Mrs. Hudson | BBC Sherlock | Sherlockology Just to make things absolutely clear, Mrs. Hudson is in fact the landlady of 221 Baker Street, not the housekeeper! Have you got that? The landlady,NOTthe housekeeper, so don't be expecting her to make a cup of tea for you… although she'll probably be putting the kettle on in a minute anyway… fancy a biscuit too? A widow after her husband got himself sentenced to death in Florida, Mrs. Hudson now rents out the other two flats in her building. Currently 221B is occupied by Sherlock Holmes, who was able to help her out by ensuring her husband got the death penalty, and Dr. John Watson. The flat does have a second bedroom, not that Mrs. Hudson suspects they'll be needing two bedrooms, but they're quite broad-minded in Baker Street, after all Mrs. Turner next door's got married ones. The basement flat 221C is still available should anyone be looking for a nice little place in central London.

A prime spot, the location is quiet, calm, peaceful, apart from the occupants in 221B having a little domestic, and the sound of occasional gunfire (again coming from 221B), oh and also that time there was a massive explosion opposite! Oh no, it wasn't a bomb, gas explosion apparently. Anyway, please contact the landlady (not housekeeper) Mrs. Hudson at 221A if you are interested in the possibility of renting this flat, anyone may apply, she's got all sorts around here. Friends Sherlock Holmes's landlady Mrs Hudson - actress Una Stubbs - is given the Who Do You Think You Are? treatment - Jane Simon - Mirror Online Get celebs updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid Email Cherie Lunghi takes on the voice-over duties as the BBC’s popular ­genealogy show returns for a new series. Actress Una Stubbs has had a career spanning more than half a century and is reaching a whole new generation of fans now as Sherlock Holmes’s landlady Mrs Hudson . And the tears start even before she’s properly set off on her quest.

For a reason she will never fully get to the bottom of, she never met her father’s parents or even knew their names. Seeing a photo of them tonight and finding out they were called Annie and Arthur and that they were proud of the granddaughter they had never met is enough to set her off. Una’s search takes her to York, where she discovers the first of several surprising and sweet ­coincidences – this one involving the Rowntree’s chocolate factory. But the other side of Una’s family tree proves just as interesting. Her great-grandfather Sir ­Ebenezer Howard was the founder of the garden city movement and from humble beginnings would eventually become­ ­responsible for the towns of Letchworth and Welwyn Garden City – where Annie and Arthur would ­ultimately move and her parents would meet. Una could have found out quite a lot about Ebenezer just by googling him, but as she’s not a fan of computers, his life story comes as a wonderful surprise for her – and for us. * Who Do You Think You Are? BBC1, 9pm “There's an echo in here,” comments one character tonight, thereby summing up Ralf Little and Michelle Terry’s idiosyncratic approach to dialogue.

If you crossed out all the times the simplest line had to be repeated by everyone in the vicinity – one word tonight pinballs around the cafe no less than six times so that all the characters get to have a go at it – and if you deleted all the “oirrights?”, “laters”, “talk of the devils” and “your usuals?”, then you’d be left with approximately four pages of script – barely enough to fill a commercial break. But in those four pages there are some major developments to mark the start of series two, as Stan plans a surprise, Richard has a big announcement and Sarah realises that people who sit on the fence too long just get splinters. But the biggest of all of these is the arrival of former Hustle star Robert Glenister as photographer Phil, a man who’s packing a big lens – and an even bigger shock for Carol and Sarah. * The Cafe, Sky 1, 9pm This award-winning Irish gangland drama is about to shoot its fourth season in Dublin – here we’re just being introduced to series one.

And if you like your crime ­families clean and pretty, then you’ve come to the right place, with Misfits star Robert Sheehan starring alongside Ruth Bradley, Ruth Negga and Game of Thrones actor Aidan Gillen as local gang boss John Boy Power. On the day the story opens, Darren Treacy (Sheehan), who has been in Spain hiding from gun possession charges, is flying home to Ireland on the same day that his brother Robbie (Chris Newman) is being released from prison. But the joyful family reunion is destined to be interrupted by violence. It’s a jittery start, but its insistence that criminals are people too – along with some flashes of humour – might make you care enough about this gang to stick along for the ride. * Love/Hate, C5, 10pm Most Read Most Recent Most Read Most Recent Sherlock Holmes (Character) - Biography biography from "Sherlock" (2010) The content of this page was created by users. It has not been screened or verified by IMDb staff. Warning! This character biography may contain plot spoilers. Visit our Character Biography Help to learn more.

This Character Biography topic is currently locked Character Biography Discuss Sherlock Holmes is the legendary great detective who solves even the most baffling cases with astute observation, deductive reasoning and very little people skills. As a "consulting detective," he favors reason and logic above all else and makes very few personal attachments beyond those that benefit him. He calls himself a "high functioning sociopath" because he does not make friends or understand emotions very well, beyond what can be studied. He would make a superior criminal if he were so inclined, but instead he assists the police, and Detective Inspector Greg Lestrade, on their most baffling cases. Because he has no interest in emotions, he makes no effort to protect those of other people and often comes across as rude, blunt or even cruel, especially to Molly Hooper, the coroner, who has a crush on him. In addition to Molly, the other people in the world he cares about are Mrs. Hudson, his landlady, who tolerates him keeping science experiments in the fridge and shooting holes in the walls; Detective Inspector Greg Lestrade with New Scotland Yard and Dr. John Watson, who starts out as his roommate and quickly becomes his assistant and chronicler on cases.

Sherlock has a brother, Mycroft, from whom he is estranged. Mycroft goes so far as to refer to himself as Sherlock's arch enemy, yet they do help each other out when it is absolutely necessary. Sherlock's actual nemesis is master criminal James Moriarty, who is as intelligent as Sherlock, but uses his wits for crime. Sherlock doesn't have girlfriends, but is intrigued by Irene Adler, an intelligent criminal and high end escort. Background: Lives at 221B Baker Street. In the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle stories Sherlock used cocaine, in this version his addictive vice is nicotine, which he is trying to give up, although he thinks it keeps his brain "active." Character Biography Mrs Hudson | Baker Street Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Edit "Mrs Hudson, the landlady of Sherlock Holmes, was a long-suffering woman. Not only was her first-floor flat invaded at all hours by throngs of singular and often undesirable characters but her remarkable lodger showed an eccentricity and irregularity in his life which must have sorely tried her patience.

His incredible untidiness, his addiction to music at strange hours, his occasional revolver practice within doors, his weird and often malodorous scientific experiments, and the atmosphere of violence and danger which hung around him made him the very worst tenant in London. On the other hand, his payments were princely. I have no doubt that the house might have been purchased at the price which Holmes paid for his rooms during the years that I was with him. The landlady stood in the deepest awe of him and never dared to interfere with him, however outrageous his proceedings might seem. She was fond of him, too, for he had a remarkable gentleness and courtesy in his dealings with women." Sherlock Holmes: Books, Characters & Author - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com Sherlock Holmes: Books, Characters & Author Watch short & fun videos Start Your Free Trial Today An error occurred trying to load this video. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. You must create an account to continue watching Register for a free trial Are you a student or a teacher? I am a student Start Your Free Trial To Continue Watching As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over lessons in math, English, science, history, and more.

Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you succeed. Coming up next: The Lord of the Rings: Themes & Analysis You're on a roll. Keep up the good work! Your next lesson will play in 10 seconds 0:01 Holmes/ His Personality 4:55 Influence of the Series 5:38 Lesson Summary Add to Add to Add to Want to watch this again later? Log in or sign up to add this lesson to a Custom Course. Custom Courses are courses that you create from Study.com lessons. Use them just like other courses to track progress, access quizzes and exams, and share content. Teachers Organize and share selected lessons with your class. Make planning easier by creating your own custom course. Students Create a new course from any lesson page or your dashboard. From any lesson page: Click "Add to" located below the video player and follow the prompts to name your course and save your lesson. From your dashboard: Click on the "Custom Courses" tab, then click "Create course". Next, go to any lesson page and begin adding lessons. Edit your Custom Course directly from your dashboard. Personalize: Name your Custom Course and add an optional description or learning objective.

Organize: Create chapters to group lesson within your course. Remove and reorder chapters and lessons at any time. Share your Custom Course or assign lessons and chapters. Teacher Edition: Share or assign lessons and chapters by clicking the "Teacher" tab on the lesson or chapter page you want to assign. Students' quiz scores and video views will be trackable in your "Teacher" tab. Premium Edition: You can share your Custom Course by copying and pasting the course URL. Only Study.com members will be able to access the entire course. Create an account to start this course today Try it free for 5 days! Lesson Transcript Instructor: Francesca Marinaro Francesca M. Marinaro has a PhD in English from the University of Florida and has been teaching English composition and Literature since 2007. In this lesson, you'll learn about Sherlock Holmes, the brilliant, iconic sleuth created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and featured in many of his novels and short stories. You'll also get an introduction to Holmes's crime-solving associate. Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes is the fictional detective created by Scottish Author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle during the late 19th century.

One of the most recognizable figures in English literature, Sherlock Holmes is a consulting detective who lives at 221 B Baker Street in Victorian London and assists clients privately with the help of his friend and roommate, Dr. John H. Watson. Whenever the police have difficulty solving a case, they come seeking Holmes's advice. Conan Doyle based the character of Sherlock Holmes on Dr. Joseph Bell, a surgeon at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, under whom Conan Doyle had worked as a clerk, though Bell is often quoted as having written to Conan Doyle that, 'You are yourself Sherlock Holmes, and well you know it.' Conan Doyle also drew inspiration from Sir Henry Littlejohn of the University of Edinburgh Medical School. As a police surgeon, Littlejohn created for Conan Doyle a link between the study of medicine and the study of crime. We know very little biographically about the character Sherlock Holmes other than the fact that he became interested in detective work during his college years, when most of his cases involved helping his fellow university students. Holmes's Personality Watson describes Holmes's personality as eccentric. He lives for his cases, and when he is working he will sometimes go for days without rest or food and drink.

When not working on a case, he lapses into a state of depression, calming himself with drugs like cocaine. He sometimes goes for days without speaking, has a habit of storing tobacco in his slippers, and plays the violin. He organizes knowledge in his own mind so efficiently that he claims ignorance of anything that does little to help him in his work. In fact, Watson famously expresses shock that Holmes appears not even to know that the earth orbits the sun because he argues that such details take up unnecessary space in his brain. Characters The most significant character in the Sherlock Holmes stories is his friend and colleague, Dr. Watson. Watson is a former army doctor who has been sent home from the Anglo-Afghan War after being wounded in the shoulder. When Holmes and Watson meet in A Study in Scarlet, Holmes is looking for someone to share his Baker Street apartment because he cannot afford it on his own. Watson lives with Holmes until he meets Mary Morstan, Holmes's client in The Sign of the Four. The two fall in love and get married, but Watson continues to assist Holmes in his work and returns to Baker Street after Mary's death. Watson serves as the narrator of the Sherlock Holmes stories.

Some of the other major characters include: Mrs. Hudson: Holmes and Watson's landlady Inspector Lestrade: a Scotland Yard detective who Holmes regularly criticizes and makes fun of Mycroft Holmes: Sherlock's mysterious older brother, who has a position in the British government and occasionally calls on Sherlock's assistance in top-secret work. Holmes also occasionally employs a team of homeless street boys he calls the Baker Street Irregulars. The boys act as a team of spies for Holmes, running around London and gathering information while he's off pursuing other angles of a case. The most significant villain of the Sherlock Holmes stories is Professor James Moriarty, a brilliant foil for Holmes who turns his keen mind and deductive skill to committing crimes that are never traced back to him.

Books The Sherlock Holmes stories consist of four novels: A Study in Scarlet (1887) The Sign of the Four (1890) The Hound of the Baskervilles (serialized in The Strand Magazine from 1901 to 1902) The Valley of Fear (serialized in The Strand Magazine from 1914 to 1915) Conan Doyle also penned 56 short stories: that were originally published in periodical form and were later collected into five books: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (stories published from 1891 to 1892) The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (stories published from 1892 to 1893) The Return of Sherlock Holmes (stories published from 1903 to 1904) His Last Bow (stories published from 1908 to 1917) The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes (stories published from 1921 to 1927) × 'Sherlock' returns to life for third PBS season FacebookEmail Twitter Google+ LinkedIn Pinterest 'Sherlock' returns to life for third PBS season Fans of Benedict Cumberbatch's depiction of Sherlock Holmes need

n't worry that the very busy actor is getting tired of the role.

"I'm going to keep going on with it," Cumberbatch told Post to Facebook 'Sherlock' returns to life for third PBS season Fans of Benedict Cumberbatch's depiction of Sherlock Holmes needn't worry that the very busy actor is getting tired of the role. "I'm going to keep going on with it," Cumberbatch told Check out this story on USATODAY.com: CancelSend A link has been sent to your friend's email address. Posted! A link has been posted to your Facebook feed. 4 To find out more about Facebook commenting please read the Conversation Guidelines and FAQs 'Sherlock' returns to life for third PBS season Bill Keveney , USA TODAY Published 6:03 p.m. ET Jan. 20, 2014 | Updated 10:12 p.m. ET Jan. 20, 2014 Spoiler alert: The third-season premiere, discussed below, drew nearly 4 million viewers. Sherlock (Benedict Cumberbatch) is alive and well and so is the show, co-starring Martin Freeman. (Photo: Robert Viglasky, Hartswood Films) PASADENA, Calif.

-- Fans of Benedict Cumberbatch's depiction of Sherlock Holmes needn't worry that the very busy actor is getting tired of the role. "I'm going to keep going on with it," Cumberbatch told writers while discussing the third season of Sherlock at the Television Critics Association winter press tour on Monday. "I play enough other mad people as well, a varied palate." Sunday's third-season premiere of the PBS' Masterpiece drama jumped ahead two years from the Season 2 finale in which brilliant crime-solver Sherlock appeared to die after leaping from a tall building. The effect of the sleuth's return on his surprised sidekick, Dr. John Watson (Martin Freeman), is a central part of the episode. Since John's point of view, as well as the audience's, was blocked by a smaller building, there was room for Sherlock to deceive his friend into believing he was dead, co-creator Steven Moffat said. "John couldn't see the point of impact, (so) it was dead easy," Moffat said of Sherlock's cushioned landing.

