tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873216556228508960.post610711305679479591..comments2023-11-18T16:25:49.639-05:00Comments on The Flying Inn: The Return of Sherlock HolmesRick Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07452333419811372713noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873216556228508960.post-48599622299441117612010-09-09T23:35:35.980-05:002010-09-09T23:35:35.980-05:00Basil Rathbone was an Olympic fencer, who fenced, ...Basil Rathbone was an Olympic fencer, who fenced, fought, and did other action stunts in most of his movies (in which he usually played an aristocratic villain).<br /><br />I love Downey as Holmes, truly I do. And I appreciate his musclebuilding. <br /><br />But if you set Rathbone up next to Downey, or had them fight each other, Downey would go down. There's just no comparison in raw athleticism; and that athleticism was always implied in Rathbone's Holmes, even though it wasn't much shown. They didn't have to show it, because every moviegoer knew he could have beat the pants off Errol Flynn if the script hadn't stopped him. <br /><br />It's as if you had Arnold Schwarzenegger play somebody like Nero Wolfe or a sedentary lawyer. Arnold would never have to do a single thing that was strong or violent, and he could wear a fat suit as much as he wanted. But his implied physical presence would color the part anyway.Bansheehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12594214770417497135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873216556228508960.post-51134183962842883772010-09-08T20:03:14.367-05:002010-09-08T20:03:14.367-05:00I know. I'm so crushed that my clever idea tur...I know. I'm so crushed that my clever idea turned out to be a coincidence... Or maybe it was a conspiracy and Basil Rathbone was chosen for the role just for his middle name!Rick Davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07452333419811372713noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873216556228508960.post-3012252958252782822010-09-07T14:21:17.876-05:002010-09-07T14:21:17.876-05:00I was going to point out what Erica said... but on...I was going to point out what Erica said... but on the other hand, Basil of Baker Street is much more like Doyle's action-heroic Holmes than like Basil Rathbone's portrayal.Not a wine critichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00962849509867116489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4873216556228508960.post-438874841843291582010-07-30T14:33:07.490-05:002010-07-30T14:33:07.490-05:00I hate to crush your hopes that Basil in The Great...I hate to crush your hopes that Basil in The Great Mouse Detective was named because of the books, but...well, the author of "Basil of Baker Street" named him after Basil Rathbone. Alas!<br />(incidentally, I want to read these books)<br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basil_of_baker_streetEricahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04690207721507874891noreply@blogger.com