Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, The

Aroview: Late period Billy Wilder (THE APARTMENT) applies his ironic sensibility, with less acid than usual, to the mind of Conan Doyle's detecting hero and the 'private life' of his emotions.

Of course set around a curious mystery all its own -leading to the legendary Loch Ness monster - this proceeds with an air of double-edged satire unlike any of the other sleuthing films, with Blakely providing an entertaining Watson. Notoriously studio-cut from 3 hours down to the current length, this is still a typically strong piece from the underrated end of the dir.'s career.