Product: Casebook of Sherlock Holmes, The {The Master Blackmailer (#1.7)} [VHS] (1993)
Rating: 5.0
Sherlock in Love?
+++++This movie is based on the story "The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton" (1904) written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859 to 1910).This story is about a man, Charles A. Milverton (Robert Hardy), "who prays upon weakness with a smiling face and a heart of marble."One of Milverton's many blackmail victims, before committing suicide, writes a letter to Sherlock (Jeremy Brett) telling him of Milverton's unscrupulous methods and asks Holmes to find a way to stop him. Sherlock takes on this "most repulsive" case.The first thing that Holmes' does is infiltrate Milverton's mansion by posing as a plumber. In the process, he becomes close to the housemaid (Sophie Thompson) who has "touched [his] heart." The ethical Dr. Watson (Edward Hardwicke) protests this tactic, feeling that Sherlock has gone to far.The first hour of this movie shows the damage Milverton has done to his victims while the second hour details how Sherlock plans to put him out of business. The end of this movie is surprisingly violent but unforgettable.Brett (as usual) does a good job in capturing the essence of the famous gumshoe in his performance. Also watch for the fine performance of Bob Hardy as the blackmailer.Finally, the costumes, background music, attention to detail, and cinematography are quite well done.In conclusion, this is a good movie to watch even if you have read the story it's based on!!(1992; 2 hr; British drama; made for TV; full screen)+++++