Review of The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970) by Ryan V — 19 Dec 2016

Sherlock Holmes (Robert Stephens) gets embroiled in a case that involves a widowed Belgian woman (Genevieve Page), the Loch Ness monster, a bizarre secret society, and the secret agent activity of his brother Mycroft (Christopher Lee).

Billy Wilder directed the film while co-writing the screenplay with I.A.L. Diamond, so one is all but guaranteed to find an expertly-paced movie with cheeky dialogue. That being said, a viewer may be surprised to find postmodern touches such as commentary on Sherlock's cocaine use as well as implications of homosexuality.

The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes doesn't quite measure up to Wilder classics like The Apartment or Some Like It Hot, but it's still a clever, entertaining movie that's too often overlooked.