When originally conceived and shot, Billy Wilder’s The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes was intended as an event picture, premiering first as a three-hour roadshow extravaganza in the grandest of theaters before working its way to lesser venues. But Hollywood was in the midst of a paradigmatic shift, and such lavish productions were routinely underperforming at the box office while lower-budget works like Easy Rider thrived. To Wilder’s everlasting regret, the studio insisted he drastically scale back his finished film, and instead of featuring a contemporary prologue and four discrete episodes, The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes was reduced to a two-hour runtime, with the prologue brutally trimmed to the bone and two episodes entirely discarded. Miraculously, despite the extreme cuts, what remains still proves a splendid entertainment, a deft mix of comedy and detective work that features exceptional performances by Robert Stephens as Holmes and Colin Blakely as Watson, with fine support from Christopher Lee (as Sherlock’s snooty brother, Mycroft) and Geneviève Page as the alluring Gabrielle Valladon. The first and shorter episode is less a case to be solved than a playful exploration of Holmes’ sexuality (which was Wilder’s primary interest in the project), but the second delivers a baroquely complex mystery that involves canaries, little people, monks, Queen Victoria, and the Loch Ness Monster

“One of Billy Wilder’s most elegant and melancholy films, a witty and deeply affectionate reimagining of the world’s greatest detective.” — The Guardian

“A richly entertaining and unexpectedly poignant Sherlock Holmes adventure, filled with Wilder’s trademark sophistication and humor.” — The New York Times

“Perhaps the most human and emotionally complex portrait of Holmes ever put on screen.” — Time Out

“A graceful blend of mystery, comedy, romance, and regret that grows more rewarding with every viewing.” — The A.V. Club

“One of the most underrated films in Billy Wilder’s extraordinary career.” — Roger Ebert