Summary
A Study in Scarlet is a 1914 British silent drama film directed by George Pearson and starring James Bragington,[1] making him the first English actor to portray Holmes on film.[1] It is based on the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 1887 novel of the same name and is considered to be lost.[2][3] An American film of the same name was released in the U.S. on the following day, 29 December 1914. As of 2014[update], the film is missing from the BFI National Archive, and is listed as one of the British Film Institute's "75 Most Wanted" lost films.[4][5]
| A Study in Scarlet | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | George Pearson |
| Written by | Arthur Conan Doyle (novel) Harry Engholm |
| Produced by | George Pearson G. B. Samuelson |
| Starring | James Bragington |
| Cinematography | Walter Buckstone |
Release date |
|
Running time | 6 reels |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | Silent with English intertitles |
Production edit
Ward Lock & Co, original publishers of A Study in Scarlet in the November 1887 edition of Beeton's Christmas Annual, had the comprehensive rights to the book.[6] The company sold the film rights to G. B. Samuelson and his film company.[6]
Samuelson's plans for the film were ambitious[1][7] with outdoor scenes filmed at Cheddar Gorge in Cheddar, Somerset, England doubling for Utah in the United States.[1]
James Bragington was an employee of Samuelson's company and was cast purely due to his resemblance to Sidney Paget's famous illustrations of Holmes.[7] Author Alan Barnes theorizes that Bragington may have been the first actor to wear a deerstalker on screen.[7]
The success of the film led Samuelson to make another Sherlock Holmes film two years later, The Valley of Fear.[1]
Cast edit
- James Bragington as Sherlock Holmes
- Fred Paul as Jefferson Hope
- Agnes Glynne as Lucy Ferrier
- Henry Paulo as John Ferrier
- James Le Fre as Father
- Winifred Pearson as Lucy, a Child
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b c d e Boström, Mattias (2018). From Holmes to Sherlock. Mysterious Press. p. 155. ISBN 978-0-8021-2789-1.
- ^ "Silent Era: A Study in Scarlet". silentera. Archived from the original on 25 May 2001. Retrieved 21 June 2008.
- ^ "The Bioscope: A Study in Scarlet". bioscope. Retrieved 21 June 2008.
- ^ "A Study in Scarlet". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 3 August 2012. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
- ^ "Sherlock Holmes film A Study in Scarlet from 1914 sought". BBC News. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
- ^ a b Boström, Mattias (2018). From Holmes to Sherlock. Mysterious Press. p. 153. ISBN 978-0-8021-2789-1.
- ^ a b c Barnes, Alan (2011). Sherlock Holmes on Screen. Titan Books. pp. 275–276. ISBN 9780857687760.
External links edit
- A Study in Scarlet at IMDb
- British Film Institute entry, including extensive notes
