The Man Who Was Sherlock Holmes
Encyclopedia
The Man Who Was Sherlock Holmes (German
:Der Mann, der Sherlock Holmes war) is a German mystery
comedy
of 1937, directed by Karl Hartl
.
plays the detective Morris Flynn, and Heinz Rühmann
his assistant Macky McMacpherson. They stop a train to Brussels at night, and due to their behaviour and clothes, personnel believe that they are Sherlock Holmes
and Dr. Watson. This is indeed Flynn's and McMacpherson's intention, but they claim not to be the famous detective and his friend, and they urge them not to tell anybody. They interrogate people in order to make their cover perfect, among them two attractive sisters, Mary and Jane Berry, who travel to accept their uncle's heir.
In Brussels the would-be Holmes and Watson stay at Hotel Palace, and immediately police asks them to solve a case. During the 1910 World Exposition stamps have been stolen and replaced by falsifications. Observed and later attacked by gangsters, Flynn and McMacpherson find out that the two sister's uncle has been the forger and boss of the gang. Their working place is found in the cellary of the uncle's castle the sisters inherited.
Flynn and McMacpherson are put on trial for impersonating the famous detective Sherlock Holmes and his friend. Then a laughing man stands up, who had observed the duo several times, and reveals himself as Arthur Conan Doyle
. He explains that Holmes and Watson are fictional characters created by himself. Flynn and McMacpherson get engaged with Mary and Jane Berry.
Cinema of Germany
Cinema in Germany can be traced back to the late 19th century. German cinema has made major technical and artistic contributions to film.Unlike any other national cinemas, which developed in the context of relatively continuous and stable political systems, Germany witnesses major changes to its...
:Der Mann, der Sherlock Holmes war) is a German mystery
Mystery film
Mystery film is a sub-genre of the more general category of crime film and at times the thriller genre. It focuses on the efforts of the detective, private investigator or amateur sleuth to solve the mysterious circumstances of a crime by means of clues, investigation, and clever deduction.The...
comedy
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
of 1937, directed by Karl Hartl
Karl Hartl
Karl Hartl was an Austrian film director.-Life:Born in Vienna, Hartl began his film career at the Austrian Sascha-Film company of Alexander Kolowrat and from 1919 was assistant to the Hungarian director Alexander Korda...
.
Plot
Hans AlbersHans Albers
Hans Philipp August Albers was a German actor and singer. He was the single biggest male movie star in Germany between 1930 and 1945 and one of the most popular German actors of the twentieth century.- Life and work :...
plays the detective Morris Flynn, and Heinz Rühmann
Heinz Rühmann
Heinrich Wilhelm "Heinz" Rühmann was a popular German film actor.-Life and work:Rühmann was born in Essen, Westphalia. His role in the 1930 movie Die Drei von der Tankstelle led him to film stardom. He remained highly popular as a comedic actor throughout the 1930s and early 1940s...
his assistant Macky McMacpherson. They stop a train to Brussels at night, and due to their behaviour and clothes, personnel believe that they are Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
and Dr. Watson. This is indeed Flynn's and McMacpherson's intention, but they claim not to be the famous detective and his friend, and they urge them not to tell anybody. They interrogate people in order to make their cover perfect, among them two attractive sisters, Mary and Jane Berry, who travel to accept their uncle's heir.
In Brussels the would-be Holmes and Watson stay at Hotel Palace, and immediately police asks them to solve a case. During the 1910 World Exposition stamps have been stolen and replaced by falsifications. Observed and later attacked by gangsters, Flynn and McMacpherson find out that the two sister's uncle has been the forger and boss of the gang. Their working place is found in the cellary of the uncle's castle the sisters inherited.
Flynn and McMacpherson are put on trial for impersonating the famous detective Sherlock Holmes and his friend. Then a laughing man stands up, who had observed the duo several times, and reveals himself as Arthur Conan Doyle
Arthur Conan Doyle
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle DL was a Scottish physician and writer, most noted for his stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, generally considered a milestone in the field of crime fiction, and for the adventures of Professor Challenger...
. He explains that Holmes and Watson are fictional characters created by himself. Flynn and McMacpherson get engaged with Mary and Jane Berry.
Reception
Lexikon des Internationalen Films calls it a swinging, lively comedy. Albers and Rühmann have been two longtime major stars of German cinema and are still known for the main song in this movie, Jawohl, meine Herr'n.Literature
- R. A. Stemmle: Der Mann, der Sherlock Holmes war. Roman nach dem gleichnamigen Film von R. A. Stemmle und Karl Hartl. Droemer Knaur, München / Zürich 1981, ISBN 3-426-00730-4
- Michael Ross (Hrsg.): Sherlock Holmes in Film und Fernsehen. Ein Handbuch. Baskerville Bücher, Cologne 2003, ISBN 3-930932-03-2