The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (1976)

This is a very intriguing adaptation of Sherlock Holmes as a drug addicted has-been whose best friend Dr. Watson convinces his good friend Holmes that there is someone who can bring Holmes back to the man and sleuth he once was. Dr. Watson convinces Holmes that the man who can save his best friend is the renowned psychiatrist, Dr. Sigmund Freud. If this were the films only plot it may have been enough of a story to satisfy an audience. However there is more to this film and to the viewers pleasure we have a crime that has occurred while Sherlock is under the care of Dr. Freud which means that these three problem solvers, Holmes (Nicol Williamson), Watson (Robert Duvall) and now the famous Dr. Freud (Alan Arkin) are connected at the hip to each other as they try and solve who kidnapped one of Dr. Freud's other patients, a woman named Lola Deveraux under his care who also suffered from an addiction to cocaine and who has appeared to have relapsed.Once Holmes is on the case he quickly assesses that the beautiful redhead Lola Deveraux (Vanessa Redgrave) did not relapse onto a dependency on to cocaine but was forced to take the drug under duress. As in any good mystery we the audience want to know asap who the bad guy(s) are and Miss Deveraux is able to provide Sherlock and his two partners with a description of a short man with pot marks on his face. This suspect appears to be following the detectives and a chase ensues in which the suspect is captured and identified as a guy named Lowenstein (Joel Grey). With some strong arm tactics Lowenstein spills the beans who kidnapped Miss Deverauz and why they did it in the first place.The chase continues through the countryside and the vehicle of choice for transportation of the kidnapped victim is a private train, so Holmes, Watson and Dr. Freud decide to hijack a second train and the chase in on baby. The last 30 minutes of the film were the best as the two trains were shown in many different angles continuing through the countryside and the cinematography was awe inspiring. Kudos to the director Herbert Ross (known also for Goodbye, Mr. Chips, Play It Again Sam, The Turning Point, The Goodbye Girl, Steel Magnolias and many other Oscar nominated films) for his great use of the camera lens that allows the viewer some panoramic views of the countryside as if we were on the train with the sleuths.The ending provides some closure for Sherlock Holmes himself with the assistance of Dr. Freud and the audience is left with a happy ending. This is a 1970's film that holds up pretty well even some 40 years later.I give this film a solid 7 out of 10 rating.

Delving into pseudo-history, Watson (Robert Duvall) gets a drug addicted and neurotic Holmes (Nichol Williamson) to see the father of psychology, Sigmund Freud (Alan Arkin) in a last ditch effort to cure him. However, Holmes must also work a case involving a shady foreign magnate and a beautiful young actress (Vanessa Redgrave), not permitting resurfacing demons to get in the way of his powers.Star Trek veteran Nicholas Meyer's Holmes tale is a fun and surprisingly smart ride. The combination of two geniuses like Holmes and Freud actually lead to some really fascinating scenes as the two size each other up, each intrigued by the other's somewhat unorthodox methods and beliefs, as well as contrast their behaviours. This is supported by the rapport between a subdued and pensive Arkin, and a maverick Williamson who can veer from pathetic and crumbling to imposing and commanding at the drop of a deerstalker. Indeed, the film explores a darker and much more human side to Holmes than most adaptations, delving into his past and the depths of his childhood that later informed his crime fighting abilities.Now this is not to say everything else is a slack: Duvall holds a decent British accent and is suitably supportive and patient as Watson, Redgrave is doe eyed and rather nervous as the troubled actress, and veteran Herbert Ross directs with a swift hand and tight pacing, taking us from the fog of London to the monuments of Vienna and even the top of speeding trains for the climax in good time. Really, complaints are fairly minor, and are simply circumstantial of this type of production: Laurence Olivier is wasted as a rather weak and whiny Moriarty, little more than a cameo, and the film could've gone even more introspective with Holmes and Freud had it not also been bound to being a moderately budgeted adventure thriller, especially in its second half.In that sense, 'Seven Per Cent' may have benefited remaining a book rather than a film, but what we got was still very good and one of my favourite film versions of Doyle's master sleuth.

