User Reviews

Like another poster, I too have a huge collection of Sherlock Holmes on video in my personal collection, but I find Langella's portrayal of "The Master" to be stuffy and unlikeable. I saw the original Broadway production with John Wood in the lead and I think that it is a crying shame that he never got to assay the role on video of any kind. He not only looked like Holmes (while Langella decidedly did not) he was so close to the original character I loved in the Canon and other pastiches.

Donald Morfogen chose to play Moriarty like Richard Nixon which I found odd and distracting but that may have been the director's intent. As it was, the Gillette play was done in a tongue and cheek melodramatic style, and that may come across to viewers of the stage play as corny.

Still, Frank Langella is a marvelous actor and always fun to watch, I just don't see him as MY Holmes.

In the original HBO presentation, included were the curtain calls as each character bowed to the audience, (Actually, only the star came out n "character" as I remember it.

William Gillette, who wrote this melodrama, was the definitive Holmes of his generation, and this production is a great tribute to him. Being an old melodrama, the live audience laughed throughout: but the actors got in to the spirit of the fun and we should too. It is a very well-staged play, superbly paced and acted, and the audience applauded every time the curtain rose. In a word, I enjoyed it immensely.

What I think is particularly valuable here are the well-known props. Mr. Gillette invented the use of the deerstalker and the Inverness cape--they're here. I guess I miss the big calabash a little. Mr. Langella is a powerful force, and interprets the part most satisfactorily. One can see that, despite his important film roles, he is most effective as a stage actor. Stephen Collins did a good turn, as did George Morfogen as Professor Moriarty (wait till you see the tortuous vein throbbing in his forehead).

On the negative side, the ending was a little unsettling--but I don't want to spoil anything. Great fun.

I have a huge collection of Holmes films on DVD and this has to be among the Top Ten. Recorded in front of a live audience this is not just a filmed play, it is a real film. Langella is magnificent and is ably supported by a great cast. If only all drama could be this good. It is no surprise that this play has been a hit for about 100 yrs, it crackles with superb and witty dialogue. The plot is well constructed and has hardly aged at all. Langella and co must be proud to have worked on this production. Prior to this Langella had been a wonderful Dracula on both stage and screen. What a wonderfully talented actor he is.

This portrayal of the character of Holmes was done as if he were a real true to life type hero. Flesh and blood with flaws and feelings. The usual actor would play him as a flawless calculating type superman who has no hang ups or issues with people in general. Holmes is a very flawed 'human' when you flesh him out and he would have been the man that Langella showed us in this production.

If Holmes was such a perfect character then why can't he master the violin? Why the addictions? Why does he refuse a romantic life with a woman? He's very much a real being and if met in life most people might find him a bit like our modern day MONK from the t.v. series. "Elementary my dear Watson..."

Most of the fabulous characters that we now adore in the detective world in film and television are just like him but updated to a more modern type of person. If this man took drugs to make him more normal as we do with intense personalities, he'd never have been the fabulous character that he's always been to us. Thank God Holmes was never introduced to Prozac!

Saw this on HBO back when the channel didn't air 24 hrs - how old is that?! I totally fell in love with Frank Langella and started watching all his movies, starting with Zorro, then Dracula, etc. I even went to see Masters of the Universe - how's that for dedication! Absolutely wonderful actor with a great range. I saw him live as Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady over a decade ago. You can tell he was born for the stage - that's where his heart is, and his stage performances really capture his essence and power, but this show (Sherlock Holmes) remains my absolute favorite. I've never seen Holmes portrayed with such real flaws, problems, or emotions! Found it on ebay a year ago, and I still get chills when watching it! I had no clue the kid was Christian Slater - how funny!

Frank Langella plays a wonderful version of the supersleuth, making him both more aloff, and more human at the same time. It is easy to see why this play has been a hit since 1899. The dialogue sparkles, the jokes are really funny, the sets are ingenious, and the ending is - to say the very least - completely unexpected. Wow!

If you think Basil Rathbone, or Jeremy Brett make a good Holmes, then you ain't seen nothing yet. Frank blows them out of the water and claims the role for himself.

