Elementary My Dear Watson: The Man Behind Sherlock Holmes

Was Conan Doyle actually Watson?
It's a bit odd to watch a biography of a fictional character, but that's exactly what this is, a bio of Sherlock Holmes' side-kick, Doctor Watson. I'm also not sure how important or even interesting it is to try to figure out who the inspiration for the character was in real life.

But that aside, this DVD is a joy to watch, with ample clips from a wide variety of Sherlock Holmes movies. There's Nigel Bruce as a stiff, bumbling Watson, and later attempts by other actors to rehabilitate the character.

Conan Doyle wrote four novels and 56 short stories about Holmes and Watson and most are narrated by Watson, so it's not surprising that Conan Doyle and Watson are closely related in the reader's mind.

The similarity between Watson and Conan Doyle himself is remarkable. They were both physicians and both served in the far corners of the Empire. To some degree all of the characters in a novel are the author's alter-ego, so I'm not sure Watson is Conan...

For Sherlock Holmes Fans This Is A Must
When I really like a subject I try to learn all about it, which is why I watched Elementary, My Dear Watson: The Man Behind Sherlock Holmes. I've always loved watching Sherlock Holmes films on TV. This great detective could probably find a dead flea and find out exactly how it died, who did it, and what weapon was used! But...he wouldn't have been nearly as interesting without his sidekick Watson. Without Watson to ask questions or be there to bounce ideas off, Sherlock Holmes would have been only half as great. Watson always reminded me of the little voice inside everyone's head that urges them to think deeper, find other answers, and uncover the truth.

Although Watson is a fictional character, for Holmes lovers he's as real as the next person. The film also goes into the possibility of Watson being Conan Doyle's alter-ego, Holmes' use of mood altering drugs, and other interesting facts, along with a lot of great footage and clips.

Elementary, but Indispensable
This is a really cool, well-produced look at the lesser known but ever-present character of the Conan Doyle novels. Lots of film clips and detail culled from the novels and short stories.

Click to Editorial Reviews