History Theatre / SherlockHolmes

* CanonImmigrant: Billy.
* DamselInDistress: Alice Faulkner.

* EvilCannotComprehendGood: Moriarty is flabbergasted when he finds out that Holmes gave the incriminating letters back to Alice. (In the play he doesn't. In the film Holmes has an attack of conscience and lets Alice have the letters back, but in the end they fall in love and she abandons her revenge plot anyway.)

[[caption-width-right:350:Gillette as Holmes, with pipe]]

''Sherlock Holmes, A Play, wherein is set forth The Strange Case of Miss Alice Faulkner'' was the popular dramatization of Creator/ArthurConanDoyle's Franchise/SherlockHolmes stories, by William Gillette, the Holmes for the generation before Basil Rathbone. Rather than being an adaption of any of Conan Doyle's stories it takes elements from "A Scandal in Bohemia", "The Final Problem", and "A Study In Scarlet" to weave a completely original though very Holmesian tale.

The play was hugely successful. It debuted in 1899 and ran for over thirty years, with Gillette giving his final Holmes performance in 1932. A young Creator/CharlieChaplin, then a teenager trying to escape the poverty of the London slums, played Billy regularly for 2 1/2 years, including in one production opposite Gillete.

''Sherlock Holmes, A Play, wherein is set forth The Strange Case of Miss Alice Faulkner'' was the popular dramatization of Creator/ArthurConanDoyle's Franchise/SherlockHolmes stories, by William Gillette, the Holmes for the generation before Basil Rathbone.

The credits for the 1939 Basil Rathbone film, ''''Film/{{The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes|1939}}'''' say that the movie is based off the play, but apart from having Moriarty has the vilain [[InNameOnly it has nothing in common with the play.]]

The credits for the 1939 Basil Rathbone film, ''[[Film/TheAdventuresOfSherlockHolmes39 The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes]]'' say that the movie is based off the play, but apart from having Moriarty has the vilain [[InNameOnly it has nothing in common with the play.]]

!!Tropes appearing:

''Sherlock Holmes'' was twice adapted for silent film. A 1916 feature film starred William Gillette. This version was believed lost for nearly a century, until a copy was found in France in 2014. It was made again in 1922 with John Barrymore in the title role. The 1922 version is probably most notable for its remarkable cast. Roland Young, who made his film debut as [[TheWatson Watson]], would have a very successful career as a character actor in films like ''Film/{{Topper}}'' and ''Film/ThePhiladelphiaStory''. William Powell, who became a huge star in UsefulNotes/TheGreatDepression, also made his film debut here as Forman the butler. Hedda Hopper, who would later leave acting to become a very famous newspaper gossip columnist, plays one of Moriarty's employees. Louis Wolheim, who became a pretty big star later in the silent era, plays a {{Mook|s}}. And Carol Dempster, who spent most of TheTwenties as the girlfriend, protege, and leading lady of Creator/DWGriffith, appears in the film as the {{Love Interest|s}}, in one of only two films she ever made that weren't directed by Griffith.

The credits for the Basil Rathbone film, ''Film/TheAdventuresOfSherlockHolmes39'' say that the movie is based off the play, but apart from having Moriarty has the vilain [[InNameOnly it has nothing in common with the play.]]

''Sherlock Holmes'' was twice adapted for silent film. A 1916 feature film starred William Gillette. This version was believed lost for nearly a century, until a copy was found in France in 2014. It was made again in 1922 with John Barrymore in the title role. The 1922 version is probably most notable for its remarkable cast. Roland Young, who made his film debut as [[TheWatson Watson]], would have a very successful career as a character actor in films like ''Film/{{Topper}}'' and ''Film/ThePhiladelphiaStory''. William Powell, who became a huge star in UsefulNotes/TheGreatDepression, also made his film debut here as Forman Wells, a minion of Moriarty who switches sides and works for Holmes. Hedda Hopper, who would later leave acting to become a very famous newspaper gossip columnist, plays one of Moriarty's employees. Louis Wolheim, who became a pretty big star later in the silent era, plays a {{Mook|s}}. And Carol Dempster, who spent most of TheTwenties as the girlfriend, protege, and leading lady of Creator/DWGriffith, appears in the film as the {{Love Interest|s}}, in one of only two films she ever made that weren't directed by Griffith.

The credits for the Basil Rathbone film, ''Film/TheAdventuresOfSherlockHolmes39'' say that the movie is based off the play, but apart from having Moriarty has the vilain it has nothing in common with the play.

