The Royal Scandal (2001)

Load of rubbish!!

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

One of four Sherlock Holmes TV movies made in Canada at the turn of the century and starring Matt Frewer as the eponymous detective. I hate to say it but having also seen CASE OF THE WHITECHAPEL VAMPIRE, I think these were four films too many.THE ROYAL SCANDAL is an appalling Holmes adaptation, one seemingly aimed at children. That's the only way I can explain the horrendous, pantomime style acting and the join-the-dots style of storytelling. Irene Adler's in this one, but she's unrecognisable from the story, and the plot seems to mix in a few different Holmes tales along the way.The production values are just about acceptable, I suppose, but the plotting is straight out of some TV movie of the week and the characters unrecognisable from the Conan Doyle creations. Frewer's fey, foppish Holmes in particular seems to be like Mr Wickham out of PRIDE & PREJUDICE and has to be the worst on-screen Holmes ever. As such, I advise you to avoid this film like the plague.

It is not awful - just not for the purist.I suspect that Johnny Lee Miller adapted his Sherlock after watching this film.Watson is excellent as are the villains.I have a complete collection of the original Strand magazines and am well aware of how many versions of Holmes do vary as do many of the plot lines. However, I feel that a little artistic licence can be allowed otherwise it would be like watching the Shakespearian society reciting Othello as against watching Orson Well's superb adaption.One thing was missing though - Holmes' cocaine addiction, remembering that these drugs could be freely purchased in that era.Overall worth a watch.

The awful applies to Sherlock Holmes himself - Matt Frewer criminally miscast. He plays annoying with great facility, but even with his quirks Sherlock Holmes is usually at least likable. Three stars given only for the very nice production, and the contrast of Kenneth Welsh as Watson, showing what a serviceable actor can do. Otherwise a very amateurish job of acting by all concerned, having all the earmarks of a vanity project done by, oh, say an ambitious billionaire wanting to play Sherlock, or for Star Trek TNG fans, a self indulgent crew member acting out his fantasies on the holodeck.Very disappointing, unwatchable except for the fact that I could not find my remote control, and a somewhat interesting plot that kept me from looking harder for the remote control. Still, I did not watch to the end, so take that into consideration.

The four Sherlock Holmes movies by Hallmark are just good fun versions for kids. Don't even try to take 'em seriously folks. Don't expect them to be artistic masterpieces based on literary classics. These TV movies were made for a family audience and there's plenty of comedy for kids in these things. Frewer's Holmes must be seen to be believed! He's a hoot! He's the most eccentric Holmes EVER! Kids will love this guy! Kenneth Welsh is much more traditional in his role and he makes a very fine Watson. These Frewer Holmes flicks are sure to entertain the kids and will hopefully encourage them to read more about The Master Detective. They certainly wont get bored watching any of these with the ultra-intense and comedic Frewer on the screen.