The only way to avoid hitting the sidewalk "is not to hit it." Sunday's episode, which followed the popular Downton Abbey, drew nearly 4 million viewers, a 25% jump over the Season 2 opener. The remaining two episodes are scheduled for Jan. 26 and Feb. 2 (9:58 p.m. ET/PT, times may vary). Sherlock also features Rupert Graves' return as Deputy Inspector Greg Lestrade, along with Una Stubbs as the landlady, Mrs. Hudson. The season also features a love interest for John, Mary Morstan (Amanda Abbington), and a new villain, played by Lars Mikkelsen. A fourth season is planned. The popularity of the series, which is based on the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, was apparent from the Sherlock fans, including at least one wearing the sleuth's distinctive headgear, who waited outside the hotel where the press tour is held. Cumberbatch, who appeared in a number of feature films in 2013, said he appreciates the fan interest. "I think a lot of it comes with who (Sherlock) is. He is a very iconic figure.

(The attention is) extraordinary and a little unnerving," he said. "They are supportive, loyal and by and large intelligent and some of them normal and committed to something I really love doing and a character I like playing and other characters as well. It means a lot to me." 134 CONNECT TWEET LINKEDIN 4 COMMENTEMAILMORE Read or Share this story: NEVER MISS OUT Life Be a pop culture maven. Get the news, reviews and the juiciest celebrity stories that keep you in the know, Monday-Friday. Sherlock Holmes | Baker Street Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia ― Dr Watson speaking about Holmes [src] Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, who first appeared in publication in 1887. He was devised by British author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle . A brilliant London-based detective, Holmes is famous for his prowess at using logic and astute observation to solve cases. He is perhaps the most famous fictional detective, and indeed one of the best known and most universally recognizable literary characters. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote four novels and fifty-six short-stories featuring his creation.

Almost all were narrated by Holmes' friend and biographer, Dr John H. Watson , with the exception of two narrated by Holmes himself and two more written in the third person. The stories first appeared in magazine serialization, notably in The Strand Magazine , over a period of forty years. This was a common form of publication at the time: Charles Dickens' works were issued in a similar fashion. The stories cover a period from around 1878 up to 1903, with a final case in 1914. They are read as much for their characterization and the stylised late-Victorian era in which they take place as for the mysteries themselves.

More actors have portrayed Sherlock Holmes than any other character, and by 1964, according to a report in The Times, the worldwide sales of the stories were running second only to the Bible.[citation needed] Knowledge and skills ―" The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle Little is known of Holmes' early life or his family background, save that he is the grand nephew of the French artist Emile Jean Horace Vernet.[citation needed] An estimate of Holmes's age in " His Last Bow " places his year of birth at 1854; the story, set in August 1914, describes him as 60 years of age. It is also known that in his younger years, Holmes attended at least one of the country's leading universities ... though it cannot be ascertained whether he was an alumnus of Oxford, Cambridge, or both. Sherlock has an older brother, Mycroft, whom the younger Holmes considered to be more intellectually gifted than himself. Mycroft spent much of his life in Her Majesty's Secret Service. In " The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter ", Sherlock refers to Mycroft as being "[s]even years [his] senior".

If Sherlock date of birth of 1854 is correct, that places Mycroft's date of birth as 1847. At the age of 20, Holmes was to find his life's calling. For it was in that year that he began his illustrious career as the world's first consulting detective, taking his first case...which his future friend and companion Dr John Watson would come to title, in his chronicles of Holmes' endeavours, " The Adventure of the Gloria Scott ". His study of science at university having informed his already keen mind and powers of observation, Holmes employed a process of deductive reasoning in his work, with great success. In early 1881 he is presented as an independent student of chemistry with a variety of very curious side-interests, almost all of which turn out to be single-mindedly bent towards making him superior at solving crimes. In another early story, "The Adventure of the Gloria Scott", more background on what caused Holmes to become a detective is presented: a college friend's father complimented him very highly on his deductive skills.

In " The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter ", Holmes states that his grandmother was the sister of the French painter "Vernet" (presumably Horace Vernet). In A Study in Scarlet , Dr Watson makes an evaluation of Sherlock's skills: Knowledge of Literature – Nil. Is an expert singlestick player, boxer, and swordsman Has a good practical knowledge of British law Later stories make clear, however, that the above list is misleading, and that Holmes, who has just met Watson, is pulling Watson's leg. Two examples: despite Holmes' supposed ignorance of politics, in " A Scandal in Bohemia " he immediately recognises the true identity of the supposed Count von Kramm as Wilhelm Gottsreich Sigismond von Ormstein, Grand Duke of Cassel-Feldstein and hereditary King of Bohemia. Regarding non-sensational literature, his speech is replete with references to the Bible, Shakespeare, and even Goethe. This is somewhat inconsistent with his scolding Watson for telling him about how the Earth revolved around the Sun, instead of the other way around, given that Holmes tried to avoid having his memory cluttered with information that is of no use to him in detective work.

Holmes is also a competent cryptanalyst. He relates to Watson, "I am fairly familiar with all forms of secret writing, and am myself the author of a trifling monograph upon the subject, in which I analyse one hundred and sixty separate ciphers". One such scheme is solved in "The Adventure of the Dancing Men", which uses a series of stick figures. In A Study in Scarlet , Conan Doyle presents a comparison between his sleuth and two earlier, more established fictional detectives: Edgar Allan Poe's C. Auguste Dupin and Emile Gaboriau's Monsieur Lecoq. The former had first appeared in The Murders in the Rue Morgue, first published in 1841, and the latter in L'Affaire Lerouge (The Lerouge Affair) in 1866. The brief discussion between Watson and Holmes about the two characters begins with a comment by Watson: You remind me of Edgar Allen Poe's Dupin. I had no idea that such individuals did exist outside of stories." Sherlock Holmes rose and lit his pipe. "No doubt you think that you are complimenting me in comparing me to Dupin," he observed.

"Now, in my opinion, Dupin was a very inferior fellow. That trick of his of breaking in on his friends' thoughts with an apropos remark after a quarter of an hour's silence is really very showy and superficial. He had some analytical genius, no doubt; but he was by no means such a phenomenon as Poe appeared to imagine." "Have you read Gaboriau's works?" I asked. "Does Lecoq come up to your idea of a detective?" Sherlock Holmes sniffed sardonically. "Lecoq was a miserable bungler," he said, in an angry voice; "he had only one thing to recommend him, and that was his energy. That book made me positively ill. The question was how to identify an unknown prisoner. I could have done it in twenty-four hours. Lecoq took six months or so. It might be made a text-book for detectives to teach them what to avoid." Holmes seems convinced that he is superior to both of them, while Watson expresses his admiration of the two characters. It has been suggested that this was a way for Conan Doyle to pay some respect to characters by writers who had influenced him, while insisting that his is an improvement over them.

