vivdunstan

Recently I reread "The Musgrave Ritual" story in the Sherlock Holmes canon. I blogged my thoughts then. In a nutshell it's one of my favourite all time Sherlock Holmes stories, revolving around an old riddle and a treasure hunt. I mentioned in that blog that I planned to rewatch the Jeremy Brett version, and newly watch the Basil Rathbone film version. I've done that now, so will jot down some brief thoughts. Note there are some spoilers in here, though light.

Firstly I rewatched the Jeremy Brett TV version from 1986. This takes some liberties with the plot, which in the original story involved a young Holmes on his own in the past, but here was changed to Holmes and Watson going together to a countryside manor for Holmes to recuperate. There are lots of little elements even early on retained and reworked from the original story, such as Holmes having a big box full of old case papers that tantalise Watson. The TV version puts the story of the manor's butler firmly in the forefront, and we see this back story play out early on. James Hazeldine as butler Brunton is extremely effective, and carries his scenes very well. A few small changes are made to the treasure hunt itself, but the story is otherwise largely faithful. And those changes that are made are effective for transferring it to a TV episode. Good stuff.



The Basil Rathbone 1943 movie version is a much looser retelling, but charming in its own way. Here Watson - during WW2 Britain - is working in a Northumberland convalescence home for servicemen suffering from shell shock. And a series of murders lead him to call in Holmes for help. In this version of the story there are three members of the Musgrave family to meet, not one as in the original story, plus a characterful group of wounded servicemen, who are superbly written and acted. The butler Brunton is retained, though here with a wife. And there's another medic, and also the American airman that Sally Musgrave is in love with. The ritual is totally reworked, not really recognisable from Conan Doyle's original. Rather than a hunt around the physical grounds of the manor, this ritual leads to a giant chess game in the house, with the inhabitants playing the chess pieces as Holmes shouts out moves. Ultimately the secret treasure is uncovered and there is a satisfying ending. But it doesn't feel much like the original story. But, as I said, I like it. The direction is dynamic, with sometimes amazing special effects for 1943. The cast of British and American actors generally do a great job, with only a few dodgy accents (London-born Dennis Hoey as Lestrade has a surprisingly poor accent). The film is a little over an hour long, but full of incident and interest, and kept my attention throughout.



So two fun but different retellings of this Arthur Conan Doyle story. My favourite is the Jeremy Brett version, which is more faithful, and also features my all-time favourite Holmes and Watson pairing of actors. But the Basil Rathbone version is a delight in its own way. There's also a 1912 short silent film version of the story, that can be viewed on the story's Wikipedia page.

Onto another story, and unashamed disclaimer up front: this is one of my all-time favourite Holmes stories. ( spoilers )

Resuming this marathon reread now, with another story in the Memoirs collection. ( spoilers )

Current main Kindle reading for me. The top 6 books in the picture below are the main books I'm currently reading. A mix of fiction and non fiction.

Here's my final post of these for 2024. I intend to continue into 2025, though obviously resetting the count. I will also be posting my end of year full reading blog later this week, so probably into the start of 2025.

In this latest batch of newly finished books there were 3 rereads (the Sherlock Holmes, Discovery of Witches book 2, and The Dark is Rising). All great as always. The Wood at Midwinter and Booker-winner Orbital were reads for my book club. Both flawed, though I preferred the latter. Always Never was a graphic novel with gorgeous art but a somewhat troubling plot. The Alice in Wonderland gamebook was fun. And I'd never read the Tolkien Letters from Father Christmas book before, and loved it.

( earlier books )
1. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
2. Always Never by Jordi Lafebre (graphic novel)
3. Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness
4. The Wood at Midwinter by Susanna Clarke
5. Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland by Jonathan Green (gamebook)
6. Orbital by Samantha Harvey
7. Letters from Father Christmas by JRR Tolkien
8. The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper

Onto the next in my reread, and a story that has rather a complicated publication history, which means I could read it in a couple of different places in the reading order. But have opted for it now. Mainly to get it out of the way! It is not one of my favourites.

( spoilers ... )

Onto the last in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes collection. And this is one that I do remember. Even though I have a tendency to muddle it with the "Solitary Cyclist" story ...

( Into spoiler space ...  )

So that's the end of the first collection of short stories for me. On to Memoirs next week.

Now this story surprised me. I can't remember it at all from my multiple past reads. Nevertheless it is a well constructed mystery, with a satisfying resolution.

The "noble bachelor" is another member of the upper echelons of society who comes to Holmes for help, the latest in a long line. Though this one is rather arrogant, and I loved this put down from Holmes:

"A most painful matter to me, as you can most readily imagine, Mr. Holmes. I have been cut to the quick. I understand that you have already managed several delicate cases of this sort, sir, though I presume that they were hardly from the same class of society."

"No, I am descending."

"I beg pardon."

"My last client of the sort was a king."

"Oh, really! I had no idea. And which king?"

"The King of Scandinavia."

"What! Had he lost his wife?"

"You can understand," said Holmes, suavely, "that I extend to the affairs of my other clients the same secrecy which I promise to you in yours."

The mystery of the lost wife is well described, though I found it somewhat hard to visualise in places. My own issue with probable aphantasia.

As in a number of Sherlock Holmes stories there is an American connection, with very much a sense of the exotic in its inclusion.

Ultimately the solution to the case is a simple one, as Holmes sums up himself:

"The case has been an interesting one," remarked Holmes, when our visitors had left us, "because it serves to show very clearly how simple the explanation may be of an affair which at first sight seems to be almost inexplicable. Nothing could be more natural than the sequence of events as narrated by this lady, and nothing stranger than the result when viewed, for instance, by Mr. Lestrade, of Scotland Yard."

So yes, a good story, though not one of the best Sherlock Holmes stories. And a story that had completely slipped my memory, despite multiple rereads.

The third and final thing I bought with my IFComp prize money. A new solitaire card game with a Sherlock Holmes theme. Very happy with my haul!

Onto another story, and, like "A Scandal in Bohemia", this is one I've appreciated more on reads than watching the Jeremy Brett TV version. And this latest read was no exception.

It is gloriously Christmassy, and I really feel as though I should have been reading it in a couple of months time from now! There are vivid descriptions of the cold, wintry weather. And I think reading that is far more immersive than even a visual depiction on the TV version.

The story revolves around a festive goose which has turned up in mysterious circumstances. And even more mysteriously it turns out to have a giant gemstone inside it. Holmes has to deduce how this happened, and solve a crime, and of course he does so, brilliantly.

There is a very lengthy deduction section, where Holmes shows off his skills. This time starting from a hat. It's great to read, not feeling overlong, and it does set up the rest of the story.

I loved the dashing from location to location as Holmes and Watson followed the clues about the goose, back to its origins. There is also a highly amusing conversation in Covent Garden, with a very reluctant poultry seller. And I was amused when Holmes traced someone by placing an advert in the newspapers, that he was sure the person would see the next day.

Ultimately the mystery is resolved, and things are wrapped up. And all round it's just very satisfying. Though again, I think, best read at Christmas. I do wonder what I will think when I rewatch the Jeremy Brett version soon.