A Study in Scarlet - The Greatest Sherlock Holmes Story Waiting to be Adapted into a Classic Movie

There are all sorts of rumors in the air about the possible plotline of the upcoming Sherlock Holmes 3 movie succeeding the highly entertaining 'Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows'. While there is still a lot of uncertainty about the exact plotline for the Sherlock Holmes 3 (let's hope time travel doesn't play a role in it as was "brilliantly" suggested by Jude Law quite recently), I was wondering that going back to the source material for story for the Sherlock Holmes 3 is a 'no-brainer'. However, as we have observed with the previous two installments, the story was very loosely inspired from some of the short stories.

Irrespective of the actual plotline of Sherlock Holmes 3, I would love to see a movie adaptation of 'A Study in Scarlet', the first of the four novels written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, introducing us to the character of Sherlock Holmes through the eyes of Dr. Watson. 

Beeton's Christmas Annual, December 1887, with "A Study in Scarlet"

So, why do I think 'A Study in Scarlet' will make an excellent movie?

The Beginning of a Great Friendship

This is where we are first introduced to the rather uninspiring personal life of war veteran, Dr. Watson who had just returned to London from the disastrous Afghan Front and continued to struggle to come to grips with the new urban environment surrounding him. 'A Study in Scarlet' marks the beginning of one of the most enduring and endearing friendships in the history of fictional literature, as an acquaintance of Dr. Watson first introduces him to the eccentric amateur sleuth whose chronicler he was destined to become.

The Powers of Deduction

'A Study in Scarlet' is a great read and offers excellent material for a movie storyline, since not only does it introduce us to two of the most famous Londoners in fictional history, it also first introduces an average reader to the powers of deduction which are so incredibly put to use by Holmes as in many cases he ends up solving seemingly complex criminal plots without having to leave the comforts of his Baker Street residence. The deductive method allows Holmes to assemble a chain of events by working backwards from the very last piece of this chain, which is the crime itself. While, Dr. Watson is highly skeptical of these powers at first, but when Holmes puts his deductive powers to test by predicting great details about a Navy sailor walking across the street who they both glance upon from their apartment window, Watson is completely sold on his powers and even wonders why more people aren't aware of them. (Well, they certainly are now, Dr. Watson!)

What a Crime Scene!

Both Holmes and Dr. Watson come across a harrowing crime scene in 'A Study in Scarlet'. A dead body in an empty house in the suburbs of London, that horrifying expression of hatred and terror depicted by the dead body, no apparent cause of death, the appearance of the word 'RACHE' written in human blood on the side of a wall and two petty Scotland Yard detectives (Gregson and Lestrade) bickering like an old married couple on this crime scene trading unpleasant remarks all the while having no real idea as to who the murder is. This incredible scenario offers the chance to put on screen moments of both sheer terror and snippets of cold humor that will dazzle audiences. 

Good Old Detective Work

As both Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson arrive on an incredible crime scene, Holmes immediately delves into some good old detective work, asking the carriage driver to drop them off a little before their destination so that he can inspect the carriage track. Much to Dr. Watson's confusion, Holmes continues slowly along the track for quite some time to study the grounds and sure enough he does come up with rather amazing revelations about what he finds. Once inside the empty house, after having an initial exchange with Detective Gregson, Holmes asks his colleague to excuse him so that he can study the room for clues with that grand old detective's tool, a magnifying glass, and after almost half an house he surprises everyone by briefing them with intricate details of the events that unfolded in that place on the previous night. 

With such detailed detective work, Sir Conan Doyle very early on establishes in the mind of Dr. Watson and consequently in the minds of million of readers, that this amateur sleuth not only humors himself with some fantastic and rather unusual theories on how to solve a crime, but when the time comes his skills of deduction hold up strongly even out in the field.

A Great Revenge Story

'A Study in Scarlet' is distributed in present day events and a flashback to precursors to the terrible events that unfolded in Salt Lake City some years ago. At its heart, this story offers a great revenge storyline and accurately depicts at what great lengths of trouble a person may be willing to go to take revenge on his enemies for the murder of his beloved family. 

