Sherlock Holmes (1916)
Mystery | 15 May 1916
According to the 4 February 1916 Variety, Essanay signed stage veteran William Gillette to star in Sherlock Holmes, "but it is not yet determined whether to make this a five-reel feature or ten two-reel 'episodes' for a serial."
The 4 March 1916 Motography announced that Gillette had begun filming Sherlock Holmes, marking the screen debut of the man who had gained fame playing Holmes on the stage for more than five years, the 3 June 1916 Motography noted. Gillette's stage director, William Postance, assisted director Arthur Berthelet on the film. Players in Gillette's company who acted in Sherlock Holmes include Mario Majeroni, Marjorie Kay, and Edward Fielding. Although Edison, Biograph and other film companies used the Sherlock Holmes character going back to 1900, this appears to be the first American feature-length picture.
Gillette's play was based on two Arthur Conan Doyle short stories, "A Scandal in Bohemia" and "The Sign of the Four."
An item in the 15 July 1916 Motography reported that Gillette "found in Chicago locations which duplicated the worst parts of London."
Writing in the 10 June 1916 Motography, reviewer Genevieve Harris commented that the film's seven reels seemed "lengthy; the play drags in the first part and some of the story is vague."
Sherlock Holmes was filmed again in 1922 by Goldwyn Productions, with John Barrymore in the title role and Albert Parker directing (see entry). Fox based a 1932 film on Gillette's play, with Clive Brook starring and William K. Howard directing. Another Fox film, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, made in 1939 by ...
According to the 4 February 1916 Variety, Essanay signed stage veteran William Gillette to star in Sherlock Holmes, "but it is not yet determined whether to make this a five-reel feature or ten two-reel 'episodes' for a serial."
The 4 March 1916 Motography announced that Gillette had begun filming Sherlock Holmes, marking the screen debut of the man who had gained fame playing Holmes on the stage for more than five years, the 3 June 1916 Motography noted. Gillette's stage director, William Postance, assisted director Arthur Berthelet on the film. Players in Gillette's company who acted in Sherlock Holmes include Mario Majeroni, Marjorie Kay, and Edward Fielding. Although Edison, Biograph and other film companies used the Sherlock Holmes character going back to 1900, this appears to be the first American feature-length picture.
Gillette's play was based on two Arthur Conan Doyle short stories, "A Scandal in Bohemia" and "The Sign of the Four."
An item in the 15 July 1916 Motography reported that Gillette "found in Chicago locations which duplicated the worst parts of London."
Writing in the 10 June 1916 Motography, reviewer Genevieve Harris commented that the film's seven reels seemed "lengthy; the play drags in the first part and some of the story is vague."
Sherlock Holmes was filmed again in 1922 by Goldwyn Productions, with John Barrymore in the title role and Albert Parker directing (see entry). Fox based a 1932 film on Gillette's play, with Clive Brook starring and William K. Howard directing. Another Fox film, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, made in 1939 by Albert Werken, was also based on the play, and was the second in the long running Sherlock Holmes series which starred Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce (see entry). Many other films and television programs have been based on the stories and characters created by Doyle, but not specifically based on Gilette's play.
According to the Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Database, this film is extant.
One of the noble families of England hires detective Sherlock Holmes to recover potentially embarrassing papers held by Alice Faulkner, whose sister was mistreated badly by one of the family members, and who has since vowed revenge. First Sherlock must free Alice from a gang of kidnappers, led by Professor Moriatry, who also wants the letters. Holmes, after escaping death by the gang, finally gets the papers, but then, having fallen in love with Alice, gives them back to her, asserting that he will wait until she herself gives them to the family. Then, with Alice in earshot, Holmes tells the head of the family that he has failed. The man berates Holmes, but Alice, having fallen in love with the detective, rushes in to present the papers to the nobleman, after which she and Holmes begin their romance in ...
One of the noble families of England hires detective Sherlock Holmes to recover potentially embarrassing papers held by Alice Faulkner, whose sister was mistreated badly by one of the family members, and who has since vowed revenge. First Sherlock must free Alice from a gang of kidnappers, led by Professor Moriatry, who also wants the letters. Holmes, after escaping death by the gang, finally gets the papers, but then, having fallen in love with Alice, gives them back to her, asserting that he will wait until she herself gives them to the family. Then, with Alice in earshot, Holmes tells the head of the family that he has failed. The man berates Holmes, but Alice, having fallen in love with the detective, rushes in to present the papers to the nobleman, after which she and Holmes begin their romance in earnest.
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