Bending The Willow

Review: After much demand this fine book has been re-published with an afterward from the author. [first edition 1996]

I received this book on Saturday morning sat down Saturday evening and read the whole thing and I have to say it is a wonderful book filled with great insight and quotes from the cast of characters that made up the Granada series and some lovely stills of the show and early Brett. It did however feel strange to me to be reading a book when you already know some of the plot and the ending. I will admit it left me with mixed feelings and it seems a book in two halves. While much of the book follows the conception of the series in a chronological order its mood is upbeat and filled with the mark of optimism, it becomes increasingly dour until the end that we know well.

While the money men were out for savings on the show, people behind the scenes moved on and JB's failing health-did anyone else read with some wonder what the bloody doctors were doing??? how many times have we heard of people being prescribed the wrong drugs? I know several myself.

The book is a behind the scenes peak at how TV can be made great yet with shifting fortunes and public taste is left to drift. But don't let me paint too black a picture here. There are some wonderfully funny anecdotes from Edward Hardwicke and some highly insightful thoughts from Brett about his characterisation of Holmes.

Don't let that put anyone off this book. It is honest account from Davies a long-time Sherlockian and clearly a fan of both Brett and the Granada shows but he never steps in to the trap of writing as a 'fan'. His writing style is very pleasing, I don't often read a book from cover to cover in one sitting and I look forward to looking at his other works.

What has been added to this edition is an afterward by Davies who in retrospect re-examines his thoughts on the previous chapters and given the distance of time remarks on the fact that the series and JB's portrayal mainly due to the poorer later episodes has been largely pushed aside for the likes of Rathbone whose Sherlock Holmes has remained a constant in peoples minds.

He places blame for the decline in quality to a number of sources but my only problem here is with blaming the actors for not digging in their heels when outside scriptwriters not familiar with the series came in and altered the characters behaviours (SH running down the street in a nightshirt in the rain? a possibility but not very likely is it? a scene Brett at first was enthusiastic about but later regretted)

This might just be me being touchy but I won't have blame portioned to someone in poor mental health if anyone has a true understanding of his illness they'll know what I mean, it's like blaming someone with a broken leg for walking with a limp!

This for me was the only downer on a wonderfully written and affectionate look back on a body of work that has meant so much to people all round the world and continues to do so. Not forgetting what a great actor Brett was before becoming tied, now and forever to Conan Doyle's best known creation.

I can assure Mr Davies that Jeremy Brett's Mr Holmes will not be forgotten nor sidelined as long as I have breath left and people still talk of 221b.

This book will make a fine addition to any Sherlockian with an interest in Brett and the Granada series indeed those that rankle over his performance may be lead to reconsider his work in a new light.

Reviewed by: Eve Sanders, 2003