It Offers a Great Discussion About Crime & Mystery

One of my favorite passages in all of literature produced by Sir Arthur Conan about Sherlock Holmes comes about in 'A Study in Scarlet' in which the two friends have an insightful exchange about the nature of crime. The passage is reproduced as follows: 

"It is a mistake to confound strangeness with mystery. The most commonplace crime is often the most mysterious because it presents no new or special features from which deductions may be drawn. This murder would have been infinitely more difficult to unravel had the body of the victim been simply found lying in the roadway without any of those outré and sensational accompaniments which have rendered it remarkable. These strange details, far from making the case more difficult, have really had the effect of making it less so."

The Great Final Reveal!

Speaking of unique personality traits of Sherlock Holmes, not all of them are as virtuous as some of the fans of the character may wish to believe. Much to Dr.Watson's frustration, Holmes is often found guilty of withholding information about the crimes he is solving from those around him. This particular trait leads to the unexpected final reveal of the identity of the murderer as he shows up in the Baker Street apartment in the presence of Holmes, Dr. Watson and the two jealous Scotland Yard detectives. This reveal leaves all those present breathless (quite literally!) and let's Holmes have the last laugh even if it was at the expense of his less gifted Scotland Yard colleagues.

'A Study in Scarlet' also contains some of the most quotable lines in all of literary works depicting the life and works of Sherlock Holmes. This novel is essentially a great introduction to the personality, professional skills and philosophy of life of Sherlock Holmes and should be turned into a great movie sooner rather than later!

The Strand Magazine

The Strand Magazine was a monthly fiction magazine founded by George Newnes and remained in publication from January 1890 to March 1950. From the very beginning this magazine asumed great popularity as the early sales went to 300,000 issues. Up till 1930s its circulation had reached upto 500,000 issues. In total The Strand Magazine went upto 711 issues in the sixty years of its life span.

The stories featuring Sherlock Holmes were first published in the Strand Magazine along with illustrations by Sidney Pagot. Soon the popularity of the fictional character of Sherlock Holmes brought many fans and enthusiast readers to the magazine office in search for the next latest issue. Along with the publication of many other fictional stories, The Strand Magazine was also popular for a column named, ‘The Perplexities’ which featured puzzles and brain teasers.

With a change in format in the early 1940s, The Strand Magazine owing to increasing cost and lesser circulation, stopped its publication in 1950. But The Strand Magazine returned in 2000 to pubish works of several famous fiction writers.

Short Biography of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Sir Arthur Ignatus Conan Doyle was born on 22 May, 1859 in Edinburgh in Scotland. His father Charles Altamont Doyle, was an alcoholic and failed to make any remarkable achievement in life other than fathering a brilliant son.

From 1876 to 1881, Sir Arthur studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh. Along the way he started his hobby of writing short fictional stories. His first story was published when he was not even 20 in the Chambers’ Edinburgh Journal. After completing his studies in the University, he served as a doctor on a naval voyage to Africa.

Afterwards Sir Arthur started his independent medical practice when he arrived in Portsmouth. He got visited by very few patients and had little to do all day therefore, he resumed his hobby of writing stories. His first notable work was ‘A Study In Scarlet’ which featured detective Sherlock Holmes for the very first time. It was published in Beeton’s Christmas Annual in 1887. In his time in Portsmouth he also spent time in sports playing cricket, football and golf with friends. Sir Arthur even played in 10 first class cricket matches, his highest score being 43 and also took one wicket.

Conan Doyle had two wives and a total of five children. His first wife Louisa Hawkins suffered from tuberculosis and died. Afterwards he married Jean Elizebeth Leckie whom he had loved many years before. In 1890, he went to Vienna to complete medical studies and started practice as an opthalmologist in London in 1891. In his own biography he reveals that he received very few patients and had decided to kill Holmes in order to consentrate on his practice.

In order to end this series in ‘The Final Problem’ he depicted the events in which Holmes and his enemy Professor Moriarty both die after plunging in a waterfall. But after outcry from fans he resumed the stories and explained in ‘The Adventure of the Empty House’ how Holmes wanted to be temporarily dead in order to defeat his other enemies. Eventually, the fictional detective appeared in 56 short stories and many long novels.

During his life Conan Doyle also authored many other novels and poems. He was also believed to be an intimate friend of world renowned magician Harry Houdini and had special interest in spiritualism. Conan Doyle also spent some time in india and America and these locations also feature in some of his short stories and novels.

On 7 July, 1930 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle died due to heart attack and lies buried in New Forest, Hampshire. In remembrance of this great fiction writer a statue stands in Crowborough, East Sussex where he spent 23 years of his life.