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cimorenea shortish story with an interesting ending in book canon becomes a really pretty interesting piece. holmes interacts with inspector lestrade, who we recognize though he is not named, in a fascinating way. there are extra helpings of his sniffing and crawling around a room for evidence, and a really nice recreation scene where he pulls together what happened at the scene of a crime from some ash and hair he finds on the chair and on the carpet.
high point:the opening scene takes place in a barbershop and features holmes's highly amusing fidgeting. watson lays out an elaborate string of deduction. holmes compliments his method, but says he was wrong in every particular--he was not annoyed at being thrust out of the apartment for spring cleaning. he explains himself at length, then looks slyly sideways at watson. 'at the same time, watson,' he says, 'there is some element of truth in what you say.' they both burst out laughing.
the second is a joint deduction about a carriage they find at the door. 'come to see us most likely,' says holmes. 'then it's a good thing we came back when we did,' says watson. they're standing shoulder-to-shoulder, and first watson, then holmes turn to look at each other. they smile; holmes chuckles and claps watson's shoulder and swoops past him to the door. it's all very gay.
i must interject that the two actors work together VERY well; they have a real chemistry as holmes and watson which makes it all come to life thrillingly, because the chemistry between them (i speak of a chemistry that could just as easily be platonic here, btw--its nature may be ambiguous but its existence certainly is not) in the books is in many instances implicit, and though it's everywhere, saturating the story, it doesn't spring to life the way brett's energetic attack on the performance makes it. (i would say he rivals johnny depp as a character actor.)
the guest stars for 'the resident patient' are very good and their scenes are numerous, but interesting (well, except for the teaser scene before the holmes plot starts--which makes no sense whatsoever). it doesn't hurt that the young doctor is very handsome. the sets are gorgeous. there's a joke later about the spring cleaning of mrs hudson's--holmes, in charming scatterbrained fashion, has covered the entire sitting room in newspapers, ignoring his own filing system for clippings. watson goes straight to the year in question, and pulls out a folder for the third month. the article holmes wants is on top. they leave, and mrs. hudson walks in on the carnage, makes a face like munsch's the scream and lets out a terrific wail.
the final scene is very elegant and a little sweet. holmes asks offhand the intended title for the piece and watson says 'the brook street murder.' holmes says at once, as if surprised, 'oh, no. the resident patient.' and watson sniffs with laughter, but when holmes leaves the room he frowns a bit, then strikes out 'the brook street murder' and writes 'the brook street patient.' then he strikes out that as well and pens 'the resident patient' with evident satisfaction. he underlines the title with a flourish and a smile.
low points: the introductory scene which is from the pov of the less important of the two guest stars--the patient himself. and it's apparently a fantasy or dream or symbolic sequence because it clearly doesn't actually happen. really stupid. is the guy on drugs or what?
other slashy bits:
in the barbershop
examining the client's coach in the street
the famous pipe
the first visit, prior to the confrontation with the patient (what was his name again?)
watson advances a theory.
consulting with lestrade and examing cigar ash
still cigar ash. possibly also hair.
the newspaper scene.
the end.
high point:the opening scene takes place in a barbershop and features holmes's highly amusing fidgeting. watson lays out an elaborate string of deduction. holmes compliments his method, but says he was wrong in every particular--he was not annoyed at being thrust out of the apartment for spring cleaning. he explains himself at length, then looks slyly sideways at watson. 'at the same time, watson,' he says, 'there is some element of truth in what you say.' they both burst out laughing.
the second is a joint deduction about a carriage they find at the door. 'come to see us most likely,' says holmes. 'then it's a good thing we came back when we did,' says watson. they're standing shoulder-to-shoulder, and first watson, then holmes turn to look at each other. they smile; holmes chuckles and claps watson's shoulder and swoops past him to the door. it's all very gay.
i must interject that the two actors work together VERY well; they have a real chemistry as holmes and watson which makes it all come to life thrillingly, because the chemistry between them (i speak of a chemistry that could just as easily be platonic here, btw--its nature may be ambiguous but its existence certainly is not) in the books is in many instances implicit, and though it's everywhere, saturating the story, it doesn't spring to life the way brett's energetic attack on the performance makes it. (i would say he rivals johnny depp as a character actor.)
the guest stars for 'the resident patient' are very good and their scenes are numerous, but interesting (well, except for the teaser scene before the holmes plot starts--which makes no sense whatsoever). it doesn't hurt that the young doctor is very handsome. the sets are gorgeous. there's a joke later about the spring cleaning of mrs hudson's--holmes, in charming scatterbrained fashion, has covered the entire sitting room in newspapers, ignoring his own filing system for clippings. watson goes straight to the year in question, and pulls out a folder for the third month. the article holmes wants is on top. they leave, and mrs. hudson walks in on the carnage, makes a face like munsch's the scream and lets out a terrific wail.
the final scene is very elegant and a little sweet. holmes asks offhand the intended title for the piece and watson says 'the brook street murder.' holmes says at once, as if surprised, 'oh, no. the resident patient.' and watson sniffs with laughter, but when holmes leaves the room he frowns a bit, then strikes out 'the brook street murder' and writes 'the brook street patient.' then he strikes out that as well and pens 'the resident patient' with evident satisfaction. he underlines the title with a flourish and a smile.
low points: the introductory scene which is from the pov of the less important of the two guest stars--the patient himself. and it's apparently a fantasy or dream or symbolic sequence because it clearly doesn't actually happen. really stupid. is the guy on drugs or what?
other slashy bits:
1. second scene, described in the cut tag.
2. holmes storms out on the title r.p. at a consultation; watson waylays him on their return to offer a theory. they lean together from opposite sides on the same stair bannister post and tip their heads together charmingly.
3. it should not be romantic how very much holmes takes watson for granted, but when they're searching for newspaper clippings, it sort of is (at least if you wear slash goggles). mostly i like that scene because holmes's absent-mindedness is cute, though.
in the barbershop
examining the client's coach in the street
the famous pipe
the first visit, prior to the confrontation with the patient (what was his name again?)
watson advances a theory.
consulting with lestrade and examing cigar ash
still cigar ash. possibly also hair.
the newspaper scene.
the end.