FRANK LANGELLA beats the majority of Sherlocks by kilometers in this live onstage five-act production that even features 12-year-old Christian SLATER's debut. I have the archive and watch it repeatedly just to take further note of how assuredly it demonstrates that an excellent cast with theatrical experience can nearly always show most film actors where to get off when it comes to long line memorization and beautifully controlled delivery. Plus, it's a fine script and what breathtaking set-changes on a single stage! Also known as "The Strange Case of Alice Faulkner, this is even more unusual in that it is a stage play, yet filmed so well. Deerstalkers off to the whole crew! umacooter2@charter.net

As Sherlock Holmes, Frank Langella is not only convincing, but actually makes the character believable, and not so much of a "Super Hero." One sees the true inner man of Holmes, his foibles, addiction, and frustrations as Conan-Doyle wrote him. In this film, Langella breathes life into the dusty super-sleuth and gives substance to his relationship with Watson and Moriarty. The portrayal of Holmes and his frustration with the violin and in his opinion, his inadequacies to master it, are not only convincing but realistic. Langella has a way of making one feel they are interacting with him in person and not viewing him on the sliver screen. To see more of this most excellent actor, I heartily recommend seeing Frank Langella as "Dracula," filmed in 1979. To me Mr. Langella is the definitive Sherlock Holmes, and the absolute romantic Dracula. Cheers!

I saw this when it first came out on HBO. Langella was hot on the heels of his wonderful performance as "Dracula" and he blew me away. Exciting, compelling story, dead-on dialogue and a fistful of standout performances; this movie has it all except a place to buy it. Hasn't HBO released it onto VHS?

Sherlock's Last Case "The Strange Case of Miss Alice Faulkner" leading role played by Frank Langella. I have been looking to buy this movie on DVD for a very long time. I found it on eBay for $25.00. The seller has more copies. I first saw Frank Langella in the 1979 movie "Dracula" & fell in love with him then. I've seen all of his movies, as I am a great fan. He usually performs in dramas or horror movies. However, I do recall a comedy in which he played with actor Dom Deloise. The movie was called "The Twelve Chairs". Of all the roles he has played, I love the Sherlock Holmes's character best. In " The Strange Case of Miss Alice Faulkner" Frank Langella is the "Ultimate Sherlock Holmes".

I had read the William Gillette play, and wished I could have been around to see it on stage. I got my wish and more, with this HBO stage production, starring Frank Langella, who is a very appealing Sherlock Holmes. Not only does he use the classic powers of deduction without going over the top about it, but the famous "elementary' line is thrown in without appearing cliche. Also, this S. H. has charm and good looks to go along with his intelligence.

I also like the way the story doesn't gloss over Holmes's drug addiction, which Watson regards with disapproval and disappointment, while Holmes doesn't attempt to excuse it, or show false remorse.

This play stands out for being one where the great detective is shown to have a heart a well as a brain, which he can't control nearly as well, when he finds himself falling in love with Alice Faulkner, a young woman determined to avenge her sister's death, but who is too sweet natured to be truly vengeful. Someone who Holmes knows in his head is all wrong for him, while his heart tells another story.

I'm always happy to see a familiar face, and found one in Susan Clark, playing one of the villains in the story, and playing the part very well.

Hearing the audience in the background doesn't take anything away from enjoying the show; in fact, the applause and laughter make you feel a part of things, like you're there, as well.

Highly recommended!

Last night, while transferring home movies to DVD, I came across this film, which I had taped off of A&E sometime in the late 80's, when I was 9 or 10 and obsessed with Holmes. For some years, I had been wondering what had happened to the tape, as I would watch it obsessively when I was younger. Here it was, the last 2 acts; someone had ruthlessly filmed a brother's birthday party over the beginning. I had no hope of ever finding this production again, and didn't really even know where to look. Now I'm hoping I can buy it somewhere! The acting, while certainly calibrated for the stage, is superb. After all these years I could still remember some of the moments, and was shocked to anticipate facial expressions.

A great re-find!

there will only ever be one actor who nailed sherlock holmes that was the late great jeremy Brett over the years after his death i have seen many versions of films and TV shows of sherlock holmes and i am afraid that they all fall flat compared to jeremry Brett who lived the part 24 hours a day i compare him to David suchet as poirot no one will ever come near to that part for many years as with jeremy Brett so don't even try and compare other versions of sherlock holmes with the great jeremy some have tried but they still haven't impressed me every time i read one of the books i see jeremy brett i want to find another actor who might be able to give me what i am looking in the part but i still haven't found anyone who comes close