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The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes

Play trailer Poster for The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes PG-13 Released Dec 3, 1970 2h 5m Adventure Comedy Crime Drama LGBTQ+ Play Trailer Watchlist
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87% Tomatometer 30 Reviews 73% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
A bored Sherlock Holmes (Robert Stephens) meets Madame Petrova (Tamara Toumanova), a famed ballerina, who tries to seduce him, hoping that their child will have her body and his brains. He manages to extract himself from her grasp, using Dr. Watson (Colin Blakely) as a decoy. Then he and the doctor head for Loch Ness in search of the missing husband of Gabrielle Valladon (Genevieve Page). While there, they meet Sherlock's brother, Mycroft (Christopher Lee), who aids them in solving the mystery.
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The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes

Critics Reviews

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Stefan Kanfer TIME Magazine The entire effort may, I think, be ascribed to an insufficiency of imagination. Feb 8, 2018 Full Review Noel Murray The Dissolve The plotting is weak, and ill-served by the movie's generally lackadaisical approach; but the dialogue is witty, and Wilder and Diamond get a lot of mileage out of the idea that Sherlock Holmes is as fragile as he is brilliant. Rated: 3.5/5 Jul 22, 2014 Full Review Guardian Billy Wilder's endearingly romantic The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes is...worth seeing just for Alexandre Trauner's sets, especially a magical Baker Street. Aug 14, 2007 Full Review Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand ... a sly, bittersweet, autumnal film that approaches the Holmes legacy with a sense of humor and a sense of respect. Apr 29, 2025 Full Review Mike Massie Gone With The Twins It’s all meant to be an exercise in a Sherlock Holmes failure of sorts (and a rare love story of sorts), but when it’s not presented purely as comedy, it becomes a rather unamusing way to watch the iconic shamus work. Rated: 4/10 Nov 8, 2024 Full Review David Nusair Reel Film Reviews ...an entirely misguided and misbegotten misfire that surely marks the nadir of Wilder's filmography. Rated: 1/4 Jun 18, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Bruce M The original 3+ hour cut may have been better, but we'll never know. What is left is overlong, not very funny and very slow; what could have been terrific as a study in Holmes' repressed sexuality is just kind of... meh. Director Billy Wilder was certainly not on top of his game for this one. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 07/24/25 Full Review Duncan C Intelligence script and a poignant tale both moving and amusing from the days when the audience was not taken for granted Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/27/25 Full Review Jens B Why have I ever doubted that Sherlock Holmes + Wilder/Diamond = a very good time? It's a nice comfort watch, and who would have thought that Sherlock finally comes out of the closet? Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/07/24 Full Review Alec B An enjoyable examination of Holmes that's just melancholy enough to have the necessary stakes. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/26/24 Full Review Lanfranco C An unconventional spy story with a deep meaning. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 12/13/23 Full Review Brian S Many will miss the point but this is Wilder at his finest, showing the great detective at his lowest! Here we get Sherlock Holmes the flailing human. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/29/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes

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Movie Info

Synopsis A bored Sherlock Holmes (Robert Stephens) meets Madame Petrova (Tamara Toumanova), a famed ballerina, who tries to seduce him, hoping that their child will have her body and his brains. He manages to extract himself from her grasp, using Dr. Watson (Colin Blakely) as a decoy. Then he and the doctor head for Loch Ness in search of the missing husband of Gabrielle Valladon (Genevieve Page). While there, they meet Sherlock's brother, Mycroft (Christopher Lee), who aids them in solving the mystery.
Director
Billy Wilder
Producer
Billy Wilder
Screenwriter
I.A.L. Diamond, Arthur Conan Doyle, Billy Wilder
Distributor
Nothing's New Vintage Media, United Artists
Production Co
The Mirisch Corporation [us], Compton Films, Phalanx Productions, Sir Nigel Films
Rating
PG-13
Genre
Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 3, 1970, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 16, 2008
Runtime
2h 5m
Sound Mix
Mono
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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