Sidney Paget vs Jeremy Brett

A Just-for-Fun comparison of Sidney Paget's original drawings and Jeremy Brett's interpretation of Sherlock Holmes for the Granada Television series

Compare the Drawings and the Actor

There really is no reason to make these comparisons - except for fun.

But we also recognize that those numerous unawarded souls who made the Granada Sherlock Holmes series went to great lengths to mimic Sidney Paget's drawings. Therefore, the least we could do is acknowledge their efforts.

Do you know why the Granada series with Jeremy Holmes as Sherlock Holmes is considered the best?

Sidney Paget Information

Sidney Paget is the most famous (but not the only) illustrator of Arthur Conan Doyle's stories about Sherlock Holmes. He drew:

• 356 illustrations for Sherlock Holmes stories
• His illustrations covered 37 short stories
• He also illustrated the ever-popular Hound of the Baskervilles
• He immortalized the deerstalker cap and inverness cape (which Sherlock did not always wear.)
• He also made over 200 illustrations for other works of AC Doyle

He died in 1908. Therefore the last two collections of stories (The Last Bow and The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes) did not have Paget drawings.

Speckled Band

We'll start our photographic comparison with one of the most widely read and widely watched stories: The Adventure of the Speckled Band.

In the Granada series, we can see in this episode that the producers included all the scenes that Sidney Paget drew; though the angles and details differ significantly.

"She raised her veil."
Screen shot - 8:31

The terrified Helen Stoner reveals her trembling face to Holmes.

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"Her face blanched with terror."
Screen shot 17:05

The two sisters face each other in Helen's flashback of her sister's death.

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"Which of you is Holmes?"
Screen shot 23:39

One of the most dramatic encounters between protagonist and antagonist in detective lore.
And note the coat-tails. Watson and Holmes are both dressed ala-Paget in this episode.

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"We got off, paid our fare."
Screen shot 29:27

The driver is useful to convey additional information to the viewer about Moran's horrific reputation.

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"Well, look at this!"
Screen shot 35:03

Warm....warmer.....Warmer....HOT!

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"Good bye, and be brave."
Screen shot 36:29

Really? He is going to leave her at the mercy of her murderous step-father and hope he returns in time?

But you will note that Jeremy wore that coat in Paget's drawing through this whole episode.

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"He made neither sound nor motion."
Screen shot 49:16

Do not try this at home. An amateur detective handles a highly poisonous snake without any training using an old dog leash.

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"Holmes lashed furiously."
Screen shot 52:04

Good thing Holmes asked Watson to bring his gun. Cuz we always shoot snakes.



Actually, Granada gave an extra bonus the way they showed the show-down with the snake at the end. A dramatic touch to a dramatic show.

Naval Treaty

Sorry for the dark pictures of the film. There were some darker scenes in this one.

"A nobleman"

They discuss the disappearance of the missing treaty with the distinguished Lord Holdhurst.

"What a lovely thing is a rose."

Ahhh, the lovely rose speech. They captured it well:

"There is nothing in which deduction is so necessary as in religion. It can be built up as an exact science by the reasoner. Our highest assurance of the goodness of Providence seems to me to rest in the flowers. All other things, our powers, our desires, our food, are all really necessary for our existence in the first instance. But this rose is an extra. Its smell and its colour are an embellishment of life, not a condition of it. It is only goodness which gives extras, and so I say again that we have much to hope from the flowers."

"Phelps raised the cover."

The actors included Mrs. Hudson in the scene, probably to emphasize Holme's comment that Mrs. Hudson had as good an idea of breakfast as a Scotchwoman. Presumably, then, she was Scottish?

Scandal in Bohemia

"A drunken looking groom"

In the film he didn't just look drunk. The other groom accused him of it.

"A simple minded clergyman"

And now, to defraud THE woman he dresses up as a clergyman. Makes sense, right?

"The photograph"

The moment of truth: they all were outwitted. (But he still accomplished the bigger goal as far as the king was concerned.)

"I found myself mumbling responses."

The drunken groom who witnessed the wedding of the woman he loved. Or would have loved if he knew how.

"Good night, Mr. Sherlock Holmes."

One of the closest comparisons is a relatively minor scene. But note how Granada made the door and railing of the Baker Street set from this Paget picture.

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