Bending the Willow: Jeremy Brett As Sherlock Holmes

by David Stuart Davies | Biographies & Memoirs |
ISBN: 1553100352 Global Overview for this book
Registered by wingGoryDetailswing of Nashua, New Hampshire USA on 10/5/2007
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6 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by wingGoryDetailswing from Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Friday, October 5, 2007
Ever since I first saw Jeremy Brett portraying Sherlock Holmes, I've thought of him as the definitive Holmes; appearance, mannerisms, subtext, edginess, everything seemed right on. [And this from someone who'd adored Basil Rathbone's Holmes in years past.] I heard about this biography from BCer PokPok, and was delighted to get a copy from Calabash Press.

I'd seen Brett in a number of other roles before I saw him as Holmes, including his portrayal of the love-struck Freddie in "My Fair Lady", but the characters were so different I never made the connection. I'm looking forward to reading more about Brett.

Later: While it's clear that the author is a bit over the top about Brett, the hint of "rabid fan" didn't get in the way of an interesting account of Brett's life and career, mainly from the point at which he first portrayed Holmes (though there is some information about his early life and previous roles). The author goes into some of the details involved in getting the TV series started, the ups and downs of different seasons and specific episodes [often with interesting tidbits about the decisions involved in tweaking the stories into screenplays], and the effects of Brett's personal problems and ill health.

Those who are interested in going behind the scenes of favorite films or TV shows might appreciate this book even if they aren't especially interested in Brett himself, and if you are a fan of Brett's work you should find this look at what is arguably his greatest role quite interesting, even with the growing sadness at his decline.

Journal Entry 2 by wingGoryDetailswing from Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Saturday, October 10, 2009
I'm offering this to other Brett/Holmes fans as a book ring. (See forum thread here.)

The book is a 6"x9" softcover weighing about 1 lb. 1 oz. I'll accommodate domestic-only (and other) mailing preferences as best I can; if I get enough participants who are willing to handle the necessary postage/customs-forms requirements, I'll make it an international ring. Please post a reply in the forum thread or PM me if you'd like to participate, and include any mailing restrictions you may have.

Bookring instructions:

When you receive the book, please journal it, and PM the next person in line for their address so you'll have it ready when you've finished the book.
Note: even if you've sent books to that person before, please PM them before mailing this one, to confirm that the address is correct and that they're able to take on a book ring at this time.
Try and read the book promptly - ideally, within a month of receiving it. If you expect to take longer, you can request to be put at the end of the list. If you find you're swamped with other books when the person before you contacts you about the bookring, you can ask to be skipped, and then let me know whether you'd like to be moved down the list or dropped entirely. If you receive the book and find it's taking longer than you'd planned to get through it, I'd appreciate an update in its journal entries or on your profile, just to let me and the other participants know you haven't forgotten it.

When you're ready to pass the book along, please add your comments about the book and indicate where you're sending it, either through a journal entry or through the controlled-release-note option. [If you make controlled release notes with your country/state/city as the location, the book will have a lovely map of its travels by the time it gets home.]

If you find that you're having problems contacting the next person in line, or don't think you can manage to mail the book as originally agreed, please let me know; I'll be glad to try to work something out!

Participants, in mailing order:
AgnesXNitt [UK]
chich [France]
myntti [Finland]
bookowl1000 [UK]
*** extending the ring ***
elviraro [Romania]
earthcaroleanne [UK]
...and back to GoryDetails in NH.

Journal Entry 3 by wingGoryDetailswing at Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Friday, October 23, 2009

Released 14 yrs ago (10/23/2009 UTC) at Nashua, New Hampshire USA

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

I'm sending this to BCer AgnesXNitt in the UK to kick off the book ring. Hope you enjoy it!

Journal Entry 4 by AgnesXNitt from Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire United Kingdom on Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Received yesterday in the post - my postman obviously didn't want to take it back to the depot so left it in my slightly protected back door stoop along with another bookring book ('Twenties Girl' by Sophie Kinsella). Despite the fact it had been hammering with rain most of the day both books are okay and perfectly dry.
Really looking forward to this one, I love the ITV adaptions of the Holmes stories, and JB really is the perfect Sherlock :)
Thanks for hosting this one GoryDetails, I hope to read this one over the coming weekend and keep this one moving!

Journal Entry 5 by AgnesXNitt from Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire United Kingdom on Monday, November 9, 2009
I looked forward to reading this book, and I wasn't disappointed. A fascinating insight into both the successful series that ran for 10 years and the lead actor, who I have long considered to be *the* Sherlock Holmes actor to top the lot. I was aware that Jeremy Brett was what we now call Bipolar, but wasn't aware he suffered from complications with his heart and other conditions as a result. Very interesting to read about the different writers and people involved both behind and in front of the cameras. So sad to find that after all those sterling performances, neither Jeremy Brett or Edward Hardwick won any awards for their portrayals of the Great Detective and Dr Watson.
Thanks so much for hosting this international ring GoryDetails, I really enjoyed this book and will now get Chich's address to get this book moving onwards as soon as I can to France.

