in one sense this film seems a kind of obvious construction
put one well-known and well-loved actor into an equal role
made even more popular recently by downey and cumberbatch
and therefore cynically suggesting a sure-fire box-office success
so what - the reviews are glowing and ian mckellen is a class act
we're in a train in the opening scene with sherlock in a carriage
displaying his sharp perceptive skills from the start to a young boy
he alights at a country town and travels by taxi to a country home
first impressions - impressive - the attention to detail is thorough
vehicles, costumes, houses, hairstyles etc all well dated post-war
mr mckellen also seems in fine form playing an aged eccentric
the home he arrives at is his own - he has returned from japan
he is met by his housekeeper mrs munro and her young son roger
she played by a plained-down frumped-up (american) laura linney
cursory greetings and then sherlock is seen attending to his bees
giving roger and us a few lessons on the hierarchical life in a hive
a rare smile from the man as the boy probes with sensible questions
royal jelly is discussed - harvested by sherlock to aid creeping dementia
and his latest procurement - liquid from the elusive japanese prickly ash
sherlock is desperate to conclude his last case abandoned 30 years prior
and into flashback mode we go as snatches of the case come to his mind
dr watson has married and so is conveniently written out of this script
leaving the man to take on the latest case of a man with wife troubles
she has miscarried twice and depressive and now an obsessive musician
the glass harmonium - he bans it - she continues to take lessons in secret
the younger sherlock is hired to follow her as the flashback concludes
holmes then seen desperately trying to recall and write up the case
he knows he failed and gave up his work to retire to the country
it's all quite riveting with ian mckellen very deftly playing mr holmes
in later scenes as an old man and also a convincing 30 years younger
roger his young sidekick matches his manner, intelligence and curiosity
another series of flashbacks details the recent trip to post-war japan
retrieving a prickly ash plant from the scarred landscape of hiroshima
a few disfigured people providing a questionable slight on atomic war
sherlock is being hosted by the son of an acquaintance from london
another mystery worked into the mix - what is the connection there?
so there are 3 stories now cleverly interwoven into this absorbing film
back to the unsolved case and we learn the mystery woman is suicidal
our man finally confronts her and accurately tells her everything he knows
including her suicide plan - her response - you are as lonely as i - be my friend
confronting stuff for sherlock - in shock he advises her to return to her husband
within hours she has died in front of a train and sherlock is seriously affected
admitting he is a loner and having rejected a beautiful woman he then retires
back in the present day young roger is attacked by a angry swarm of wasps
he is hospitalised - and a less than convincing scene of a distraught mother
similarly sherlock throws himself to the ground and weeps over the boy
but of course - he survives - and sherlock has found contentment at last
they all live happily ever after - nice - a happy ending here is good
very good film actually - good plotting, pacing and acting too
take a bow mr mckellen - you now own sherlock holmes...
