Detective Stories

I am unashamed to admit that I loved Guy Ritchie's 2009 film adaptation of Sherlock Holmes, though it only scored a meager 70% on the Tomatometer. I believe that, though the film was, for the most part, a zany, fluffy romp, in many ways it stayed true to the spirit of the original novels.



I know that Sherlock Holmes novels are rarely taught in schools these days, but I think they set up really wonderful discussions about truth and the way that knowledge is acquired. The novels are also wonderful foundations for discussions about conflict and character development.



In a high school class (especially 9th or 10th grade), I would love to show the film alongside a reading of A Study in Scarlet or The Hound of the Baskervilles. I especially like the idea of using a film adaptation of a genre, rather than an adaptation of a specific novel. This way, students are not too hung up on comparing and contrasting plot points and can instead focus on reading the tone of the film exploring how the filmmaker may have changed characters in order to adapt the genre for a modern audience.



I would create a simple graphic organizer to help students compare and contrast elements of the text and the film. Something as basic as a sheet with a column for each would do. Students could fill out the side for the novel before watching the film, and take notes on the side for the film as they watch.



In the end, I would have students write a brief essay comparing and contrasting the tone and spirit of the text and the film and explaining what they might do differently if they were to create a film adaptation of a Sherlock Holmes text. For a more extended project, students could work in groups or as a class to film and edit a trailer for their adaptation of the text.