Journal Entry 6 by AgnesXNitt from Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Off to Chich who sent me her addy in superfast time so I am able to get this in the post today - leaving Blighty from Brampton Post Office hopefully in time to catch the 5pm post :)
Away you go Sherlock - hope you enjoy this book as much as I have Sarah i.e. Very Much!
Must resist temptation to buy JB entire SH canon on dvd from Amazon... Must Resist!!!

Journal Entry 7 by chich from Ibiza - Sant Antoni de Portmany, Illes Balears/Islas Baleares Spain on Saturday, November 14, 2009
Image hosting by Photobucket Book received today, thanks for passing it on AgnesXNitt (love the oh so official compliments slip!) and thanks for hosting GoryDetails:o)

Journal Entry 8 by chich from Ibiza - Sant Antoni de Portmany, Illes Balears/Islas Baleares Spain on Sunday, November 22, 2009
As AgnesXNitt said this book provides fantastic insight into the Sherlock series and Jeremy Brett's personality. I'd seen Brett in "My Fair Lady" but, like GoryDetails, had no idea it was him until reading this book. I didn't know Brett was manic depressive and it was interesting to read how his illness affected the filming of the series. The similarities between Brett's behaviour and the way he portrayed Holmes in some episodes are particularly striking. It was also very interesting to read the comments of those involved with the series (producers, screenwriters, actors...). A very enjoyable read!

Thanks for sharing GoryDetails:)

I already have myntti's address and will send her the book tomorrow.

Journal Entry 9 by chich from Ibiza - Sant Antoni de Portmany, Illes Balears/Islas Baleares Spain on Monday, November 23, 2009
Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting
Book sent to myntti today, enjoy!

Journal Entry 10 by myntti from Tampere, Pirkanmaa / Birkaland Finland on Wednesday, November 25, 2009
The book is here! Thank you, chich.

***
18.12.2009
I'll add my commens here later. Now I got to run to the post office...

***
Sorry, now it's been too long since I read the book. Can't remember much about it anymore. But I did enjoy reading it! Thanks for the opportunity.

Journal Entry 11 by myntti at Tampere, Pirkanmaa / Birkaland Finland on Friday, December 18, 2009

Released 14 yrs ago (12/18/2009 UTC) at Tampere, Pirkanmaa / Birkaland Finland

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Sending the book to bookowl1000.

Journal Entry 12 by bookowl1000 from Wuhan, Hubei China on Thursday, December 24, 2009
Arrived safely this morning.

I love Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes and am looking forward to reading it.

Many thanks.

Journal Entry 13 by bookowl1000 from Wuhan, Hubei China on Wednesday, December 30, 2009
I love Jeremey Brett as Sherlock Holmes: he is the best that I have ever seen. He has a magnificant screen presence and he even stands in the way that I always pictured Holmes to stand. I was at the cinema this week and saw a trailer for the new Holmes movie staring Robert Downey Junior; seeing a naked Holmes being tied to a bed (to be later discovered by the maid) by an Adler in her underwear made me want to stand up and shout at the screen "Holmes would never do that!!!".

I think that when a character from literature is portrayed on screen there is responsibility to do it properly. When reading the book it became obvious that Brett put a lot of effort into being true to the character of Holmes/Conan Doyles work, hence his enthralling performance.

I liked that this book is not really a biography, but rather shows how Brett and Holmes became intertwined. As a fan of the series, I also enjoyed the behind the scenes look at how the show was developed.

Thanks for sending this my way.

Journal Entry 14 by bookowl1000 from Wuhan, Hubei China on Saturday, January 16, 2010
GoryDetails agreed to me seeing if there was anymore interest before the book going home, so I advertised it in the forum:

elviraro Romania (EU)
earthcaroleanne UK (ITNL)- send back to GoryDetails in US.

The book will soon be travelling.

Journal Entry 15 by bookowl1000 at Exchange/Trade, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases on Monday, January 18, 2010

Released 14 yrs ago (1/19/2010 UTC) at Exchange/Trade, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Posted to elviraro - will be travelling by surface mail so may take a while.

Journal Entry 16 by elviraro on Thursday, January 28, 2010
Arrived safely today. Thank you bookowl for posting it so fast, for the postcard and for using real stamps :). Having read your post on the subject I know it was no easy matter.

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