Sherlock Holmes in New York

I watched this on its premiere on NBC back in 1976 when I was really starting to have a real interest in Sherlock Holmes. Roger Moore struck me as looking a bit young for the part (even though he wasn't), but his performance really impressed me. Patrick MacNee was very much my idea of Watson, and Charlotte Rampling was beautiful, dignified and ladylike as Irene Adler (although I really doubted the likelihood of Holmes actually being romantically involved with her). But the grandest part of the show was John Huston in the role of Moriarty. Here was a professor who reeked of evil, was fiendish, devilish, and to top it all off, wickedly brilliant. So with a cast this impressive (Gig Young and David Huddleston as well), a production this stylish, and a thorough sense of fun all the way through, it's a great oversight that the powers that are in control of this movie are not making it more widely available than just finding it on a TV schedule sometime (and I haven't found it lately myself) by releasing it to VHS or DVD (especially for us Holmes fans). If I am wrong here, please let me know and set me straight. So far, my hunts for a video release have come up empty and I really would like to see it again. My e-mail is as above: name, Philip Davis.

This movie created an interesting side to Sherlock Holmes - a more "human" side that I haven't seen before. Although the character of Dr. Watson was a bit weak, I truly liked Roger Moore as Holmes!! A bit more "appeal" then some of the old actors that have portrayed this character.

Duped onto coming to New York city Sherlock Homes (Roger Moore) is unable to help the police locate missing gold because of Professor Moriarty's ploy.

Moore isn't bad as Holmes. He has no particular resemblance to Holmes of the illustrations, though he is tall. He can do the cool, calculating thing. But the part does lack the sparkle of Moore's humor. Holmes gets off the occasional zinger in the stories but he's not known for his sense of humor.

Patrick MacNee is a perfect Watson, but he doesn't have much to do.

Charlotte Rampling isn't my ideal of Irene Adler, but she's good. John Huston seems to enjoy overacting as the Professor.

The story is kind of dumb (I can't see countries submitting to the process described). But they've got to have some MacGuffin. And as much as I enjoy Arthur Conan Doyle he penned worse stories.

I can see two sorts of people enjoying this movie: Sherlock Holmes completists with open minds (such as I) and those who know nothing about the original stories.

Who would have ever thought that Roger Moore could play Sherlock Holmes,but he does it and with great style. The movie is one of the greatest S. Holmes movies I have ever seen, full of excitement. The Credit for it goes To Moore, it just shows that he is a great and very talented actor, who can play many different roles.

Holmes takes on the evil Professor Moriarty, his old nemesis. I didn't like Roger Moore as Holmes any more than I care for him doing James Bond; he is alright, but I like the way other actors handle these characters better. I really didn't appreciate the phony looking sideburns on Holmes, seems the make-up department could have been more competent. Also, I thought the acting was forced at times, and at others a bit corny and hammy. I did like the great old oompaul pipe of Holmes, and enjoyed the production overall. It was another good mystery solved by the Master of Sleuths.