Nicol Williamson plays Holmes in this adaptation of Nicolas Meyer's novel, which suggests that Sherlock's 'disappearance' in 1891 was due to a cocaine addiction. What's more, he has the detective travelling to Vienna to visit Siggy Freud (Alan Arkin) in the hope of finding a cure. The pair subsequently work together to solve a case. Moriarty, played by Lawrence Olivier also makes an appearance, allowing Freud is to psycho analyse Holmes' paranoid obsession with his nemesisWilliamson was mostly a stage actor, one with a somewhat troublesome reputation but here he's terrific, right up there with the Peter Cushing interpretation of the famous detective. Arkin is excellent , too, his New York Jewish accent being just the ticket. Robert Duvall as Watson is a disaster not of his own making. - the script gives him nothing and the tortuous accent only buttons him further. The first part of the story in which Holmes battles the demon drug is excellent and contains some very scary dream sequences. The second part in which Vanessa Redgrave features as a damsel in distress is more conventional and turns into a romp. The only flaw in the film are the steam engines used for the chase through 'Austria' - they are are British. The first is a Black 5, and the second a '6' class from the Eastern region. Neither were ever exported. Tsk

I can't believe that this film is forgotten by the general public. I had to buy a region 4 disc to get this in widescreen. Thank the Muses for this disc! Any Sherlock Holmes fan will love this. A beautiful film with scenes shot in Austria and England, and at Pinewood Studios located just outside of London. We have a comedy full of serious issues - taken seriously. Women as property: tie them up and force-feed them drugs then you can take them anywhere. Hazing and dueling: a men's club can be treacherous for a psychiatrist with new ideas. Drug addiction: friends helping friends stop drugs. And of course, there is murder. Vanessa Redgrave is a French "mezzo-soprano" and the heroin (pardon the pun) of the subplot. I have to admit that I was not receptive to the idea of Williamson as Sherlock Holmes, but before the end of the first scene I was won over. Laurence Olivier is terrific as usual, as Professor Moriarty. Alan Arkin is superb! I am not his greatest fan, but this is Arkin's best performance (Yes, I am counting Get Smart.)! He is fabulous as Sigmund Freud. PLEASE NOTE: I was lucky enough to have seen the film in the theater before I knew who Robert Duvall was. I remember thinking that he was younger and more fit than previous Watsons, but I thought he was very good. Perhaps he is closer to the character in Sir Arthur's books than other "Watsons" are. Mr. Duvall has since demonstrated his acting prowess as some very strong American characters. That is why I encourage American viewers to think of him as his British cousin of the same name. Otherwise you'll never get used to the accent. Watson is our narrator. He begins by telling us of Holmes' addiction to cocaine and it is time to stop it. He and Mycroft Holmes, Sherlock's brother, make a plan to help Sherlock stop taking cocaine. Professor Moriarty, who is actually a professor rather than the supreme criminal mastermind of other episodes, is talked into helping... and the game is afoot. Sherlock and Watson follow Professor Moriarty to Venice, but it's just a trick to get Sherlock to Sigmund Freud. Freud is a recovered addict himself and offers to guide Sherlock through the process. Mrs. Freud assists while Sherlock goes through withdrawals, Freud and Watson pass the time by going to a men's club. While there, Freud is insulted and threatened by Baron Von Leinsdorf and Freud demands satisfaction. Instead of a traditional duel, Sigmund challenges him to a game of squash. Both survive (I'm not going to tell who won.) and all is well for the time being. Sherlock can't be kept inside all the time so Sigmund takes he and Watson to see another patient, Lola Deveraux. Holmes quickly determines that Lola was abducted and then escaped from her abductors. Previous to her abduction she was a recovered addict, but she was force-fed drugs by her kidnappers. What abomination! It's just what Holmes needs to keep his mind off cocaine. The three men go off to solve the crime. Occasionally, Freud takes some pointers from Sherlock on how to deduce. Holmes sees that a man, Lowenstein, meets Lola's description and they follow him. It's not long before they realize that "The Pasha" and the Baron are involved. Lola is kidnapped again and the three sleuths pursue the kidnappers. Someone is murdered. They catch up with Lowenstein and get some answers. Soon, the three are on a train chasing The Pasha's train. Well... I can't tell you the whole story now can I. Happy sleuthing. To the industry: get this film ready for Blu-Ray with the original soundtrack and put in subtitles. Put widescreen and full screen on the same disc. Issue it in regions 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 and 8! Make good on the crime.