However, Holmes pulls a very Dupin-esque mind reading trick on Watson in " The Adventure of the Cardboard Box " (repeated word for word in the story, " The Adventure of the Resident Patient ", when "The Cardboard Box" was removed from the Memoirs ), and, to a lesser extent, in " The Adventure of the Dancing Men ". Holmes has shown himself a master of disguise: A woman (" The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone ") So great a master of disguise is Holmes, in fact, that in " A Scandal in Bohemia ", Watson is compelled to remark of him, "The stage lost a fine actor, even as science lost an acute reasoner, when he became a specialist in crime." Although Holmes looks upon himself as a disembodied brain, there are times when he can become very emotional in a righteous cause, as when he disapproves of the banker Holder as to how the man treated his son, in " The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet ". At the end of " The Adventure of the Six Napoleons ", he is touched by Lestrade's deep gratitude for assisting Scotland Yard. Watson says, "he was more nearly moved by the softer human emotions than I had ever seen him".

And, in " The Adventure of the Three Garridebs ", Watson is wounded by a forger he and Holmes are pursuing. While the bullet wound proved to be "quite superficial", Watson is moved by Holmes' reaction: "It was worth a wound – it was worth many wounds – to know the depth of loyalty and love which lay behind that cold mask. The clear, hard eyes were dimmed for a moment, and the firm lips were shaking. For the one and only time I caught a glimpse of a great heart as well as of a great brain.

All my years of humble but single-minded service culminated in that moment of revelation." Holmes' techniques could be looked upon, then, as the forerunner of modern forensic sciences: The observation of gunpowder residue on victim (" The Adventure of the Reigate Puzzle ") The observation of use of bullets from murder weapon from two crime scenes (" The Adventure of the Empty House ") The use of a fingerprint to free an innocent man (" The Adventure of the Norwood Builder ") (an especially subtle case, as Holmes recognises the fingerprint as a forgery) In " The Adventure of the Second Stain ", Dr Watson says that after his long career, Holmes moved to the Sussex Downs and took up beekeeping. But even in "retirement" Holmes would again come to the aid of his country as the First World War approached. In 1914, at the age of 60, he was instrumental in the capture and arrest of a Prussian spy known as Von Bork. The Von Bork case seems to have been Sherlock Holmes' last bow. Following the arrest, Holmes returned to his life of seclusion in Sussex to live out his life in peace and solitude, keeping bees and eventually publishing a manual on the subject.

The details of his later life and death are not known, but he lives on to this day through the records of his thrilling cases, and will always be remembered and regarded as the "World's Only Consulting Detective". Personality and habits Edit Watson describes Holmes as "bohemian" in habits and lifestyle. Although Holmes is described in The Hound of the Baskervilles as having a "cat-like" love of personal cleanliness, Watson also describes Holmes as an eccentric, with no regard for contemporary standards of tidiness or good order. He alternates between days or weeks of listless lassitude and similar periods of intense engagement with a challenging case or with his hobby, experimental chemistry: "extreme exactness and astuteness... [or a] poetic and contemplative mood", "outbursts of passionate energy... followed by reactions of lethargy." Nevertheless, Watson was very typical of his time in not considering a vice Holmes' habit of smoking (usually a pipe) heavily, nor his willingness to bend the truth and break the law (e.g., lie to the police, conceal evidence, burgle and housebreak) when it suited his purposes.

In Victorian England, such actions were not necessarily considered vices as long as they were done by a gentleman for noble purposes, such as preserving a woman's honor or a family's reputation (this argument is discussed by Holmes and Watson in " The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton "). Since many of the stories revolve around Holmes (and Watson) doing such things, a modern reader must accept actions which would be out of character for a "law-abiding" detective living by the standards of a later time. (They remain staples of detective fiction, being done in a good cause.) Holmes has a strong sense of honour and "doing the right thing". Holmes can often be quite dispassionate and cold; however, when hot on the trail of a mystery, he can display a remarkable passion given his usual languor. He has a flair for showmanship, and often, he prepares dramatic traps to capture the culprit of a crime which are staged to impress Watson or one of the Scotland Yard inspectors (as at the end of " The Adventure of the Norwood Builder ").

He also holds back on his chain of reasoning, not revealing it or only giving cryptic hints and surprising results, until the very end, when he can explain all of his deductions at once. Holmes does have an ego that sometimes seems to border on arrogance; however, his arrogance is usually deserved. He seems to enjoy baffling the police inspectors with his superior deductions. Holmes is usually quite content to allow the police to take the credit for his work, with Watson being the only one to broadcast his own roles in the case (in " The Adventure of the Naval Treaty ", he remarks that of his last fifty-three cases, the police have had all the credit in forty-nine), although he enjoys receiving praise from personal friends and those who take a serious interest in his work. Although he initially needed Watson to share the rent of his comfortable residence at 221B Baker Street we are told in " The Adventure of the Dying Detective " (when he was living alone) "I have no doubt that the house might have been purchased at the price which Holmes paid for his rooms" suggesting he had developed a good income from his practice, although it is never revealed exactly how much he charges for his services.

It is possible, however, that he charges based on the client's ability to pay in " The Adventure of the Final Problem ", Holmes states that his services to the government of France and the royal house of Scandinavia had left him with enough money to retire comfortably, while in " The Adventure of Black Peter " Watson notes that Holmes would refuse to help the wealthy and powerful if their cases did not interest him, while he could devote weeks at a time to the cases of the most humble clients. Certainly, in the course of his career Holmes had worked for both the most powerful monarchs and governments of Europe (including his own) and various wealthy aristocrats and industrialists, and also been consulted by impoverished pawnbrokers and humble governesses on the lower rungs of society. Holmes is generally quite fearless. He dispassionately surveys horrific, brutal crime scenes; he does not allow superstition (as in The Hound of the Baskervilles ) or grotesque situations to make him afraid; and he intrepidly confronts violent murderers. He is generally unfazed by threats from his criminal enemies, and indeed Holmes himself remarks that it is the danger of his profession that has attracted him to it.

Finally, Holmes does have capacities for human emotion and friendship. He has a remarkable capacity to gently soothe and reassure people suffering from extreme distress, a talent which comes in handy when dealing with both male and female clients who arrive at Baker Street suffering from extreme fear or nervousness. He also has a close personal friendship with Watson, whose near-death at the hands of a counterfeiter in " The Adventure of the Three Garridebs " elicits grief and anger from Holmes. Over time, Holmes' relations with the official Scotland Yard detectives goes from cold disdain to a strong respect. Drug use ― The Sign of Four Holmes occasionally uses addictive drugs, especially when lacking stimulating cases. Modern readers of the Holmes stories are apt to be surprised by this, though Watson describes this as Holmes' "only vice".[citation needed] Holmes believes the use of cocaine stimulates his brain when it is not in use. He is a habitual user of cocaine, which he injects in a seven-per-cent solution using a personal syringe that he keeps in a Morocco leather case. Holmes is also an occasional user of morphine but expressed strong disapproval on visiting an opium den. These drugs were legal in late 19th-century England.

