SHERLOCK: A SCANDAL IN BELGRAVIA

UK, 2012, 90 minutes, Colour.
Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, Lara Pulver, Mark Gattis, Rupert Graves, Andrew Scott, Una Stubbs.
Directed by Paul Mc Guigan.

A Scandal in Belgravia is the first film of the second television series, Sherlock.

Benedict Cumberbatch is certainly at ease in the role of Sherlock. As is Martin freeman as Dr. Watson. Rupert Graves appears as Inspector Lestrade.
Mike Gattis, originator and co-writer in the series, is an effective Mycroft.

Andrew Scott was introduced in The Great Game as Moriarty and was to appear in successive films.

However, the popularity of this film is in its introducing Irene Adler, played effectively by Lara Pulver, a 21st century femme fatale. The other principal aspect of the film is that it shows Sherlock Holmes as a little bit more real, rather than an idiot savant. At the opening, we see his craving for a drug fix, needing a case to solve. But, with the encounter with Irene Adler and the exchange of ploys and use of wits, she falls in love with him and he becomes infatuated with her. The latter part of the film, while showing the solving of the mystery, especially in the dealings with terrorists and codes, is principally interesting because of Sherlock’s response to Irene.

Paul Mc Guigan once again directs.

1. The popularity of the series? Benedict Cumberbatch? Martin Freeman? The perennial popularity of Sherlock Holmes? The ingenuity of Conan Doyle’s stories?

2. Conan Doyle and the creation of Irene Adler? The femme fatale? The Sherlock Holmes and love? The connection with Moriarty?

3. The adaptation of the original to the 21st century? UK espionage, terrorists, secrets and blackmail?

4. Contemporary London, 221b Baker Street? The interiors, Sherlock and his mess? Streets, offices, Battersea power station, cafes, the sense of realism? Making the action credible?

5. The title? The upper class? Politics? The involvement of Holmes? Irene Adler and her clients, including members of parliament and the secret service?

6. Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock? Age, appearance, gaunt, his clothes? Impatient, wanting quick answers? His addiction to his cases? The rapidity of his mind? The friendship with Watson, discussions with him, withholding information, relying on him? Taking him for granted?

7. The device of identifying his traits, investigations, making them visible, information, diagrams, the flight seat pattern etc?

8. His interviews, the people with the dead relatives, not investing interest? The fat client and his story of the walker, the death? The investigation? Watson going to the site with the laptop? Sherlock watching? The visuals, the explanation, the passport?

9. Sherlock wrapped in the sheets? The visitors, commanding him to come, Watson joining him, reactions, at Buckingham palace, the protocols? Mycroft and the information, the information about Irene Adler, Irene and her photographing Sherlock? The set-up for the visit, Watson punching him, the injury, the assistant giving him entry? Irene getting ready, naked, the comments about disguises and personalities? Holmes’ interest in her? The interplay, the information, the phone, the coded information, the safe? The CIA attack, guns, the safe and the gun inside? Irene disabling Sherlock? His waking up at home, the effects?

10. The texting, her death, the visit to the morgue, identifying her? The help of Sally?

11. Sally, Lestrade, Jeanette and Watson, the party and the gifts, Sally’s gift to Sherlock?

12. Watson summoned, Battersea, his talking, expecting Mycroft? Finding Irene? Not dead? Sherlock following him? Meeting with Mycroft, Irene, her reliance on my craft? Getting more information?

13. Irene asking the solution of the death of the walker, visualizing Sherlock and seeing outside, at the site of the death? Explanations?

14. Going to the plane, the hostility of the CIA agent? The plan, the reference to Coventry and allowing deaths to prevent the enemy knowing they had the code? The dead people in the plane? The initial people visiting Holmes and his lack of interest? Mycroft and explanations? Sherlock’s failure?

15. The final confrontation, the farm, his trying to break the code, her victory, his victory, taking her pulse, her eyes, code, SHER?

16. Sherlock, remembering ‘the woman’, her texts, the final text and seeing what happened? Mycroft and Watson and the discussion, the file, showing it to Sherlock? The visuals of Irene being beheaded? The irony of Sherlock being present? His final comment on ‘that woman’?