Chanel Huang

Dr. Lynda Haas

Writing 39B
21 May 2014
Sherlock and Infamous Irene Adler
Throughout the years, more and more famous plays and novelssuch as Romeo
and Juliet by William Shakespeare, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, and Wuthering
Heights by Emily Bronteare being made into movies and television shows. The
combination of visual effects, effective casting, and cinematography creates an
experience that cannot be matched by other medium; therefore, re-popularizing the
original works and attracting a wider range of audience. However, in attempting to
increase their appeals, most filmmakers modernize the originals in hopes to make them
appear more relevant to the modern day audience group. The legendary Sherlock
Holmes novels by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle are no exception. Classical conventions such
as Sherlock Holmes almost robotic characteristics and lack of romantic interests have
been revised in order to adapt to the new 21
st
century audience.
Back in Sir Arthur Conan Doyles original Sherlock Holmes novels, Holmes is
portrayed almost as an automatonas his sidekick, Dr. John Watson, had put it (The
Sign 22). He doesnt care for anything other than the thrills and excitements solving
cases bring him. Literary scholar, Leroy Panek similarly noted, Doyle applies machine
images to Holmes (82). Furthermore, he acknowledges, Doyle makes Holmes an
instrument for detection, and that, Holmes fills his cranial attic only with those things
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which help him solve crimes(82). This is why when Watson mentioned to Holmes how
attractive Miss Mary Morstan, their client in The Sign of the Four, was Holmes simply
replied, Is she? I did not observe. Instead of having Holmes say, I didnt notice or I
didn't see, Doyle had Holmes say I didnt observe indicating that he saw, he noticed,
but he didnt care or keep it in mind as it doesnt help him solve the case. This implies
that Mary Morstan, or any women for that matter, is merely a client to him and he can
only see her as a client. He was, I take it, the most prefect reasoning and observing
machine that the world has seen, but as a lover he would have placed himself in a false
position (Adventure 1); Conan Doyle had never portrayed Holmes to fall in love in all
of his series, even with the infamous Irene Adler. She, nonetheless, holds a special place
in Holmes heart, reflected in A Scandal in Bohemia as it is understood that Holmes
considered the photograph of herself that Adler had left behind was more valuable than
the kings emerald snake ring (20). Undoubtedly, She was one of the few people who
mattered to him because she was one of the only ones to ever outwit Homes; thus,
winning his interest and respect. From her, he learned the cost of underestimating the
intelligence and capability of women. In his eyes, Watson described, [Irene] eclipses
and predominates the whole of her sex (1) her canniness drastically sets her apart
from the other Victorian women who tend to be more passive and less educated. He
respected her wholeheartedly, but thats all; the romantic element between the two is a
later convention filmmakers had incorporated for the enjoyment of modern-day
audience.
In BBCs adaptation of the Sherlock Holmes series, Sherlock, Holmes relationship
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with Irene Adler is much more romantic-based. His attraction towards her is largely
empathized throughout The Scandal in Belgravia, the second episode of Season 2. In
order to make Sherlock more loveable in todays society, BBC producers created an
illusion in which the audience are misled to believe that at one point Sherlock Holmes
ha almostif not alreadyfallen for the dominatrix, Irene Adler, and that he had given
into the chemical defect found on the losing sidesentiment. In the episode Sherlock
Holmes had been asked by his brother, Mycroft, to retrieve Irene Adlers camera phone
which contained top-secret information in which she depends her life on. After Sherlock
Holmes learned that Irene Adler had faked her death and found her in 221B Baker St.,
he gets too carried away in Adlers challenges and cracks the code for her and
unknowingly ruins MODs ploy. Because of his previous encounter with Irene Adler and
the trick she played on his concerning the passcode to her camera phone, Sherlock
wanted to get back on her badly; thus, when she admits to not being able to
understand the code he quickly deciphers it without questioning. During the scene, the
camera is mainly focused on Sherlock and Irenealmost a whip panwith the
occasional shots of John Watson from time to time implying how focused in their world
the couple were. Also, Irenes shots are mostly low-angled indicating that shes the one
in control of the situation. This helps her come across as really intelligent and confident
and its no doubt to the audience Sherlock Holmes would be attracted to her. In addition,
its also possible that Sherlock might have been aware of his confounded feelings
towards her and thats why he doesnt trick her to give him the passcode with his usual
intensity, but rather, as John astutely points out, went with the flow, letting her play her
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game which ultimately creates the sense of the two flirting, and when Irene outsmarts
Sherlock, forcing him to give her back her camera phone, he just drops the whole thing
and hands it to her, with a compliment, Oh, youre quite good, whereas hed normally
forces it out of the person. This romantic element is included because it is what todays
audience group desires.
In the movie Sherlock Holmes directed by Guy Ritchie starring Robert Downey Jr.
and Jude Law, it is presented so that at Irene Adler and Sherlock Holmes first encounter
the audience can straight off see that there was a romantic history between the two. The
scene starts off with Sherlock waking up to Irene checking out his flat. Unlike the BBC or
original Conan Doyle version, Irene Adler had divorced her husband, whom she had
described as boing, jealous, and prone to snoring. This indicates the power Irene Adler
has and sets her apart right off the bat since back in the Victorian Era, which is the
setting of the movie, women had no say in anything let allow file for divorce. In those
days, once a woman is married, she is most likely to be married to her husband until he
dies or divorces her. The fact that Irene was he one who divorced him would be
unimaginable to Conan Doyle. Furthermore, how Irene criticizes of her former husband
would not have been acceptable in that time period. Her assertiveness is also a later
convention since thats what todays society had sculptured an attractive and desirable
woman to be: to have personality, is independent, confident, and intelligent. As Irene
and Sherlock discusses the reason for Irenes unexpected visit, the shots are at almost
the same levelunlike the BBC versionsuggesting that Guy Ritchie wants the
audience to see the two as equals. Contrasting the flirting and fighting for control, this
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version portrays more of a partners-in-crime, best friend relationship between the
couple since that is more relatable to the audience group. The movie also relies more on
the characters facial expressions to set the romantic and flirtatious mood whereas the
television show relies on the words. This is why the shots are mostly close-ups and the
whip pan scene rather than a stationary with camera shooting the two facing each other,
talking. The close-ups highlight the actors detailed and specific facial expressions luring
the audience in creating an experience readers wouldn't able to experience by just
reading the books.
Different conventions are both added and revised in unique ways from the original
works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, as changes are needed since people and society
interprets things differently than before. These revisions in both the characters of
Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler are fit to suit the bold and unique preference of the
audience of modern-day society.










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Work Cited
Doyle, Arthur Conan. The Sign of the Four. Seattle: Amazon Digital Services, 2013.
Kindle eBook. Online.
Doyle, Arthur Conan. "Adventure 1: A Scandal in Bohemia." The Adventures of Sherlock
Holmes. Lit2Go Edition. 1892. Web.
McMahon, Colin. "I Love the Woman: An Analysis of Love, Power, and the Character of
Irene Adler (Sherlock)." The Red Rings of Redemption. 31 Mar. 2014 Web.
Panek, Leroy. An Introduction to the Detective Story. Bowling Green, OH: Bowling
Green State University Popular Press, 1987. Print.
Prunes, Mriano, Michael Raine, and Mary Litch. "Film Analysis Guide -- Plain HTML
Version." Film Analysis Guide -- Plain HTML Version. Yale University, 27 Aug. 2002.
Web.