MR. HOLMES

UK, 2015, 105 minutes, Colour.
Ian Mc Kellen, Milo Parker, Laura Linney, Hattie Morahan, Patrick Kennedy, Hiroyuki Sanada, Roger Allam, Colin Starkey, Philip Davies, Nicholas Rowe, Frances de la Tour.
Directed by Bill Condon.

This very entertaining film has a lot going for it, a lot of fine ingredients and all fitting together perfectly.

In a press conference, Ian Mc Kellen stated that Sherlock Holmes was the greatest Englishman who never lived. Fans of Sherlock Holmes will appreciate this film, a story of Mr Holmes who gave up his investigations 35 years earlier, regretting that he did not understand the case that he was dealing with, the personalities involved, and the sad ending to the case. He has retired to Sussex, as was mentioned in some of the stories and some of the film versions, to keep bees.

Ian Mc Kellen is a very good choice to portray Holmes. He has the opportunity to play him at age 93, in that retirement in Sussex, keeping the bees, living quietly and unobtrusively, cared for by his stern housekeeper, Mrs Munro (played plainly but subtley by Laura Linney), a war widow, with a young son, Tom (a lively Milo Parker), who sees Holmes as something of a father or grandfather-figure. It is 1947.

We learn, however, that Holmes has made a visit to Japan, searching for a herb, Prickly Ash, that, with Royal Jelly, could be a means of healing for the ailments of old age. And Holmes is not without his ailments. We do see scenes of Holmes in Japan, especially visiting Hiroshima, and some visuals of local people who had been effected by the radiation. His host, who helps him to find the Prickly Ash, also has his own story which Holmes uncovers and, rather uncharacteristically, writes a letter at the end to this Japanese man, a letter of comfort about his father who disappeared long since to work with the British.

And, there are also flashbacks to the story, in 1912, where a man comes to ask Holmes advice about his wife who is deeply disturbed after two miscarriages. Speaking of flashbacks, there are also flashbacks within this story, to illustrate and traumatise it. It also means that we see Holmes at 58, investigating the case, indulging in some of his propensity for disguises, having an emotional discussion with the distraught mother, but quite misreading the situation, something which has haunted him and is now compelling him, at age 93, to write the story. As he writes, at different stages during the film, he has discussions with young Tom who is an alert lad and offers some clues and indications of how the story might be written.

In the scenes in 1947, Mrs Munro feels that Holmes is alienating the affections of her son (and with our 21st century alertness, noticing that Laura Linney plays Mrs Munro as looking at Holmes with a look of a mother who is apprehensive that the man is a paedophile). Rather, Holmes is very supportive of Mrs Munro, teaches Tom a great deal about bees, though there is some melodrama towards the end when Tom is stung.

This is a fine Sherlock Holmes story, a portrayal of his character, and indications of mellowing as he grows older, a touch of the old investigation style, his conversation which is always strong on facts and deductive reasoning, a film that happily shows us the best of Sherlock Holmes.

1. The greatest Englishman – who never lived!

2. Arthur Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes? The stories, the film versions, television, the range of actors and personas for Holmes, interpretations? This film based on the book: A Slight Trick of the Mind?

3. The characteristics of Holmes, as detective, his abrupt manner, his relationship with Dr Watson (and even falling out with him, not reconciled)? The stories, fictions, the deerstalker hat, the pipe…?

4. Imagining Sherlock Holmes in 1947, aged 93, 35 years since giving up detection, the reasons? Living in the country, housekeepers, his treatment of them, his health issues and the visits of the doctor, his manner of detection and habits of detection even in small matters?

5. Ian Mc Kellen, Holmes 93, in his late 50s? Character, speech, manner? An engaging Sherlock Holmes?

6. The structure of the film: in 1947, the flashbacks to Japan, the flashbacks to 1912, the flashbacks of the story? The effect?

7. The British locations, the countryside, the cliffs of Dover, the house, Japan, Hiroshima? 1912, London, Baker Street, the style, costumes and decor? The musical score?

8. 1947, the return from Japan, his mission for Prickly Ash, his book on Royal Jelly, his care for the bees? The work for his health? In Japan, the friendship with Umezaki, his mother, wanting the autograph, the experience of the people injured from the atomic bomb, in the cemetery, finding the Prickly Ash, the package? Signing the autograph, revealing that he knew the book was from the library? Umezaki and the sad story of his father in England and his staying there and never returning, the effect on the family? The later letter that his mother had died? The end, Holmes writing the story, creating a fiction, dramatising a remembrance, the narrative about the father and his heroism, espionage for Britain? The geniality and warmth of the letter and the story?

9. The bees, Holmes’ hobby, the wasps, the apiary, his work, loving the bees, inviting Roger to help him, Roger’s mother and her wariness, Holmes teaching the boy, his learning, the deaths of the bees, the helper no longer able to come? Roger wanting to find the cause of the dead bees? Attacked by the wasps, trying to defend the bees? In hospital, coma, eventually waking up? Mrs Munro and her attempt to burn the beehives, Sherlock Holmes and his explanation in detail of what had happened, the logic? Burning the wasps? At the end, Roger teaching his mother about the bees?

10. Sherlock Holmes health, the visits of the doctor, advice, using the Prickly Ash, using the Royal Jelly? His falls, having to stay in bed?

11. Mrs Munro and her hard life, love for her husband, his being a mechanic like his ancestors, joining the RAF, dying on his first flight? Her memories of the Blitz, talking to Roger? Housekeeping, cooking, her dour manner? Going shopping? Her love for her son, jealousy of Sherlock Holmes, alienating her son’s affections, her looking at him with suspicion? The prospects of a new job, the visit to Portsmouth, Holmes detecting where she had been? The plan, her leaving, taking Roger? Holmes and his donating his house to Mrs Munro and Roger? Their staying?

12. Holmes and his writing the story, the stages, Roger reading it, asking good questions, Holmes trying to remember, continuing? The flashbacks to Mr Kelton, coming about his wife, the story of the deaths of her children, the stillbirths, his refusal to have the headstones? The harmonica, her playing, her lessons? Her devotion to the teacher? Her husband and his suspicions, moods, her forging his name, the checks, paying for the good pupil? Kelton confronting the teacher and her vigorous response? Holmes following her, her being in the garden, her waiting for him, leading him on, buying the poison, with the Mason, Holmes and the offer of the Palm reading, his story, her defying him, the explanation, Holmes and his offer to share solitude with her and his not following through? Her death, visualised, standing in front of the train? The various tombstones for mother and children? The gloves, the bees, her scent? Holmes keeping the gloves, Watson hiding them in the compartment? Watson writing the story, glamorising it? Holmes and his decision to retire, not able to help Ann? His going to see the movie, the actor playing Holmes? Holmes and his vociferous comments? The explanation of his failure to Mrs Munro?

13. The image of Sherlock old, still monitoring the facts, saying he had no time for imagination, dialogue with his inner thoughts, ultimately finding logic was not enough? His feelings for the Japanese friend?

14. Gathering the stones, the memories of the dead? The final image? Audience enjoyment in sharing another Sherlock Holmes story?