The Man Who Was Sherlock Holmes Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.0

The Man Who Was Sherlock Holmes Blu-ray Movie Review

An entertaining mystery with a fun concept involving the great Sherlock Holmes

The Man Who Was Sherlock Holmes (Der Mann, der Sherlock Holmes war) is an entertaining and surprising mystery-drama set within the peculiar world of Sherlock Homes (with an unusual twist to the storytelling foundation). The feature-film was also released under the title “Two Gay Adventurers” and for some markets made no mention of the Sherlock Homes character during the marketing of the film. Produced by Alfred Greven (Shop Girls of Paris, Majestic Hotel Cellars), the strange journey of The Man Who Was Sherlock Holmes is one that should delight Holmes aficionados looking to find the answer to the mystery of the story.

Morris Flint (Hans Albers) and his do-well assistant in mystery-solving, Macky McPherson (Heinz Rühmann), don the cloth of the beloved detectives Sherlock Homes and Dr. Watson in order to be capable of further delving into the mysterious surroundings they entrench themselves in. With an unusual approach to solving their current conundrum, the so-called Sherlock Homes and Dr. Watson explore a train on a cold foggy night and meet two gorgeous sisters: Mary Berry (Marieluise Claudius) and Jane Berry (Hansi Knoteck).

As the mysterious encounter between the detectives and the beautiful women unfolds, the storyline of The Man Who Was Sherlock Holmes delves into deeper mysteries. A shocking case involving valuable stamps and thievery unfolds. Ultimately, the two (somewhat baffled) detectives must pair with the two girls to get help on the latest case. As the exciting mystery unravels, another mystery unfolds: who are these men actually? Everyone around Morris Flint and Macky McPherson sees Sherlock Holmes and his detective sidekick Dr. Watson. Yet there is far more to the story.

"What's that? It says that the Blu-ray release is good!"

An entertaining and engaging experience, The Man Who Was Sherlock Holmes is a surprisingly vital interpretation of the Sherlock Holmes mythology while crafting a storyline that is entirely unique (without being an actual adaptation of one of the works from the great Sir Arthur Conan Doyle). Considerably unique because of the production approach, the feature strikes a chord with its style. Riding against expectations, The Man Who Was Sherlock Holmes has some interesting ideas up its sleeves.

The production design by Otto Hunte (Die Herrin der Welt 5. Teil - Ophir, die Stadt der Vergangenheit) and Willy Schiller (Was Frauen träumen) is reasonably impressive for the time-period in which the film was completed and has some visual aesthetics which ring true for mysteries - setting the stage throughout the unfolding drama. The costumes by Fritz Strack (Barcarole, El Hakim) and Otto Suckrow (The Divine Jetta, A Blonde Dream) are apt for the characters and make the storyline surrounding Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson more convincing.

The black-and-white cinematography by Fritz Arno Wagner (Nosferatu, M) is one of the stronger elements of the filmmaking and has some impressive visual cues. Characters are often filmed in interesting ways with the aesthetic of the camera-work making a compelling argument for the cinematographic approach: stark, bare, and mysterious. Accompanying the visuals is the score composed by Hans Sommer (Sergeant Berry, The Czar's Courier) and the effect is synchronized beauty.

Directed by Karl Hartl (The Life and Loves of Mozart, The Angel with the Trumpet), The Man Who Was Sherlock Holmes is more charming than one might initially expect at the start of the story. The concept is certainly clever and plays with the idea of the classic characters of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in an unconventional way. The end result is something that manages to feel unique despite the obvious inspirations. The screenplay by Karl Hartl and co-screenwriter Robert A. Stemmle (The Border of Sin, The Berliner) takes audiences on a fun ride. The destination is unexpected and viewers will experience some nice twists and turns along the way. Worth a look.

The Man Who Was Sherlock Holmes Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, The Man Who Was Sherlock Holmes features a 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition presentation in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.37:1 full frame. The release features a restoration completed by Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Stiftung. The transfer generally impresses with a good amount of detail in the photography. The image is crisp and has sufficient detail.

Nonetheless, the black and white photography does have some inconsistencies. There are some obvious contrast fluctuations on occasion and the black levels are not as robust as is most desirable. The video can sometimes appear to have a gray tone more-so than a pitch-black appearance. The print also has occasional specks of dirt and minor scratches on the print. Luckily, these issues are relatively minor ones, and the bulk of the presentation is impressive and enjoyable. Though the print could have been improved on with a complete 4K remaster, The Man Who Was Sherlock Homes looks impressive on the whole regardless.

The Man Who Was Sherlock Holmes Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a German DTS-HD Master Audio mono audio soundtrack. The audio clarity is generally reasonable sounding and most viewers will find it to be a sufficient audio track that covers most bases well. Dialogue clarity is exceptional and is clean, clear, and easy to understand. However, the track is occasionally one that suffers from a slightly muffled sound and a thin layer of hiss present throughout the entire audio track. While the hiss on the audio track is far from being overbearing, it's still worth notating. Presented in German with optional English subtitles.

The Man Who Was Sherlock Holmes Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The release includes no supplemental features at all. This might be a case best solved by Sherlock Holmes!

The Man Who Was Sherlock Holmes Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Much to my pleasant surprise, The Man Who Was Sherlock Holmes is a fun, charming, and worthwhile film exploring the legacy of Sherlock Holmes. Having never seen a German production featuring the iconic character before, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. The good news is that the film has a blast with the concept and offers fans of Holmes more than enough surprises to keep things entertaining. There is a real sense of mystery and excitement in the film and audiences are taken along for the fantastic ride. The Blu-ray release features a decent audio-video presentation (though the disc is without extras). Recommended.