star Gene Wilder taking the lead as allegedly smarter brother Sigerson. “The Seven-Per-Cent Solution” (1976)
Under the machinations of Dr. Watson (Robert Duvall), a troubled Holmes (Nicol Williamson) consults another famous doctor ... Sigmund Freud (Alan Arkin).
“Sherlock Holmes in New York” (TV, 1976) Roger Moore already had a couple of James Bond capers under his belt when he tackled the part of another legendary sleuth, with another spy-genre veteran – Patrick Macnee (“The Avengers”) – as Dr. Watson. “Young Sherlock Holmes” (1985) This Barry Levinson-directed attraction is just what the title suggests, an adventure shared by the teenage Holmes and Watson (played by Nicholas Rowe and Alan Cox).
“Without a Clue” (1988) Giving the Holmes legend an amusing, “Remington Steele”type twist, his comedy casts Michael Caine as an actor enlisted to play Holmes by Dr. Watson (Ben Kingsley) ... the true brains of the detective duo, at least as positioned here.
“Sherlock Holmes” (2009) Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law rebooted the screen images of Holmes and Dr. Watson in director Guy Ritchie’s take on the characters, which now has a second sequel in the works.