A Study in Celluloid: A Producer's Account of Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes By Michael Cox Rupert Books, Cambridge 1999

In 1981 Michael Cox, an executive for the British film company Granada Television, first presented the idea of creating a new series of Sherlock Holmes stories to fellow executives at their monthly casual dinner. From this dinner the momentum started which eventually manifested into what many consider the definitive series of Sherlock Holmes films, starring the definitive Sherlock Holmes, Jeremy Brett. 

A Study in Celluloid tells the story of the development and production of the series from the standpoint of the original producer, Michael Cox. 

Cox, a fan of the Arthur Conan Doyle stories since childhood, felt that it was time to revisit Sherlock Holmes since it had been more than a decade since the last Holmes films had been produced for British television. He quickly gained the backing of the Granada management but knew from the beginning that no matter how large a budget they had or how much preparation was done the entire project would be doomed to failure if they did not have the right actor to play Sherlock Holmes. It was David Plowright, Managing Director of Granada Television at the time, who first suggested that they seek an actor with star quality, “someone like Jeremy Brett.” After all, he had the voice, the presence, the bearing, and the ability to perform a character with all the necessary reserve, as he had recently demonstrated in The Good Soldier and Rebecca. Michael Cox believed, “For the Hamlet of crime fiction you need an actor who's played Hamlet.” So after reviewing the merits of other actors and not being satisfied with any of them, Cox bowed to the inevitable and offered Brett the part, which he eventually accepted -- much to the relief of Cox and the other production personnel.

The early chapters of Celluloid describe the 'growing pains' of the series such as settling the complicated international copyright issues, choosing which stories to adapt for the first thirteen episodes, and finding the right writers, directors and actors, especially the one to play Dr. Watson. In particular, Cox wanted to change the public's perception of Watson from the somewhat dim comic-relief of the Basil Rathbone films to what Conan Doyle had actually written: a competent friend and partner for Sherlock Holmes who represented the audience and was the person through which the stories were told. In this the series proved that lightening can strike twice in the same place but with happy results: first with David Burke giving us a Watson who was always ready for adventure, and again later with Edward Hardwicke's more sober and grounded portrayal of the good Doctor. 
The bulk of the book describes each episode, including cast lists and descriptions of each story, along with comments regarding what changes were made from the Conan Doyle original and why. There are also notes on locations and anecdotes about the contributions of Jeremy Brett and the other cast members and crew. Since the entire run of the series consisted of 41 episodes produced over a span of some ten years, also included are chapters about the times between the individual series that cover specific topics, such as when David Burke departed and Edward Hardwicke came on board and also how the business of television production changed from the early eighties to the mid-nineties. 

At the heart of Celluloid is Jeremy Brett, for in some ways the journey of the Sherlock Holmes series paralleled the journey Brett himself would travel throughout the production. For both, the early days were full of discovery, creativity, and the satisfaction of taking something old and making it new again. The middle and later years became ones of growing difficulties ranging from Brett's own personal life challenges to the series coping with losing a Watson, a change of producers, and the change of format from one-hour episodes to ninety minute features. Cox gives us an honest assessment of the ups and downs experienced by his star and how those affected the production and Brett's colleagues. But even so, it's easy to see Cox had great affection and respect for Jeremy Brett and if there are any regrets, it is that Cox was not able to complete the journey of the series along with Brett in the final years. 

A Study in Celluloid is in many ways the 'Holy Grail' of books for Jeremy Brett fans. It's been long out of print and when a copy does come up for sale it is usually for hundreds of dollars on Ebay. However, it is worth seeking out and if the reader is able to at least borrow a copy, they will find it a fascinating study of the creative process, a look at the sometimes frustrating business of producing quality television, and an affectionate remembrance of one of the most intriguing actors of the second half of the Twentieth Century. 

Reviewed by Mary Loving