Review of Sherlock Holmes and the Leading Lady (1991) by Andrew C — 12 Feb 2010

More of the same. (Wrote this review already, but my computer froze and I lost it. Can't remember exactly what I wrote before.) This mystery also takes place in 1910, but in Vienna, not London again.

A scientist has invented a remote control for detonating bombs, but fears what will happen if if falls into the kaiser's hands. He arranges to sell the device to Britain, but before Mycroft can pick it up the detonator is snatched.

The old man gives chase himself into an opera house and falls to his death. When Sherlock and Watson arrive to investigate the death and missing device they find that Irene Adler (Morgan Fairchild) is the star of the opera.

Except with Fairchild's performance the character of Irene Adler doesn't seem so dangerous a match for Sherlock Holmes. Humperdinck is credited fairly highly, but he plays a minor minor character.

This time Holmes meets two famous historical figures from roughly the time period that provide opportunities for red herrings and ridiculous humor. Sigmund Freud hypnotizes Adler a few times and a young Elliot Ness gets in the way.

There is confusion over how many men are named Franz in Vienna. There are Bosnian nationalists and an attempt on Emperor Franz Joseph's life which the detective pair must stop to prevent international relations from escalating to WWI.