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Rating:  -
Watson writes, "To Sherlock Holmes she is always the woman. I have seldom heard him mention her under any other name. In his eyes she eclipses and predominates the whole of her sex."
Holmes met Irene Adler in answer to a plea from Wilhelm Gottsreich Sigismond von Ormstein, Grand Duke of Cassel-Felstein and hereditary King of Bohemia. The heir presumptive, about to marry a proper member of the nobility, had engaged in a passionate affair with Adler, known to society as an adventuress. A photograph of the two in Irene Adler's possession would compromise the nuptials if she uses it maliciously or for gain. Holmes calls upon every bit of his skill plus a cunning disguise to learn where she keeps the photo. When he returns to claim it, however, he discovers she is gone, leaving him a letter...and the photograph. It seems that while she might have been an adventuress, she also was a woman of honor, humor and wit. She was one of the very few people, and the only woman, to outsmart Sherlock Holmes. He asked to keep the photograph as the only payment he desired from Wilhelm.
But the writers of this erratic television program have turned Irene Adler into a cold-blooded killer. Shame on them.
The case starts when one of the Baker Street Irregulars, a group of ragamuffin street urchins who occasionally assist Holmes, goes missing. Sherlock Holmes (Jonathan Pryce) says he will help find the boy, but first he becomes involved in a separate case involving murdered policemen, poison gas and jade pipes. The Irregulars won't wait...and soon they discover clues that may tie the two problems together. By this time, however, Holmes has been accused of murdering the two inspectors out of jealousy. Now under house arrest, he must depend on the Irregulars to do his legwork. This will involve theft, breaking and entering, burglary and a general application of initiative. Along the way they will encounter an embalmed corpse and a heartless woman. Yes, Irene Adler. (This is no spoiler. The writers are so inept there is no mystery as to the "who," only what the "who" is up to.). Only after a perilous search in the moldering dockside warehouses of London and a splashing run through the London sewers is Irene Adler caught. Her arrest required the selfless courage of each of the Irregulars and the sharp cunning of Sherlock Holmes.
If only this program had been better. It's by no means a flop, just too placid. More to the point, the writers were either too careless or didn't care enough to respect the era in which the story is placed. All too often one member or the other of the Irregulars will say something that is far too contemporary. The result is a jarring reminder for us not to relax. The story also has a vital plot development that depends on the most improbable bit of makeup lazy writing could come up with. The acting is as variable as the script. There are one or two nice jobs from the kids playing the irregulars, but most of the time we're just watching adequate child actors, and who don't look grubby, just made-up to look grubby. Pryce creates a curious Sherlock Holmes. He's an extraordinary actor, but here he makes Holmes almost grandfatherly. I suppose that if we accept that the story really is about the adventures of the Irregulars and not so much about Holmes, we'd be happier.
Some fine actors play the major adult roles. To see Pryce at his amazing best, just watch him as Lytton Strachey in Carrington. Bill Paterson plays a congenial Watson. He's a fine, intelligent character actor and was excellent as Jack Lithgow in Traffik - Miniseries. Anna Chancellor is Irene Adler. Unfortunately, she's excellent at turning the charming memory of the original Irene into a ruthless (and beautiful) monster. She made a notable Miss Bingley in 1995's Pride and Prejudice - The Special Edition (A&E, 1996). Michael Maloney is Inspector Stirling, a man who detests Holmes at the top of his voice. Even Maloney can't do much with the role. He can play some most agreeable characters. Try him as Jasper Pye in Love on a Branch Line and as Joe Harper in A Midwinter's Tale.
Sherlock Holmes and the Baker Street Irregulars might be adequate family fare as long as the family doesn't know much about Holmes and even less about Irene Adler. I think it's best to let Holmes keep the memory of the original Irene in his heart. Old men need their memories. This Irene he'd gladly send to the gallows, and probably will.
The BBC television program runs a little less than two hours. It looks just fine. The only significant extra is a printed list of credits for each of the four main actors.
Rating:  -
I really wish I could recommend this. There was some novelty to it, and they tried hard. The sets and costumes were first rate, for whatever that is worth. The major problem was the actor chosen to portray Holmes - too old, too soft, too nice, and way too grandfatherly. Totally unbelievable as Holmes. And the Irene Adler problem is also a PROBLEM. Too bad .......... it's fun where it coulda been great fun. ;-(
Rating: -
I never could see Jonathan Pryce as Holmes myself but he was the only good thing about this otherwise sterile family drama that seems like it was made for CITV or CBEEBIES. There's absolutely no bloody atmosphere to it.
Holmes' trusty Baker Street kids lose their leader when he apparently drowns in the Thames and the victim's sister begins to turn against Holmes claiming that he doesn't really care for them. But he still needs them to carry on working for him since he's in the middle of a difficult case.
It's not the best of plots and the acting from the majority of the cast would make the 'actors' in Hollyoaks cringe. Watson barely has anything to do, the stupid slow motion and editing techniques do not fit the context and the music is completely anachronistic, if terribly dull. The production design was pretty though, it has to be said.
For Sherlock Holmes fans and very young kids only.
Rating: -
While this Sherlock story will probably appeal to families with older kids, the hardcore Sherlock fan will be appalled. As mentioned in other reviews, the villainess shares the name of a beloved character from the Sherlock stories, but none of her marvelous traits. Furthermore, Jonathan Pryce, while a fine actor, seems very out of character for Sherlock, seeming much too like a sweet older gentleman than the proud, somewhat aloof Holmes.
The action focuses on the Irregulars and the story seems to try to pander to a young audience with this crew. Unfortunately, for the first half of the story, I found it difficult to have much interest in them. By the second half, as I accepted the movie for what it was, I did find some humor and charm in it.
As mentioned by others, there are some really good lines. There's also some really intriguing camera work that reminded me of some of the more experimental moments in the Granada series (like in the Devil's Foot, for instance) and a good soundtrack.
When I was able to pretend it wasn't supposed to be a Sherlock Holmes story, I enjoyed it as much as I'd enjoy most movies geared towards a tween audience. But I don't intend to ever watch it again.
Rating:  -
I really am sick and tired of the "Sherlock Holmes Purists" who debunk anything that doesn't fit into their narrow view of what Holmes should be. If you don't like it, then don't watch it.
This is a two part TV movie that is released on DVD. I found the story line entertaining and fun to watch. The kids (while not "filthy street urchins") are entertaining in themselves and their loyalty to one another is a pleasure to see. This is a good "family" movie that is entertaining and fun to watch. There is no gratuitous violence, language, or nudity. The story line is plausible and well written. Simply an entertaining movie for the entire family. No more, no less.
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