The first night off.

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A rather rare treat for this production are three nights off. No rehearsals, no readings, nothing. A day off today, tomorrow and the next day. I’m using this time to get some rest and get a few things done. Tonight was the night for rest.

An old Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce Sherlock Holmes movie, a light snack and quiet time.

Back in the day Basil Rathbone was Sherlock Holmes. I never realized when I first saw these movies that they were set in the wrong time period. Of course, I saw the movies before I started reading the books. Even after reading the Holmes stories, I liked the way Rathbone played Holmes. For years when I thought of Holmes I thought of Rathbone.

Of course, some time ago I saw another actor in a series of shows that put Holmes in the correct time period. On a British and then PBS series, Jeremy Brett played Sherlock Holmes. After watching that series, I often thought of him while reading any Sherlock Holmes story.

There was one other actor I often think about when I think of Holmes. My college roommate portrayed Holmes in a college play. It was my first (and I thought my last), try at acting. This play gave me a line that to this day remains my favorite. “Don’t worry, there are ways to inflict excruciating pain and yet leave no marks.” Even after 30 years I remember that show.

And finally back to Rathbone. The movie “The Hound of the Baskervilles” is the only Rathbone Holmes movie that was set in the correct time period.

4 thoughts on “The first night off.”

  1. Intriguing… Your thoughts on the previews for the new movie (if any)? Personally, I think it looks like a show that aims to show Robert Downey, Jr. shirtless for the female fans, but you never know…

  2. I’m not even really a Holmes fan, and the scene in the preview of the new movie with Downey tied to a bed seems offensive to the character and totally not the point of Holmes – probably going to miss that one.

  3. Exactly my point… an attempt to “update” the character by introducing character elements that go against the creation. If they are going to do that… maybe it should be set in the modern age.

  4. During the changes, my replies went goodbye. Anyway, I think they are using the name Sherlock Holmes to sell a Robert Downey Jr. movie. I don’t think the story will be close to any Holmes story in existence.

    I’ll have to see it sometime, but I may wait until it gets to home release.

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