Sherlock
Holmes was unemotional and lacked respect for women says Arthur Conan Doyle’s
Estate.

WHAT?!

The estate has sued Netflix over its upcoming
film Enola Holmes arguing that the movie manipulates the original depiction of
a public domain character Sherlock Holmes because he’s not only expressing
himself but is also respecting women – and that apparently violates Conan’s
copyrights. 

Enola
Holmes is a famous character from Nancy Springer novels and the teenage sister
of the world-famous detective Sherlock Holmes. So, the problem is that the film
touches upon many elements of Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories that aren’t
necessarily covered by copyright. These copyright claims were settled in 2010
when Mr. Holmes was released.

Source: The Hindu

The
estate argues that Springer books, as well as Netflix, are inspired by the 10
stories that are owned by them. In fact, due to unspecified financial damages,
the estate is also extending its notice and suing Springer’s publisher Penguin
Random House.

Yes,
we all know that the character of Sherlock Holmes is defined by his social
aloofness and lack of emotional quotient. But eventually, that changed due to
his life experiences and helped him to evolve and see others differently.
Anyway, this is what the complaint alleges:

“After the stories that are now in
the public domain, and before the Copyrighted Stories, the Great War happened.
In World War I Conan Doyle lost his eldest son, Arthur Alleyne Kingsley. Four
months later he lost his brother, Brigadier-general Innes Doyle. When Conan
Doyle came back to Holmes in the Copyrighted Stories between 1923 and 1927, it
was no longer enough that the Holmes character was the most brilliant rational
and analytical mind. Holmes needed to be human. The character needed to develop
human connection and empathy.

Conan Doyle made the surprising
artistic decision to have his most famous character—known around the world as a
brain without a heart—develop into a character with a heart. Holmes became
warmer. He became capable of friendship. He could express emotion. He began to
respect women.”

This
isn’t where the accusations stopped. A fun analysis of the character was also
included in the official complaint.

“His closest companion, Watson,
revered Holmes and was generous in his admiration. But to Holmes, Watson was
utilitarian — to be employed when useful, then set aside. Holmes did not treat
Watson with warmth. Holmes told him, “You have a grand gift for silence,
Watson. It makes you quite invaluable as a companion.” (“The Man with the
Twisted Lip.”) Holmes did not even congratulate Watson when Watson told Holmes
he was going to marry Holmes’s client Mary Morstan.”