(Above) Nigel Stock as
the curmudgeonly
Waxttatter in Young Sher
lock Holmes: (right)
Nicholas Rowe
and Alan Cox as the
youthful Sherlock
Holmes and Or. Watson.
YOUNG
SHERLOCK
HOLMES
hat could Sherlock Holmes and Doc
tor John //. Watson have been like
when (and if) they were boys?
Steven Spielberg was intrigued by
the idea and thought it contained great possibili
ties for a movie. He called in his young ace screen
writer, Chris Columbus (“Gremlins”, “Goonies ”),
and gave him only the film’s title, “Young Sherlock
Holmes, and the instruction, “Do
what you like with it.”
“It couid have been young Sher
lock in Los Angeles in 1985," said
Columbus, “but I had been inspired
by the stage version of Nicholas Nick
elhy (and) loved David Lean's films
of Great Expectations and Oliver
Twist I wanted to get that flavor back
into films.”
Setting his story in 1870 London,
and immersing himself in research
on Victorian history and mores, Co
lumbus spent nine months writing
his script. “It required a lot of care
because Holmes is a literary leg
end," he pointed out "f did not want
to upset his devotees, some of whom
believe Holmes was a real person
who actually lived.”
The story involves its schoolboy
heroes, not only in solving a mystery,
but also in an adventure with ele
ments of the supernatural
Sherlock Holmes and John Watson
meet at school, an encounter In
which Holmes proves he already
possesses impressive |x>wers of de
duction: he describes accurately his
new acquaintance Watson's every in
terest, and even his family back
ground, just by observing him The
two quickly become friends
Soon after, the two pals set out to
investigate a strange series of deaths
of respected older London citizens,
one of whom is a somewhat bcfud
died professor at their school With
the help of the professor's beautiful
niece, they set out to solve the
crimes, which seem to be linked to a
menacing religous cult
Tall, dark haired Nicholas Rowe,
the 18 year old son of a member of
the House of Commons, was select
ed from thousands who auditioned
for (lu* part Co play Holmes IWo
young cast members come from act
ing families Alan Cox, son of British
actor Brian Cox, plays Watson, and
Sophie Ward, daughter of Simon
Ward ( \t)ung Winston) is Elizabeth,
the pretty young niece of the de
ceased professor A host of distin
guished adult actors, including An
t hony 11 iggms < >f The Draughtsman s
Contract, round out the cast
Barry Levinson who had already
received praise for a film about
young people, Diner, is directing
His most recent lilm release, The
Natural, about a baseball player with
extraordinary talent, demonstrates
he is equally at ease with a story hav
ing magical overtones.
Miting Sherlock llolmes has taken
advantage of the authentic locations
available in England, shooting many
scenes at historic Eton When I
went on the set to sec Harry directing
the scene of Watson meeting
Holmes for the first time (shot at
Eton),” saitl Columbus, "I felt as il I
were Watson walking into that dor
ntitory. It was precisely as I had
imagined it "
Columbus was also excited that di
rector Levinson had filmed his
screenplay with little rewriting
"This film is the one baby (of his pro
jecls for Spielberg) I can almost call
my own, he said
Director of Photography Stephen
Cioldblatt says You tin Sherlock
Holmes’ makes, "No attempt at reali
ty The characters are almost I )icken
sian It is 95 minutes, or thereabouts,
of non stop action set in mid Victori
an London."
ytmiif’ Shertoi k Holmes, a Para
mount release, will open nationwide
in December. ♦