Review of The Eligible Bachelor

One can only assume that the producers of Granada's overall fantastic series had become emboldened by its success and reputation, and had decided to show off by the time they came to make this and some of the other feature length stories. Justified though they may be for presuming that they had possibly made the definitive films of Conan Doyle's work, they clearly didn't recognise that Brett is mainly responsible for bringing the mythology so vividly to life. That can be the only explanation for totally illogical sequencing, disorienting camera-work and the altogether odd atmosphere. If they were trying to reflect Holmes state of mind at the time then they went way over the top. How the viewer is expected to accept that Holmes could solve this case while being as confused as they are in trying to figure out just what is happening on screen and in what sequence we are seeing it. Would have been better if this had resolved itself or been shown to be contextually relevant. But by the end it becomes apparent it was just for its own sake.

The final scene between Holmes and Lestrade in The Six Napoleons evokes more pathos, conveys more emotion and reveals more surprises while at the same time delivering the familiar more satisfyingly than in the entire duration of this film.

Nevertheless, Brett and Hardwicke are great. Always.