Ever since Sherlock Holmes was by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in 1887, he’s been the focus of some of the best detective thrillers in Hollywood history. One of the most popular fictional detectives, Holmes' supremely sharp intellect and observational techniques appear to make him omniscient at first glance, only to break it down for the audience in an extremely logical way that never gets boring.
The many thrilling adventures of Sherlock Holmes and his trusty sidekick, Dr John Watson, have been dramatised for both film, television andvideo games. From popular stories such as The Hound of the Baskervilles and A Scandal in Bohemia to A Study in Scarlet, here are the best Sherlock Holmes adaptations that have ever graced our screens.
10Murder By Decree
1979
Starring the legendary Christopher Plummer as the lauded detective himself, Murder By Decree puts Holmes hot on the trail on the Jack the Ripper case. This is an original spin as Doyle never wrote about Holmes investigating the notorious serial killer, but the film is certainly an understated gem.
The movie scores high praise for its ability to create the dark, gritty atmosphere associated with foggy Victorian London, adding to the tension and mystery of the whole affair. Accompanied by a gorgeous music score, it also does a swell job of executing its more emotion-packed sequences and is well worth a watch.
9Young Sherlock Holmes
1985
Young Sherlock Holmes, as the title would suggest, takes a different path from other entries. The film focuses on Holmes' adolescent years and isn’t inspired by any of Doyle’s stories, creating an original tale that sets Holmes down the path of the detective.
In this film, Holmes and Watson meet earlier in their lives, as the two of them are classmates. Holmes becomes interested in a string of murders that occur around the school and, with the help of his new friend Watson and his love interest Elizabeth, uncovers a deeper conspiracy and dark pasts among the staff at the school.
8The Private Life Of Sherlock Holmes
1970
The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes is a fitting title for this adaptation of the world’s first consulting detective, as director Billy Wilder centres the film’s plot on cases that are best left unpublished. The story also emphasises the disparity between the Holmes we know of in Watson’s writings and the one we see in his private life - an interesting route that most adaptations wouldn’t take.
In this film, Holmes is portrayed as more flamboyant and sarcastic, taking on a case presented by Gabrielle Valladon, who is looking for her missing husband. Although his brother Mycroft pushes him to not pursue it, it isn’t until the end that we see why. The case isn’t the focus in this movie, instead it centres more on how Sherlock Holmes is a human being like any other.
7The Hound Of The Baskervilles
1959
Creating a respectable on-screen adaptation of what is likely one of Doyle’s finest Sherlock Holmes cases is no mean feat, and Terence Fisher’s 1959 The Hound of the Baskervilles executed it brilliantly. Packed with mystery and intrigue from the beginning, this classic gem does well by manufacturing the chilling atmosphere that’s a crucial aspect of this story.
Starring Peter Cushing as Holmes and the iconic Sir Christopher Lee as Henry Baskerville, the film plays around with the alleged supernatural elements of the plot as Holmes and Watson investigate the infamous Baskerville curse, with a well-built reveal to boot.
6Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes
1968
Among the many great actors who portrayed Sherlock Holmes, Peter Cushing would be one of the best. The show initially ran in 1965 with Douglas Wilmer playing Holmes, only for a change in actor when the second series was made.
Cushing’s Holmes ran for 16 episodes, depicting notable cases like ‘The Blue Carbuncle’ and ‘Black Peter’. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes is noted for its top-notch dialogue, atmospheric locations and cinematography, making for an unforgettable experience in following the great detective at work.
5The House Of Fear
1945
The tenth film out of fourteen starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce as the inseparable duo, Holmes and Watson, 1945’s The House of Fear is based on the story ‘The Five Orange Pips’, though the story has been altered for the movie. Despite the latter, the story is just as compelling, with red herrings and unexpected twists.
The story follows Holmes and Watson travelling to an isolated castle where a secret club, The Good Comrades, resides. Each member of the club has been sequentially receiving an envelope filled with orange pips after changing their insurance policies and dying not long after. Holmes is on the case, only to discover that some dead men don’t remain dead after all.
4Sherlock Holmes
2009
A film directed byGuy Ritchie, 2009’s Sherlock Holmes presents a truly original narrative that’s as grand, mystifying and complex as any of Doyle’s creations. Although the story is captivating, it’s Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law’s on-screen chemistry as Holmes and Watson that carries the film. Their humorous banter is genuine and flows smoothly in a way that really sells to the audience the long partnership the duo has, with Downey Jr superbly delivering Holmes' deductive abilities.
The movie’s plot mainly centres on the nefarious Lord Blackwood, a serial killer with a love for the occult. Although Blackwood was executed by hanging for his crimes, he’s later discovered to have somehow survived his hanging and is now plotting to murder the Parliamentary members. Holmes is set on discovering how the dead could somehow come back to life and putting a swift end to Blackwood’s schemes.
3Elementary
2012-2019
Similar to another entry on this list, the 2012 show Elementary is set in the modern world and takes creative liberties with the source material. In this show, Holmes acts as a consulting detective for the NYPD, with DrJoanWatson involved in his criminal cases due to assisting the eccentric detective stay the course in his drug rehabilitation program.
Although you might think the concept is outlandish for a Sherlock Holmes tale, Elementary moulds the best of what you’d expect from cop shows with cases that get more mysterious and complex with each episode. The show integrates Holmes' usual analytical brilliance, yet amplifies his canon drug addiction in a way that makes it believable were he to live in the modern-day world.
2The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes
1984-1994
Out of all the entries, the show The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is the most book-accurate adaptation of Doyle’s work. The show ran for a decade with a total of 41 episodes, and not only are themysterycases true to the book, but Jeremy Brett’s arresting portrayal of Sherlock Holmes is the most comparable to the book.
The show also does well with its use of Watson, neither underusing him nor depicting him as a bumbling fool, but as an active partner in Holmes' adventures. Aside from the excellent performances, the show does an incredible job of immersing you in the Victorian period, with quality costuming and a way of keeping you chained to your seat until the finale.
1Sherlock
2010-2017
Unlike most adaptations of Sherlock Holmes, BBC’s Sherlock puts a modern twist on the most popular Sherlock Holmes cases, and puts our main heroes, Holmes and Watson, in 21st-century London. Cumberbatch and Freeman delivered excellent performances as Holmes and Watson, with Cumberbatch portraying a cold, clinical Holmes that works decidedly well with the deadpan humour of Freeman’s Watson.
The show covers (though they’re renamed) stories such as The Study In Scarlet, The Hound of the Baskervilles and The Final Problem, as well as creating their own criminal cases for the detective to crack that are loosely inspired by a collection of Conan Doyle’s works. Alongside Cumberbatch and Watson, Mark Gatiss gave a fantastic portrayal of the crafty Mycroft Holmes, and Andrew Scott was positively menacing as Moriarty. Brilliantly acted and written, Sherlock is undoubtedly the best Sherlock Holmes show ever made, and its four BAFTAs, nine Emmys and numerous other accolades prove this.
