Am a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes and get a lot of enjoyment out of Arthur Conan Doyle's stories. Also love Basil Rathbone's and especially Jeremy Brett's interpretations to death. So would naturally see any Sherlock Holmes adaptation that comes my way, regardless of its reception.
Furthermore, interest in seeing early films based on Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories and wanting to see as many adaptations of any Sherlock Holmes stories as possible sparked my interest in seeing 'Sherlock Holmes and the Leading Lady', especially with such an interesting idea for a story and Christopher Lee makes anything worthwhile.
There are better Sherlock Holmes-related films/adaptations certainly than 'Sherlock Holmes and the Leading Lady', the best of the Jeremy Brett adaptations and films of Basil Rathone fit under this category. It's not one of the worst either, it is better than all the Matt Frewer films (particularly 'The Sign of Four') and also much better than the abominable Peter Cook 'The Hound of the Baskervilles'.
'Sherlock Holmes and the Leading Lady' is pretty decent and is the better Christopher Lee/Patrick MacNee Sherlock Holmes adaptation, the other being 'Incident at Victoria Falls'. The always dependable, even legendary, Christopher Lee, is excellent as Holmes, regardless of any reservations about him being too old. Patrick MacNee is both bumbling and loyal, without being too much of a buffoon or an idiot. The chemistry between them really lifts the proceedings, lots of fun and charm in it.
Generally the cast fare well, didn't think luminous Morgan Fairchild fared that badly or out of place. Actually thought that applied much more to the utterly bizarre turn of Engelbert Humperdinck.
The mystery is intriguing, and much easier to follow than 'Incident at Victoria Falls', and there are a few exciting moments and an ending that is at least comprehensible. There are moments of thought-provoking dialogue. It is very nicely filmed with evocative and handsome production design.
However, some of the pace is long-winded with some aimless stretches. Would have liked more deduction.
The music feels and sounds like it belonged somewhere else entirely, it certainly didn't fit here, while the script tends to be stodgy and banal, with quite a number of howlers.
All in all, decent. 6/10 Bethany Cox