Both Watson and Holmes are continual tobacco users, including cigarettes, cigars, and pipes, though this was not an uncommon habit during this era. Holmes is an expert at identifying tobacco-ash residues, having penned a monograph on the subject. Dr Watson strongly disapproves of his friend's cocaine habit, describing it as the detective's "only vice" and expressing concern over its possible effect on Holmes' mental health and superior intellect. In " The Adventure of the Missing Three-Quarter ", Watson claims to have "weaned" Holmes off drugs. Even so, according to his doctor friend, Holmes remains an addict whose habit is "not dead, but merely sleeping". Possessions Edit The most characteristic feature of Holmes' attire is introduced in " The Boscombe Valley Mystery " where he is described as wearing a "cloth cap" which in Sidney Paget 's illustration appears as a deerstalker . It was introduced into more illustrations by the American illustrator F.D. Steele, who was also responsible (following the model of the American actor William Gillette who portrayed the detective) for associating Holmes' image with the curved calabash pipe. [1] At home, Holmes wears a mouse-coloured dressing gown.

Besides fees, Holmes also has souvenirs from his cases: Watson pistol-whips Colonel Sebastian Moran in " The Adventure of the Empty House ". In " The Musgrave Ritual " it is revealed that Holmes decorated the wall of their flat with a patriotic "V.R." (Victoria Regina) done in bullet marks. Besides a pistol, Holmes uses a riding crop/ cane as a weapon: To knock the pistol from John Clay's hand in " The Red-Headed League ". To lash out at the snake (with his cane) in " The Adventure of the Speckled Band ". To hit the villainous one of the title on the head after he has shot at Watson, in " The Adventure of the Three Garridebs ". As noted above Watson reports Holmes skilled in the martial arts of singlestick and sword fencing-although the only use a sword by Holmes is the Jeremy Brett adaptation of " The Adventure of the Naval Treaty " in which Holmes uses a sword-cane to force Joseph Harrison to give up the stolen treaty papers!

Holmes is also quite skilled in the use of unarmed combat-such as using jujitsu to knock the murderous Professor Moriarty to his doom and also in the art of boxing - he fought three rounds with prizefighter McMurdo ("The Sign of the Four"); he beat Joseph Harrison, and he knocked out the bully Woodley with a straight left cross ("The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist"). Nevertheless Holmes has received injuries during his career - a knife cut on his right hand ("The Adventure of the Naval Treaty"); a cut on his right knuckles from a fight with a thug of Professor Moriarty ("The Adventure of the Final Problem"); being nearly strangled by the Cunninghams ("The Adventure of the Reigate Squire"); being beaten by the thugs of Baron Gunther ("The Adventure of the Illustrious Client"); Holmes also lost one of his canine teeth in a fight with a criminal named Matthews at Charing Cross Station ("The Adventure of the Empty House").

Relationships Edit An estimate of Holmes' age in the short story "His Last Bow" , in which he is described as a "man of sixty" in the year 1914, places his year of birth around 1854, Historically, Holmes lived from the year 1881 at 221B Baker Street , London (in early notes it was described as being situated at Upper Baker Street), a flat up seventeen steps, where he shared many of his professional years with his good friend Dr Watson for some time before Watson's marriage in 1887 or 1888 and after Mrs Watson's death. The residence was maintained by his landlady, Mrs Hudson . In almost all of the stories Holmes is assisted by the practical Watson, who is not only a friend but also his chronicler (his "Boswell"). Most of Holmes' stories are told as narratives, by Watson, of the detective's solutions to crimes brought to his attention by clients. Holmes sometimes criticizes Watson for his writings, usually because he relates them as exciting stories rather than as objective and detailed reports focusing on what Holmes regards as the pure "science" of his craft.

Holmes also has an older brother, Mycroft Holmes, a government official, who appears in three stories: " The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter ", " The Final Problem ", and " The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans ". He is also mentioned in a number of others, including " The Adventure of the Empty House ". The Baker Street Irregulars In three stories, including The Sign of Four , Holmes is assisted by a group of street children he calls the Baker Street Irregulars . Police Edit Law enforcement officers with whom Holmes has worked include G. Lestrade , Tobias Gregson , Stanley Hopkins , and Athelney (or Peter) Jones, all four of Scotland Yard , and Francois Le Villard of the French police. Holmes usually baffles the police with his far more efficient and effective methods, showing himself to be a vastly superior detective. Edit Holmes' arch-enemy and popularly-supposed nemesis was Professor James Moriarty ("Napoleon of Crime"), who fell, struggling with Holmes, over the Reichenbach Falls. Conan Doyle intended " The Final Problem ", the story in which this occurred, to be the last that he wrote about Holmes.

However, the mass of mailings he received demanding that he bring back his creation convinced him to continue, since the public showed little interest in his other literary endeavours.[citation needed] He did so with The Hound of the Baskervilles , although this was a case Holmes was involved in before his supposed death. His return in " The Adventure of the Empty House " had Conan Doyle explaining that only Moriarty fell over the cliff, but Holmes had allowed the world to believe that he too had perished while he dodged the retribution of Moriarty's underlings. Also, numerous sources claim that Moriarty was initially Holmes' mathematics tutor, as is also referenced in the work of Baring-Gould. Professor Moriarty also has a presence in The Valley of Fear . Edit The only woman in whom Holmes ever showed any interest that verged on the romantic was Irene Adler. According to Watson, she was always referred to by Holmes as "The Woman." Holmes himself is never directly quoted as using this term – though he does mention her actual name several times in other cases. She is also one of the few women who are mentioned in multiple Holmes stories, though she actually appears in person only in one, " A Scandal in Bohemia ".

She is often thought to be the only woman who broke through Holmes' reserve. She is possibly the only woman who has ever "beaten" Holmes in a mystery; this point is unclear due to a comment with some chronological problems in one of the stories (see the Irene Adler or " The Five Orange Pips " articles for details). However, it is important to note that Watson explicitly states, "It was not that he felt any emotion akin to love for Irene Adler." That said, we have only Watson's word that this is the case, and the nature of Sherlock's thoughts about her will always remain something of a question. Edit Whilst it should be noted that Mrs Hudson is never actually described, Watson writes in " The Adventure of the Dying Detective " that Mrs Hudson is fond of Holmes in her own way, despite his bothersome eccentricities as a lodger, owing to his "remarkable gentleness and courtesy in his dealings with women." Relationship with women Edit In one story, " The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton ", Holmes is engaged to be married, but only with the motivation of gaining information for his case.

He clearly demonstrates particular interest in several of the more charming female clients that come his way (such as Violet Hunter of " The Adventure of the Copper Beeches ", whom Watson thought might become more than a client to Holmes). However, the context implies that Holmes found their youth, beauty, and energy (and the cases they bring to him) invigorating, as opposed to an actual romantic interest, as Holmes inevitably "manifested no further interest in her when once she had ceased to be the center of one of his problems". If he was able to turn on a certain amount of charm, as indicated by these episodes, there is no indication of a serious or long-term interest apart from the case of Adler. Watson states that Holmes has an "aversion to women" but "a peculiarly ingratiating way with [them]." Holmes stated "I am not a whole-souled admirer of womankind." His dislike may have stemmed from the fact he found "the motives of women... so inscrutable... How can you build on such quicksand? Their most trivial actions may mean volumes... their most extraordinary conduct may depend upon a hairpin." This perceived resistance to his deductive processes may have annoyed him.

