sherlock holmes: 'the naval treaty' and 'the solitary cyclist'

[cimorene]

guinevere33, do you have a dvd drive on your laptop? i lust for holmes/watson screencaps.

trying to make them with cameraphone with only

bonus photo gallery from the adventures of sherlock holmes: 'a scandal in bohemia,' 'the dancing men,' 'the naval treaty' and 'the solitary cyclist'



'the naval treaty'

if the paper turns red, it will mean a man's life! i knew it!

a commonplace little murder... . well, watson, what do you have for me?

hearing the case.

the speech is delivered while everyone else is in great suspense to hear what he has figured out. instead he picks a rose out of an arrangement, goes to the window, and speaks contemplatively of how flowers (i.e., beauty) are 'extras' to existence; if there is no god, what are they for? (seems out of place, but his face is enthralling.)

'the solitary cyclist'

speaking with the client.

berating watson. you'd never know he's saying something extremely cruel from his expression, would you?

bathing the wound; drinking brandy.



holmes with one of the bad guys; watson looking like an illustration of why holmes loves him would be lost without him.

the experiment resumes....



reviews/recaps:

'the naval treaty' is a somewhat more dramatic story than usual, although it's possible to guess in the screen dramatization who the criminal is before it becomes clear in the written version. we see holmes's celebrated chemical experiments at the beginning; he's concentrating heavily, his hair charmingly dissheveled, and appears a bit put out when watson knocks on the door. however, he's in an expansive mood and gives a sort of monologue, hops into a chair and sits like a frog with his legs drawn up, and asks what case watson has brought him--while watson watches adoringly smiles with tolerant fondness and laughs silently. he snatches a letter out of watson's hand and seems almost too preoccupied to say 'of course' when watson sing-songs gleefully, 'you're interested... .' watson as narrator intrudes less than usual after the initial scene and holmes is particularly enigmatic (but the camera loves him!). the female guest star is good, but rather cold. the male gets lots of close-ups to show his torment/craziness.

high point: introductory scene. 'you're interested,' 'of course.' --also watson saying 'my practice--' and holmes stalking like a big cat into his personal space, saying gently, 'if your cases are more interesting than mine...,' and watson correcting him (irritably? or smugly?), 'my practice can do quite well without me for a few days.'
other amusingly slashy bits: holmes's hand is wrapped in a bandage. watson: 'you're injured!'
low point: holmes's speech about flowers as proof of a deity. it seems to make less sense than in print.

the solitary cyclist: this is one of my favorites because it's so emotional for watson--and the screen dramatization can ONLY make it better, which it does. holmes is ready to show watson a very fascinating chemical experiment when they're interrupted by a young lady who's being followed by a scary man on a bicycle on a deserted country road. holmes is otherwise occupied and sends watson to watch; he's so anxious to help, and to do it right, but gets little information, for which holmes sharply castigates him.

holmes is an eccentric with few or no social graces, you see, and this is an episode/story where the lack really comes across--he's busy and makes no allowance for the weakness of other people, yet at the same time clearly doesn't set out just to hurt watson. and watson--watson is so vulnerable to him. holmes says inexorably exactly what he thinks that watson has really done a very terrible job. when he's all done watson says earnestly into the silence something like, 'tell me really, holmes, did i really do exceptionally badly?' (holmes's words). and h. thinks about it and then says yes. he pauses to say briefly what w. should have done instead, and that's it.

cut to the lady and her pursuer. holmes goes into the country next on a fact-finding mission. we see him behave like a gentleman, demonstrating bafflingly that he is not lost to ALL social graces, only those which could spare w. pain, apparently. he gets into a fist fight and appears in baker street giggling like a child, still elated. he recaps and acts it out for watson, shining with enthusiasm; then he sits still, but for slight twitches, while watson bends over him to bathe the cut on his eyebrow, then gives him a brandy. adorable.

the climax is the heroes at their finest, running about together, with holmes's hand on watson's arm, watson leaping to follow orders, the quiet lull with the few terse words of banter. the end is a little still and bittersweet, watson remembering his earlier lecture, until holmes bursts out laughing and gets out his chemical experiment again. the tension eases like a string tied around them has been cut, and holmes tips the vial. smoke pours out from under the door. outside we see the sash thrown up, watson sticking his head out the window and--are those h.'s hands dragging him back inside as a firetruck, horse-drawn of course, pulls up outside? (summary:) this is one of my favorites because it's so emotional for watson--and the screen dramatization can ONLY make it better, which it does... . holmes is an eccentric with few or no social graces, you see, and this is an episode/story where the lack really comes across--he's busy and makes no allowance for the weakness of other people, yet at the same time clearly doesn't set out just to hurt watson. and watson--watson is so vulnerable to him... . we see holmes behave like a gentleman, demonstrating bafflingly that he is not lost to ALL social graces, only those which could spare w. pain, apparently.

high point: holmes lamenting watson's watching the cyclist from the wrong side of the road while he bustles briskly around and watson trails after. they appear to be at a hairdresser's.
other slashy bits: bathing the wound, chasing the criminals, performing the chemistry experiment wink wink nudge nudge.
guest stars: the lady has cleavage. major cleavage. and cool costumes.
low point: the scenes from the guest star's pov.