A ROYAL SCANDAL

REVIEWED BY CHARITY BISHOP

Our rating: 3 out of 5

Because of: sensuality

Rated:

A mysterious woman from the past confronts Sherlock Holmes in Hallmark's most original and chilling production yet, The Royal Scandal. Sherlockians may protest the slashing of the original short story but for lovers of romance and intrigue the film boasts an impressive caliber of costuming, misguided intentions and above all the utter brilliance of Sherlock Holmes. Additionally we are given the opportunity to pay a visit to more unused characters of the Canon... Wiggins, the sly, money-hounding little street rat under Holmes' employment, and even Mycroft, Holmes' political elder brother. But it is an adaptation that has the renowned author spinning in his grave.

The world's one and only consulting detective has received a call from a most illustrious client... a member of German royalty. His Majesty has made it apparent that in one of his indiscriminate romances, a certain compromising photograph has been retained by a Miss Irene Adler, former actress and operetta of the stage. He commissions Holmes to recover it for him at a high price, but therein lies the catch. Irene Adler is familiar with Sherlock Holmes... indeed, they were once romantically entangled. Driven by his intention to reinstate his respect due to Irene's "duping" of him some years before, Holmes accepts but soon learns that there lies much more behind this seemingly simple rescue mission than was first believed. 

Reacquainted with Irene and cast relentlessly beneath her spell, Holmes finds himself not only fighting the evil that runs amuck in politics but his own determination not to be romantically swayed as well. With the added complication of his elder brother Mycroft's interest in the case for a possible allied use against Germany in the years to come; and the concern of Dr. Watson toward his present state, Holmes is running a high-stakes race against time itself. Could it be that more than a case of simple blackmail lies at the heart of this mission? He remains convinced that the case is one of political and social intrigue of a most sinister nature. 

Filled with dark fog-shrouded chases through London, heart-stopping instances of horror, and momentary glimpses into the mind of Sherlock Holmes, The Royal Scandal was meant to be a classic among film adaptations. Sadly it falls far short. The film begins most appropriately with a disclaimer saying that it has not been endorsed by any member of Doyle's family. This in itself was a grand giveaway that the following hour and a half of whirlwind scandal, deception, romance and imperial intrigue was not exactly what good old Doyle intended when he penned A Scandal in Bohemia, on which the production is very loosely based. Given, the film is not an entire flop. It manages to follow closely the story in some areas and expand out in others. 

Borrowing the blueprint scam and political tensions from The Bruce-Pardington Plans it attempts to make for itself a winning mystery of charm and interest and could have carried itself off well were it not for the gaping holes in character development. Our first and most glaring flaw is found in Holmes himself... a distracted, romantically entangled Holmes. I could have forgiven them for his alluding to a past brief romance with Irene in which he was, to coin his own words, "notoriously duped." But having him fall for her a second time was a bit too much and in the words of my father, it was a "sentimental, sappy Sherlock" that ends on a decidedly pathetic note.

Non-literary fans of Sherlock Holmes will even notice the flaws; his apparent weakness of wills; melting under the smile of a pretty face -- when Holmes himself pointed out many times in the Canon that women are dangerous and not to be trusted; that he has never, ever has "been in love." I'm sorry to say it plays him the fool; and the in-between moments that actually almost manage to adhere to the true consulting detective pale in comparison. That Homes would ever place personal interest before one of his cases is ridiculous; and his interest in Irene is played out on more a personal nature than a willingness to corner her for the government's sake. To Sherlock Holmes, this would be the ultimate humiliation.

The costuming is gorgeous, if not revealing. Irene often wears very low gowns and her sensuality is enhanced by the actress' ability to charm the viewer. The photograph is presumably an intimate one although the viewer never once glimpses it. There is nothing directly offensive but there is an uncomfortable moment that comes from Holmes as a young man visiting her in her dressing room; then later apparently yielding to her temptation at Baker Street. (Watson barges in and Irene flies out. We never learn how far either took it, although it is implied they at least were kissing.) I could have forgiven the production were it not for that minor count... come on, Holmes, get your head out of the clouds! R.H. Thompson played Mycroft Holmes so well I often found myself wishing HE were portraying the lead. 

There is some apparent violence, mostly implied and we view a slightly bloodied corpse in the morgue. On the other end of the tables, the political intrigue that is drawn out is very enthralling as Irene and Holmes play out a delightful game of cat and mouse. Holmes even confronts Mycroft on the point of using political blackmail and killing for the government without conscience. He himself confesses the lessons he has learned in his dealings with Miss Adler. In conclusion, it is a film that wavers between being likable due to the nature of its intent and distasteful to true lovers of the Canon. If you are a died-in-the-wool Sherlockian like myself, you will find Holmes inability to control his feelings somewhat hard to swallow. But the rest of the production is just seductive enough to draw you into a world of lies, deceptions, and double agents that would please any mystery buff. It's a more minute addition to a tempting series by Hallmark and one can only hope that it is only a misstep and not a sign of things to come.

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