On the other hand, it may be noted that the landlady, Mrs Hudson, is never actually described. Another point of interest in Holmes' relationships with women, is that the only joy he gets from their company is the problems they bring to him to solve. In "The Sign of Four", Watson quotes Holmes as being "an automaton, a calculating machine." this references Holmes' disinterest in relationships with women in general, and clients in particular, as Watson state that "there is something positively inhuman in you at times". Watson writes in " The Adventure of the Dying Detective " that Mrs Hudson is fond of Holmes in her own way, despite his bothersome eccentricities as a lodger, owing to his "remarkable gentleness and courtesy in his dealings with women." Watson notes that while he dislikes and distrusts them, he is nonetheless a "chivalrous opponent". Holmes cannot be said to be misogynistic, given the number of women he helps in his work, but it may be that his own detached and analytical personality is annoyed by their excessively emotional (from his perspective) natures.

Watson, on the other hand, has a perhaps justifiable reputation as a ladies' man, boasting in The Sign of Four of "an experience of women which extends over many nations and three separate continents." In addition, he speaks favorably of some women indeed, in virtually all the longer stories he remarks on the exceptional beauty of at least one female character and actually married one, Mary Morstan of The Sign of Four. Holmesian (or Sherlockian) Deduction Edit "From a drop of water", Holmes wrote in an essay described in A Study in Scarlet , "a logician could infer the possibility of an Atlantic or a Niagara without having seen or heard of one or the other." Holmes stories often begin with a bravura display of his talent for "deduction". It is of some interest to logicians and those interested in logic to try to analyze just what Holmes is doing when he performs his deduction. Holmesian (British adjective; Americans may be rarely heard to say "Sherlockian") deduction appears to consist primarily of drawing inferences based on either straightforward practical principles – which are the result of careful inductive study, such as Holmes' study of different kinds of cigar ashes or inference to the best explanation.

In many cases, the deduction can be modeled either way. In 2002, Holmes was inducted as an honorary fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry the only fictional character so honored in appreciation of the contributions to forensic investigation. [2] Principles Edit Holmes' straightforward practical principles are generally of the form, "If 'p', then 'q'," where 'p' is observed evidence and 'q' is what the evidence indicates. But there are also, as one may observe in the following example, often some intermediate principles. In " A Scandal in Bohemia " Holmes deduces that Watson had got very wet lately and that he had "a most clumsy and careless servant girl." When Watson, in amazement, asks how Holmes knows this, Holmes answers: "It is simplicity itself... My eyes tell me that on the inside of your left shoe, just where the firelight strikes it, the leather is scored by six almost parallel cuts. Obviously they have been caused by someone who has very carelessly scraped round the edges of the sole in order to remove crusted mud from it.

Hence, you see, my double deduction that you had been out in vile weather, and that you had a particularly malignant boot-slitting specimen of the London slavery." In this case, we might say Holmes employed several connected principles such as these: If leather on the side of a shoe is scored by several parallel cuts, it was caused by someone who scraped around the edges of the sole in order to remove crusted mud. If a 19th-century London doctor's shoes are scraped to remove crusted mud, the person who so scraped them is the doctor's servant girl. If someone cuts a shoe while scraping it to remove encrusted mud, that person is clumsy and careless. If someone's shoes had encrusted mud on them, that person has been very wet lately and has been out in vile weather. By applying such principles in an obvious way (using repeated applications of modus ponens), Holmes is able to infer from 'p': The sides of Watson's shoes are scored by several parallel cuts. to 'q1': Watson's servant girl is clumsy and careless. and 'q2': Watson has been very wet lately and has been out in vile weather.

But perhaps Holmes is not giving a proper explanation – after all, Holmes may be well aware of Watson's servant girl. As Watson is a doctor and it has been raining, it is likely he has been out in the rain. In other instances of Holmesian deduction, it is more difficult to model his inference as deduction using general principles, and logicians and scientists will readily recognise the method used, instead, as an "inductive" one – in particular, "argument to the best explanation", or, in Charles S. Peirce's terminology, "abduction". However, that Holmes should have called this "deduction" is entirely plausible. The instances in which Holmes uses deduction tend to be those where he has amassed a large body of evidence, produced a number of possible explanations of that evidence, and then proceeds to find one explanation that is clearly the best at explaining the evidence. For example, in The Sign of Four, a man is found dead in his room, with a ghastly smile on his face, and with no immediately visible cause of death.

From a whole body of background information as well as evidence gathered at and around the scene of the crime, Holmes is able to infer that the murderer is not one of the various people that Scotland Yard has in custody (each of them being an alternative explanation), but rather another person entirely. As Holmes says in the story, "How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?" This phrase has entered Western popular culture as a catchphrase. It also turned up in the Dirk Gently stories by Douglas Adams where the detective uses the opposite phrase, "because we know very much about what is improbable, but very little about what is possible". In the latter example, in fact, Holmes' solution of the crime depends both on a series of applications of general principles and argument to the best explanation. Holmes' success at his brand of deduction, therefore, is due to his mastery of both a huge body of particular knowledge of things like footprints, cigar ashes, and poisons, which he uses to make relatively simple deductive inferences, and the fine art of ordering and weighing different competing explanations of a body of evidence.

Holmes is also particularly good at gathering evidence by observation, as well locating and tracking the movements of criminals through the streets of London and its environs (in order to produce more evidence) - skills that have little to do with deduction per se, but everything to do with providing the premises for particular Holmesian deductions. Four examples of Holmes' deductions of an owner's lifestyle are: Dr Watson's old pocket watch in The Sign of Four, Dr Mortimer's walking stick in The Hound of the Baskervilles, Mr Grant Munro's pipe in "The Adventure of the Yellow Face" and Henry Baker's hat in "The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle". In the stories by Conan Doyle, Holmes often remarked that his logical conclusions were "elementary", in that he considered them to be simple and obvious. He also, on occasion, referred to his friend as "my dear Watson". However, the complete phrase, "Elementary, my dear Watson", does not appear in any of the sixty Holmes stories written by Conan Doyle.

It does appear at the very end of the 1929 film, The Return of Sherlock Holmes, the first Sherlock Holmes sound film, and may owe its familiarity to its use in Edith Meiser's scripts for The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes radio series. It should be noted too, that our modern stereotype of police procedure – someone who looks for physical clues, rather than someone who examines opportunity and motive – comes from Holmes. As mentioned in the Overview section above, Conan Doyle was an admirer of Oliver Wendell Holmes. In 1858, Holmes had written, in his Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table, “Tell me about Cuvier's getting up a megatherium from a tooth … so all a man's antecedents and possibilities are summed up in a single utterance…." This recalls what Schopenhauer had written in 1851, “Just as a botanist recognises the whole plant from one leaf and Cuvier constructed the entire animal from one bone, so from one characteristic action of a man we can arrive at a correct knowledge of his character." (Parerga and Paralipomena, Vol.