The play was hugely successful. It debuted in 1899 and ran for over thirty years, with Gillette giving his final Holmes performance in 1932. None other than a young Creator/CharlieChaplin, then a teenager trying to escape the poverty of the London slums, played Billy regularly for 2 1/2 years, including in one production opposite Gillete.

''Sherlock Holmes'' was twice adapted for silent film. A 1916 feature film starred William Gillette. This version was believed lost for nearly a century, until a copy was found in France in 2014. It was made again in 1922 with John Barrymore in the title role. The 1922 version is probably most notable for its remarkable cast. Roland Young, who made his film debut as [[TheWatson Watson]], would have a very successful career as a character actor in films like ''Film/{{Topper}}'' and ''Film/ThePhiladelphiaStory''. William Powell, who became a huge star in TheGreatDepression, also made his film debut here as Forman Wells, a minion of Moriarty who switches sides and works for Holmes. Hedda Hopper, who would later leave acting to become a very famous newspaper gossip columnist, plays one of Moriarty's employees. Louis Wolheim, who became a pretty big star later in the silent era, plays a {{Mook|s}}. And Carol Dempster, who spent most of TheTwenties as the girlfriend, protege, and leading lady of Creator/DWGriffith, appears in the film as the {{Love Interest|s}}, in one of only two films she ever made that weren't directed by Griffith.

The play was hugely successful. It debuted in 1899 and ran for over thirty years, with Gillette giving his final Holmes performance in 1932. None other than a young Creator/CharlieChaplin, then a teenager trying to escape the poverty of the London slums, played Billy regularly for 2 1/2 years, including in one production opposite Gillete. This play is responsible for several Holmes tropes that are not found in Conan Doyle. The deerstalker cap, the pipe, the use of "elementary", and the name "Billy" for the previously nameless pageboy, all originated in Gillette's play.

''Sherlock Holmes'' was twice adapted for silent film. A 1916 feature film starred William Gillette. This version was believed lost for nearly a century, until a copy was found in France in 2014. It was made again in 1922 with John Barrymore in the title role. The 1922 version is probably most notable for its remarkable cast. Roland Young, who made his film debut as [[TheWatson Watson]], would have a very successful career as a character actor in films like ''Film/{{Topper}}'' and ''Film/ThePhiladelphiaStory''. None other than William Powell, who became a huge star in TheGreatDepression, also made his film debut here as Forman Wells, a minion of Moriarty who switches sides and works for Holmes. Hedda Hopper, who would later leave acting to become a very famous newspaper gossip columnist, plays one of Moriarty's employees. Louis Wolheim, who became a pretty big star later in the silent era, plays a {{Mook|s}}. And Carol Dempster, who spent most of TheTwenties as the girlfriend, protege, and leading lady of Creator/DWGriffith, appears in the film as the {{Love Interest|s}}, in one of only two films she ever made that weren't directed by Griffith.

* WhyDontYouJustShootHim: Played completely straight. After getting a look at Moriarty's elaborate gas chamber trap, Louis Wolheim's {{Mook}} asks "Why all the fuss, gov'ner, why not knock 'im on the 'ead?".

''Sherlock Holmes'' was twice adapted for silent film. A 1916 feature film starred William Gillette. This version was believed lost for nearly a century, until a copy was found in France in 2014. It was made again in 1922 with John Barrymore in the title role. The 1922 version is probably most notable for its remarkable cast. Roland Young, who made his film debut as [[TheWatson Watson]], would have a very successful career as a character actor in films like ''Film/{{Topper}}'' and ''Film/ThePhiladelphiaStory''. None other than William Powell, who became a huge star in TheThirties, also made his film debut here as Forman Wells, a minion of Moriarty who switches sides and works for Holmes. Hedda Hopper, who would later leave acting to become a very famous newspaper gossip columnist, plays one of Moriarty's employees. Louis Wolheim, who became a pretty big star later in the silent era, plays a {{Mook}}. And Carol Dempster, who spent most of TheTwenties as the girlfriend, protege, and leading lady of [[Creator/DWGriffith D.W. Griffith]], appears in the film as the LoveInterest, in one of only two films she ever made that weren't directed by Griffith.

* CanonForeigner: Alice Faulkner
* CanonImmigrant: Billy

* DistressedDamsel: Alice Faulkner.
* EvilCannotComprehendGood: Moriarty is flabbergasted when he finds out that Holmes gave the incrimnating letters back to Alice. (In the play he doesn't. In the film Holmes has an attack of conscience and lets Alice have the letters back, but in the end they fall in love and she abandons her revenge plot anyway.)

