GOLDWYN PICTURES, 1922. Screenplay by Marion Fairfax and Earle Brown from the Play by WILLIAM GILLETTE and the stories by SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE. Produced by E.J. Godsol. Directed by Albert Parker -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CAST - SHERLOCK HOLMES - JOHN BARRYMORE MORIARTY - GUSTAV VON SEYFFERTITZ DR. WATSON - ROLAND YOUNG ALICE FAULKNER - CAROL DEMPSTER FORMAN WELLS - WILLIAM POWELL MADGE LARABEE - HEDDA HOPPER PRINCE ALEXIS - REGINALD DENNY COUNT VON STALBERG - DAVID TORRENCE JAMES LARABEE - ANDERS RANDOLF CRAIGIN - LOUIS WOLHEIM SID JONES - PERCY KNIGHT ROSE FAULKNER - PEGGY BAYFIELD ALF BASSICK - ROBERT SCHABLE BILLY - JERRY DEVINE INSPECTOR GREGSON - JOHN WILLARD ------------------------------------------
A GLASS SLIDE
DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE BRITISH MORIARTY POSTER IN THE "OTHER POSTERS" PAGE!!
The first important Holmes of the 1920's American cinema was JOHN BARRYMORE. Already reaching 40, already a successful theatrical star, already familiar to screen melodrama, John of the well known profile was to be cast as an even better known profile. John had to be talked into doing the part - cos he didn't like the part because it had such a trademark.
Complete set of 8 hand coloured LOBBY CARDS
But the most important casting was giving the role of Moriarty to German actor GUSTAV VON SEYFFERTITZ, who received second billing. (In England the film was released under the title MORIARTY).
1 sheet poster
The film begins with an overhead view of the city of LONDON. In Limehouse, Moriarty sits plotting crimes. The evil genius's shadow falls over CAMBRIDGE, where young Prince Alexis (REGINALD DENNY) is falsely accused of stealing athletic funds. Another young student - Watson recalls, "There's a fellow in my year" who dabbles in mysteries and might help clear the royal name. And this is how we meet Sherlock. He is wandering down country lanes recording obversations in his notebook. Stumbling he is nearly overrun by a pony cart driven by Alice Faulkner - who stirs his heart. Turning his attention to the school theft, he traces its perpetrator - Moriarty - to a Limehouse josshouse and has his first confrontation with the mastermind. He sees the enormous wickedness in Moriarty and vows to devote his life to ridding the world of him.
Generally the reviews nationwide were favourable, relishing "the creepy kind of thrills" the film provided and lauding Barrymore's portrayal, which in one comment "thoroughly humanized" the Conan Doyle creation. "Sherlock Holmes could have had no more enthusiastic or sympathetic interpreter" gushed the Toledo BLADE, also pleased that Holmes brings to justice a criminal band guilty of scores of gruesome crimes "without one of the crimes being shown. Only one shot is fired during the whole picture and that hits no one. It is a remarkable picture" (23 oct 1922)
Click on the photo above to take you to the SHERLOCK HOLMES SOCIETY OF LONDON. They have pages devoted to JOHN and MAURICE BARRYMORE under their silent films section.
Above is postcard issued by CINEMAGAZINE-EDITION, PARIS. The film is now available to buy on video after being restored by film buff and historian KEVIN BROWNLOW. You can buy it from VIDEOBRARY. Click on the postcard above and you shall be wisked away to their site. The order # is VB328 and costs $ 19.99.
A behind the scenes view of Sherlock on the banks of the River Thames, London. Big Ben and the houses of parliament in the distance!