II, §118) These assertions are echoed in " The Five Orange Pips ", in which Sherlock Holmes declared, “As Cuvier could correctly describe a whole animal by the contemplation of a single bone, so the observer who has thoroughly understood one link in a series of incidents should be able to state all the other ones, before and after." Readers of the Sherlock Holmes stories have often been surprised to discover that their author, Conan Doyle, was a fervent believer in paranormal phenomena, and that the logical, skeptical character of Holmes was in opposition to his own in many ways. The word "Sherlock" has entered the language to mean a detective or used sarcastically if someone states the obvious. It must be noted that, in Holmesian deduction, it is important to attempt to eliminate all other possibilities, or as many as possible. This requires quite a bit of practice to reach. Watson attempts several times to perform Holmesian deductions, and even gives his explanations. However, he fails to recognise other equally probable circumstances, and is wrong on almost every count.

The Hiatus Edit Holmes fans refer to the period from 1891 to 1894 the time between Holmes' disappearance and presumed death in " The Adventure of the Final Problem " and his reappearance in " The Adventure of the Empty House " as "the Great Hiatus". It is notable, though, that one later story (" The Adventure of Wisteria Lodge ") is described as taking place in 1892. Conan Doyle wrote the stories over the course of a decade. Wanting to devote more time to his historical novels, he killed off Holmes in "The Final Problem", which appeared in print in 1893. After resisting public pressure for eight years, the author wrote The Hound of the Baskervilles , which appeared in 1901, implicitly setting it before Holmes' "death" (some theorise that it actually took place after "The Return" but with Watson planting clues to an earlier date). [3] [4] The public, while pleased with the story, was not satisfied with a posthumous Holmes, and so Conan Doyle resuscitated Holmes two years later.

Many have speculated on his motives for bringing Holmes back to life, notably writer-director Nicholas Meyer, who wrote an essay on the subject in the 1970s, but the actual reasons are not known, other than the obvious: publishers offered to pay generously. For whatever reason, Conan Doyle continued to write Holmes stories for a quarter-century longer. Some writers have come up with alternate explanations for the hiatus. In Meyer's novel, The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, the hiatus was explained as a secret sabbatical that Holmes indulged in for those years after his drug rehabilitation treatment with Sigmund Freud's help, while he light-heartedly suggested that Watson write a fictitious account claiming he had died: "They'll never believe you in any case." A recent novel, Sherlock Holmes and the Plague of Dracula, speculates that Holmes fell victim to the disease of vampirism and spent the Hiatus seeking a cure. John Kendrick Bangs, creator of Bangsian fantasy, wrote a book in 1897 called Pursuit of the House-Boat (a sequel to his A House-Boat on the Styx, in which the souls of famous dead people start up a club in Hades).

In it, the house-boat (which was hijacked at the end of A House-Boat on the Styx by Captain Kidd) is tracked down by the members of the club with the aid of none other than Sherlock Holmes who is indeed dead. In his memoirs, Conan Doyle quotes a reader, who judged the later stories inferior to the earlier ones, to the effect that when Holmes went over the Reichenbach Falls, he may not have been killed, but he was never quite the same man after. The differences in the pre- and post-Hiatus Holmes have in fact created speculation among those who play "The Game" (making believe Sherlock Holmes was a historical person). Among the more interesting and plausible theories: the later Holmes was in fact an impostor (perhaps even Professor Moriarty), the later stories were fictions created to fill other writers' pockets (this is often used to deal with the stories which supposedly are written by Holmes himself), and Holmes and Professor Moriarty were in fact a variation of Robert Louis Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

Among the more fanciful theories, the story The Case of the Detective's Smile by Mark Bourne, published in the anthology Sherlock Holmes in Orbit, posits that one of the places Holmes visited during his hiatus was Alice's Wonderland. While there, he solved the case of the stolen tarts, and his experiences there contributed to his kicking the cocaine addiction. Trivia Sherlock Holmes (2009) - FAQ The content of this page was created directly by users and has not been screened or verified by IMDb staff. Visit our FAQ Help to learn more FAQ How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie? For detailed information about the amounts and types of (a) sex and nudity, (b) violence and gore, (c) profanity, (d) alcohol, drugs, and smoking, and (e) frightening and intense scenes in this movie, consult the IMDb Parents Guide for this movie. The Parents Guide for Sherlock Holmes can be found here . What is 'Sherlock Holmes' about? London Detective Sherlock Holmes ( Robert Downey Jr.

) and his assistant Dr John Watson ( Jude Law ) are called into service by Scotland Yard Inspector Lestrade ( Eddie Marsan ) when Lord Henry Blackwood ( Mark Strong ), who was recently hanged for practicing the black arts and murdering five women, has seemingly risen from the dead. They learn that Blackwood has murdered several prominent members of the Temple of the Four Orders, a secret society that uses magic to do good, and plans to take over Parliament as a stepping stone to taking back the American colonies, who are currently engaged in a Civil War. Meanwhile, Watson is planning his marriage to Mary Morstan ( Kelly Reilly ) while Holmes must deal with his old adversary, professional thief Irene Adler ( Rachel McAdams ), who is working as an agent for a mysterious professor. Is "Sherlock Holmes" based on a book? The character of Sherlock Holmes was created in 1887 by Scottish author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) in A Study in Scarlet and went on to appear in three more novels and 56 short stories.

However, Sherlock Holmes, the movie, is not based on any of Doyle's books but on a screenplay by British screenwriters Michael Robert Johnson, Anthony Peckham, Simon Kinberg, and Lionel Wigram. A sequel, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows , was released in 2011. How is Dr Watson related to Sherlock Holmes? Dr. John H. Watson is portrayed in the original stories as the friend, sometime roommate and professional associate of Sherlock Holmes. Watson serves as a historian of sorts for Holmes' cases and also as the narrator for all but a few of Doyle's original stories (Holmes narrates two of them and two are told in the third person). Watson will at times attempt to use deductive reasoning when asked by Holmes what his thoughts are on any particular subject pertaining to a case and will quickly be corrected by Holmes when he is wrong. Why isn't Watson a fat bumbling old man? In the original stories Watson was about the same age as Holmes and, far from being a bumbler, he was a former Army surgeon and a competent medical doctor.

(It is true that he wasn't as capable of Holmes' brilliant feats of deduction, but few others were.) The portrayal of Watson as a fat bumbling old man dates from the Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce films, which are not entirely faithful to the original stories. Since then, there have been several more recent film and television adaptations that portray Dr. Watson accurately as a slim and capable man of action such as The Seven-Per-Cent Solution , the 1980s TV series, " The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes ", and the most recent adaptation of The Hound of the Baskervilles . Why is Holmes portrayed as a boxer? And what martial art style does he use? In the original stories, Holmes is said (and sometimes shown) to be, among other things, a highly skilled amateur boxer. In the short story, "The Adventure of the Empty House", he uses a martial art popular at the time called Bartitsu, although Doyle misspelled it as "baritsu." The martial art mainly seen in the film, in particular the bare-knuckle boxing match scene, is Wing Chun.