* {{MacGuffin}}: A packet containing letters, photographs, jewelry etc. that were sent to Alice Faulkner's late sister by a foreign gentleman who seduced and ruined her, and the villains want it out of the picture now that he wants to marry. The name of the gentleman is merely whispered inaudibly, and the sister's name is not revealed either.

The play was hugely successful. It debuted in 1899 and ran for over thirty years, with Gillette giving his final Holmes performance in 1932. None other than a young Creator/CharlieChaplin, then a teenager trying to escape the poverty of the London slums, played Billy regularly for 2 1/2 years, including in one production opposite Gillete. This play is responsible for several Holmes tropes that are not found in Conan Doyle. The deerstalker cap, the pipe, the use of "elementary", and the name "Billy" for the previously nameless pageboy, all originated in Gillette's play. In 1916 Gillette starred in a silent film version of the play that has since been lost.

The play was hugely successful. It debuted in 1899 and ran for over thirty years, with Gillette giving his final Holmes performance in 1932. This play is responsible for several Holmes tropes that are not found in Conan Doyle. The deerstalker cap, the pipe, the use of "elementary", and the name "Billy" for the previously nameless pageboy, all originated in Gillette's play. In 1916 Gillette starred in a silent film version of the play that has since been lost.

None other than a young Creator/CharlieChaplin, then a teenager trying to escape the poverty of the London slums, played Billy regularly for 2 1/2 years, including in one production opposite Gillete.

In 1922 the play was again adapted into a film titled ''Sherlock Holmes'', this time starring John Barrymore, and this version survives. The movie is probably most notable for its remarkable cast. Roland Young, who made his film debut as [[TheWatson Watson]], would have a very successful career as a character actor in films like ''Film/{{Topper}}'' and ''Film/ThePhiladelphiaStory''. None other than [[Film/TheThinMan William]] [[Film/TheGreatZiegfeld Powell]], who became a huge star in TheThirties, also made his film debut here as Forman Wells, a minion of Moriarty who switches sides and works for Holmes. Hedda Hopper, who would later leave acting to become a very famous newspaper gossip columnist, plays one of Moriarty's employees. Louis Wolheim, who became a pretty big star later in the silent era, plays a {{Mook}}. And Carol Dempster, who spent most of TheTwenties as the girlfriend, protege, and leading lady of [[Creator/DWGriffith D.W. Griffith]], appears in the film as the LoveInterest, in one of only two films she ever made that weren't directed by Griffith.

* AdaptationExpansion: Almost the whole first half of the film is set in Holmes/s and Watson's youth, before the play.

* ReCut: This film was believed for decades to be lost. When it was finally discovered in the 1970s, it existed not as a regular theatrical cut, but ''all'' the footage shot for the movie, including alternate takes and deleted scenes. Film historian Kevin Brownlow, working with the film's director, Albert Parker (then in his late 80s), stitched together what is believed to be a relatively close approximation of the film as it ran in theaters.

In 1922 the play was again adapted into a film titled ''Sherlock Holmes'', this time starring John Barrymore, and this version survives. The movie is probably most notable for its remarkable cast. Roland Young, who made his film debut as [[TheWatson Watson]], would have a very successful career as a character actor in films like ''Film/{{Topper}}'' and ''Film/ThePhiladelphiaStory''. None other than [[Film/TheThinMan William]] [[Film/TheGreatZiegfeld Powell]], who became a huge star in TheThirties, also made his film debut here as Forman Wells, a minion of Moriarty who switches sides and works for Holmes. Hedda Hopper, who would later leave acting to become a very famous newspaper gossip columnist, plays one of Moriarty's employees. And Carol Dempster, who spent most of TheTwenties as the girlfriend, protege, and leading lady of [[Creator/DWGriffith D.W. Griffith]], appears in the film as the LoveInterest, in one of only two films she ever made that weren't directed by Griffith.

* WhyDontYouJustShootHim: Played completely straight. After getting a look at Moriarty's elaborate gas chamber trap, a {{Mook}} (played by Louis Wolheim, another cast member who would go on to become a bigger star) asks "Why all the fuss, gov'ner, why not knock 'im on the 'ead?".

The play was hugely successful. It debuted in 1899 and ran for over thirty years, with Gillette giving his final Holmes performance in ''1932''. This play is responsible for several Holmes tropes that are not found in Conan Doyle. The deerstalker cap, the pipe, the use of "elementary", and the name "Billy" for the previously nameless pageboy, all originated in Gillette's play.

