15/8/2014 - BFI seeks help to find missing first Sherlock Holmes film
CineCola has picked up The BFI's plea around the world to help them discover a copy of the world's first feature film starring the character of Sherlock Holmes - A Study in Scarlet. The film was released 100 years ago this autums and hasn't been seen in generations. This call-out coincides with a landmark exhibition on the consulting detective and the city which inspires the stories, which will be taking place at the Museum of London and will be opening on the 17th of October.
The silent film was directed by George Pearson, whose 1923 film Love, Life and Laughter was discovered by EYE, the Dutch film archive, earlier this year. It is an adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's story A Study in Scarlet which concerns the fictional murder which takes place on Brigham Young's trek across American with his Mormon followers. Pearson's A Study in Scarlet was a UK production and starred James Bragington as the lead character. Bragington was not an actor, but for the director it was vital that his physical appearance, built, height and mannerisms would naturally reflect the ones of Sherlock Holmes. Peason was confident Bragington would fit the boots of the detective perfectly, and in the end he was pleased with the result - thought the film would remain the only acting stint of the newly found star.