Sherlock Holmes

First off, let me say I was really impressed with the new film. They show a knowledge of the original stories, they handle Holmes deductive skills well (and while Doyle didn’t make as much of it as the movie does all his physical skills are in line with the Canon) and Downey does an outstanding Holmes (no surprise—crazy and erratic are states I’d imagine he knows well) and captures his cold surface and frequent disregard for courtesy. I expected to sit there muttering “Not the real characters, just the names” and I didn’t.
And I love Holmes. I think lines from Doyle’s stories surface in my mind more than any other author (Lewis Carroll comes close). So here are a few of them (I can’t claim they’re word perfect, though):
•”In over a thousand cases I am not aware that I have ever used my powers upon the wrong side.”
•”If there is no better world after this, life is a cruel joke.”
•”It is a capital mistake to theorize in advance of the facts.” (Holmes actually theorized in advance of the facts quite frequently, but I’ll let that slide).
•”I refer you to the curious incident of the dog in the night-time.” “The dog did nothing in the night-time.” “And that was the curious incident.”
•Moriarty: “If you are successful in bringing destruction upon me, Mr. Holmes, rest assured I will do as much to you.” “If I could be assured of the former, I would cheerfully, in the interests of society, accept the latter.” (their whole dialog is marvelous).