Kein Koks für Sherlock Holmes (1976)

Kein Koks für Sherlock Holmes: Directed by Herbert Ross. With Alan Arkin, Vanessa Redgrave, Robert Duvall, Nicol Williamson. To treat his friend’s cocaine induced delusions, Watson lures Sherlock Holmes to Sigmund Freud.

“From the opening to the closing credits, filled with illustrations that originally accompanied Doyleu0026#39;s stories in the Strand, the details of the movie are painstakingly accurate when compared to those in the canon. This is one non-canonical Holmes story that exists in the same world as Sir Arthur Conan Doyleu0026#39;s Sherlock Holmes.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe movie takes the liberty of assuming that all of Dr. Watsonu0026#39;s accounts of Sherlock Holmes are true, except for one. That would be u0026quot;The Final Problemu0026quot;, in which the great detective supposedly dies at the hands of his arch-enemy Professor Moriarty. The movie suggests that this story is merely a cover up for a period in time in which Holmes was getting help with his cocaine addiction from none other than famous psychiatrist Sigmund Freud.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe settings and characters ring true to both Doyleu0026#39;s mysteries and the Sydney Paget illustrations that accompanied them. Sherlock Holmesu0026#39; deerstalker and cloak, though never mentioned by Doyle, look more like Pagetu0026#39;s illustrations than ever before, more rugged than in most film interpretations. American actor Robet Duvall, despite sometimes struggling with the British accent, portrays Watson as an intellectually and physically fit comrade for Holmes, not a bumbler. Laurence Olivieru0026#39;s Prof. Moriarty matches the vision of Doyle and Paget rather than the cliché mustache twirler of other movies. Only now, Moriarty isnu0026#39;t really a criminal mastermind. Heu0026#39;s Holmesu0026#39; childhood math tutor.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eAlan Arkin depicts Freud as a man of intelligence, insight, and above all, honor.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe inclusion of lesser known characters like Mycroft Holmes and Toby is a plus. There are also references, both direct and sly, to canonical Holmes stories.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWhile Nicol Williamsonu0026#39;s performance as Sherlock Holmes lacks the vigor and spark of Basil Rathbone or Christopher Plummer, Williamson succeeds in showing Holmes as a troubled individual rather than a god. The movie mixes drama, subtle humor, mystery, and even action, finally showing Holmes as the capable fighter he was in the canon. The end of the film strays from the books in order to explore the uncharted territory of Holmesu0026#39; childhood, providing a deeply moving climax.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThis may come truer to Sir Arthuru0026#39;s original vision than any other pastiche written for film so far, largely thanks to the efforts of writer/director Nicholas Meyer. Itu0026#39;s obvious in every scene that Meyer has a great love for the writings of Arthur Conan Doyle.”