Gillette starred in a 1916 film that has since been lost. In 1922 the play was again adapted into a film titled ''Sherlock Holmes'', this time starring John Barrymore, and this version survives. The movie is probably most notable for its remarkable cast. Roland Young, who made his film debut as [[TheWatson Watson]], would have a very successful career as a character actor in films like ''Film/{{Topper}}'' and ''Film/ThePhiladelphiaStory''. None other than [[Film/TheThinMan William]] [[Film/TheGreatZiegfeld Powell]], who became a huge, huge star in TheThirties, also made his film debut here as Forman Wells, a minion of Moriarty who switches sides and works for Holmes. Hedda Hopper, who would later leave acting to become a very famous newspaper gossip columnist, plays one of Moriarty's employees. And Carol Dempster, who spent most of TheTwenties as the girlfriend, protege, and leading lady of [[Creator/DWGriffith D.W. Griffith]], appears in the film as the LoveInterest, in one of only two films she ever made that weren't directed by Griffith.

* OriginsEpisode: The film includes a long introductory sequence showing Holmes and Watson as university students together. It also shows Holmes meeting Alice, Prince Alexis, and Moriarty, well before all of them come back into his life. It joins the plot of the play about a third of the way through, when Alice is being held captive by the Larrabees.

Gillette starred in a 1916 film that has since been lost. In 1922 the play was again adapted into a film, this time starring John Barrymore, and this version survives. The movie is probably most notable for its remarkable cast. Roland Young, who made his film debut as [[TheWatson Watson]], would have a very successful career as a character actor in films like ''Film/{{Topper}}'' and ''Film/ThePhiladelphiaStory''. None other than [[Film/TheThinMan William]] [[Film/TheGreatZiegfeld Powell]], who became a huge, huge star in TheThirties, also made his film debut here as Forman Wells, a minion of Moriarty who switches sides and works for Holmes. Hedda Hopper, who would later leave acting to become a very famous newspaper gossip columnist, plays one of Moriarty's employees. And Carol Dempster, who spent most of TheTwenties as the girlfriend, protege, and leading lady of [[Creator/DWGriffith D.W. Griffith]], appears in the film as the LoveInterest, in one of only two films she ever made that weren't directed by Griffith.

Gillette starred in a 1916 film that has since been lost. In 1922 the play was again adapted into a film, this time starring John Barrymore, and this version survives. The movie is probably most notable for its remarkable cast. Roland Young, who made his film debut as [[TheWatson Watson]], would have a very successful career as a character actor in films like ''Film/{{Topper}}'' and ''Film/ThePhiladelphiaStory''. None other than [[Film/TheThinMan William]] [[Film/TheGreatZiegfeld Powell]], who became a huge, huge star in TheThirties, also made his film debut here as Forman Wells, a minion of Moriarty who switches sides and works for Holmes. Hedda Hopper, who would later leave acting to become a very famous newspaper gossip columnist, plays one of Moriarty's employees. And Carol Dempster, who spent most of TheTwenties as the girlfriend, protege, and leading lady of Creator/DWGriffith, appears in the film as the LoveInterest, in one of only two films she ever made that weren't directed by Griffith.

* OriginsEpisode: The film includes a long introductory sequence showing Holmes and Watson as university students together. It also shows Holmes meeting Alice, Prince Alexis, and Moriarty, well before all of them come back into his life. It joins the plot of the play about a third of the way through, when Alice is being held captive by the Larrabees.

''Sherlock Holmes, A Play, wherein is set forth The Strange Case of Miss Alice Faulkner'' was the popular dramatization of ArthurConanDoyle's SherlockHolmes stories, by William Gillette, the Holmes for the generation before Basil Rathbone.

* {{MacGuffin}}

* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial:
-->'''Larrabee:''' "[[SherlockHolmes He]] wanted to know what there was about the safe in the lower part that desk that caused me such horrible anxiety! Ha! ha! ha!"
-->'''Madge:''' "Why, there isn’t anything. Is there?"
-->'''Larrabee:''' "That’s just it! Ha! ha! ha! There’s a safe there, but nothing in it."

* DeathTrap: The GasChamber at Stepney.

''Sherlock Holmes, A Play, wherein is set forth The Strange Case of Miss Alice Faulkner'' was the popular dramatization of Arthur Conan Doyle's ''SherlockHolmes'' stories, by William Gillette, the Holmes for the generation before Basil Rathbone.

* ItWorksBetterWithBullets: While Moriarty's back is turned, Holmes unloads his revolver so he won't have to worry if Moriarty should suddenly try to use it on him, which he does.