This is displayed through the straight-line punches, the use of the three lower knuckles and a sideways punch, the attack on the solar-plexus, the deflection of punches using the forearm (tan), the deflection of punches using a sweeping motion (lap), and the use of the front kick. Holmes is known for being quick, agile, and effective, and Wing Chun is just that, therefore suiting him perfectly. Why isn't Holmes wearing his trademark hat? That hat is called a "deerstalker," and as its name suggests, it's a hunting cap. In Arthur Conan Doyle's original stories, Holmes is never expressly said to wear one, although in one story ("The Adventure of Silver Blaze") Watson describes a hat that could be a deerstalker and the original illustrator of the story, Sidney Paget, shows him wearing one. Another illustrator shows him wearing one in The Valley of Fear. In each case Holmes is traveling in the country, so the cap is more or less appropriate.

But Holmes, who liked to dress well in the stories, never committed such an embarrassing contemporary fashion faux pas by wearing one in urban London; it would be the equivalent of a detective today being dressed up on duty as Elmer Fudd's hunting garb. (Many of the illustrations to the original stories show him wearing other, more suitable hats.) The popular association of Holmes with the deerstalker began with the stage play by American actor and playwright William Gillette, who portrayed Holmes onstage wearing such a cap. Apparently the makers of this film decided to have Holmes wear more historically and fashionably accurate headgear. Gillette is also credited with Holmes' Callabash pipe, which he used onstage because it allowed him to talk while still having the pipe in his mouth. Did Sherlock Holmes really use cocaine? Yes, Holmes occasionally used the drug when he did not have a case to stimulate his mind. Holmes was not breaking the law at the time because, even though drug use was considered a vice in 19th century England, it was not illegal.

Holmes' other vices were morphine, cigars, and his trademark pipe (The Gooseneck pipe was not mentioned in the books, but was an addition by a stage actor who didn't want his face obscured). The Seven-Per-Center Solution, based on the novel of the same name by Nicholas Meyer, has Watson trying to help Holmes deal with his addiction. Does 221B Baker Street really exist? Sherlock Holmes rented an apartment at 221B Baker Street, City of Westminster, London from his landlady Mrs. Hudson. This was a fictional address created by Doyle. At the time, Baker Street addresses only went up to 100. Holmes lived on the second floor, as indicated by the apartment number. The sitting-room served as the scene for most of his interviews with his clients. Currently, 221B Baker Street serves as the Sherlock Holmes Museum . It is the first Museum in the world to be dedicated to a fictional character. Do any of the London locations - The Grand Hotel and the restaurant they eat in - actually exist?

The restaurant they ate in, when Holmes insults Watson's fiancee, is the Reform Club near Buckingham Palace, a club for politicians and those who move in political circles. It was the start of Phineas Fogg's journey around the world as portrayed in Jules Verne's novel Around the World in 80 Days (1879). Who killed the scientist who engineered Blackwood's traps? Watch the scene where thoughts are flowing through Holmes's mind as he recreates the ritual at the Punch Bowl. There is a brief blink-and-you'll-miss it shot of the Frenchman, Dredger, breaking Reordan's neck, followed by a shot of Reordan in Blackwood's coffin. How does the movie end? With Blackwood hanging dead from the Tower Bridge, Holmes sees to Irene, having been pushed off the platform by Blackwood. She is unharmed, so Holmes (remembering her previous words: 'I don't want to run anymore') cuffs her, and waits for the police. In the meantime, Irene reveals that the mysterious man for whom she was working was Professor Moriarity. He found my weak spot, Irene admits, and warns Holmes not to underestimate Moriarity in the future.

Holmes chuckles, put the key to the handcuffs down Irene's bodice, takes the diamond pendant from around her neck, and kisses her goodbye. Some days later, as Watson arrives with Mary to move out of 221B (look for the diamond pendant now appearing as an engagement ring on Mary's finger), Watson and Mary find Holmes hanging from a ceiling noose, trying to discover how Blackwood managed to survive the hanging. Holmes deduces that he used a hook and a body harness to take the weight off his neck and a serum made from the Rhodedendron ponticum to induce paralysis, which is why Watson could feel no pulse. In the final scene, Constable Clark ( William Houston ) stops by to inform Holmes that one of their officers was found dead in the sewers, killed by a small-gauge bullet between the eyes. Holmes deduces that Moriarity created the diversion with Irene, knowing that Holmes would chase after her, so that he could steal the part of the chemical converter that allowed it to be activated by radio waves. Realizing that Moriarity might be as clever as Irene described him, Holmes puts on his hat and declares, 'Case reopened.' Is this movie true to the books? Only partially.

Sherlock Holmes is portrayed as a smooth-talking, handsome hero-type character. Doyle's Sherlock Holmes is portrayed as a man with weak social skills but a strong mental intellect. Other features such as his martial arts skills are conserved from Doyle's works but amplified or even exaggerated. Finally, the general focus of the character (investigation, deductions, fights against evil, etc.) have been kept active. Is the movie anything like the trailer? Yes and no. It's an exciting, pacy thriller. However, the trailers definitely emphasized the action elements of the plot and the sexual undertones. The actual film, while having its fair share of fast-paced action, also has plenty of the sleuthing, deductions and wit associated with the Sherlock Holmes character. The sexual undertones are also much subtler in the film than what appeared in trailers and other publicity. The trailer also seems to contain some scenes which have been cut out of the final version of a movie. Are Holmes and Watson gay in this movie? No. They are more like brothers in this movie. *Holmes even says "Why would I be not invited to my own brothers country home, Watson?"* at one point.

The suggestion of homosexuality is due more to the publicity surrounding the film, including Robert Downey Jr's frequent joking about the movie's supposedly gay content, rather than anything in the film itself. John Watson (as per Conan Doyle's stories) is engaged to be married, and there are strong romantic undertones to Holmes's friendship with Irene Adler. In keeping with the original stories, however, Holmes does not take it further. Did Sherlock Holmes ever say "Elementary, my dear Watson"? Though it is a phrase that has been uttered in popular culture and in movies based on Sherlock Holmes stories, the detective never uttered the phrase in full in any of the Arthur Conan Doyles stories - he did say "Elementary" in some stories, and "my dear Watson" in others, but never the two together. The phrase is largely the creation of writers who have worked on other Holmes stories independent of Doyle's (beginning with American actor/playwright William Gillette, who, with Doyle's blessing, wrote and starred in a stage play about Holmes in which he used the phrase). Holmes does not utter this phrase in the movie. Did Sir Arthur Conan Doyle really kill off Sherlock Holmes in one of his stories?

Yes, Doyle did kill off Holmes in the story "The Final Problem " in a shared death plunge into a waterfall with his archenemy Professor Moriarty. Fortunately, Sherlock was restored, when disappointment among fans and large fees offered by publishers prompted Doyle to bring Holmes back in the short story "The Adventure of the Empty House". An alternate version of that story can be seen in The Seven-Per-Cent Solution.

Question: Who is the landlady of Sherlock Holmes?
Answer: Mrs Hudson