Further to the reports of a Sherlock Holmes movie being developed by Warner Bros. comes the news of a lead actor that will undoubtedly be more acceptable to readers of this blog. The initial reports were that Russell Crowe would be the lead, in a nod to Holmes' more physical side, and many Sherlockians were livid.
But you may be pleased to know that the producers have come to their senses and have instead settled on Nicholas Rowe as their choice. Astute Sherlockians will remember Rowe from the 1985 adventure film Young Sherlock Holmes
The producers, who originally were going for toughness, have evidently agreed that Rowe, who stands 6 feet 4 inches tall, will undoubtedly be an imposing figure. And they're being mindful of the Canon as he perfectly fits Watson's description of Holmes from A Study in Scarlet:
"In height he was rather over six feet, and so excessively lean that he seemed to be considerably taller. His eyes were sharp and piercing, save during those intervals of torpor to which I have alluded; and his thin, hawk-like nose gave his whole expression an air of alertness and decision."Rowe seems to be following in the footsteps of the late Jeremy Brett
, as Rowe lost his longtime partner Lou Gish last year to cancer. You may recall that Brett went on with the Granada series shortly after he lost his wife Joan to cancer in the mid-1980s.This is really welcome news, as Hollywood seems to get casting all wrong many times in Holmes films. It's encouraging to see an actor who can really inhabit the character - espeically one who proved himself in his previous Holmes outing.
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