September 23, 2020
Enola Holmes is a 2020 mystery film based on the first book in the young adult fiction series of the same name by Nancy Springer. The story is about the teenage sister of the already-famous Sherlock Holmes, who travels to London to find her missing mother but ends up on a thrilling adventure, pairing up with a runaway lord as they attempt to solve a mystery that threatens the entire country. The film is directed by Harry Bradbeer, from a screenplay by Jack Thorne. Millie Bobby Brown stars as the title character, while also serving as a producer on the film. The film also stars Henry Cavill, Sam Claflin, and Helena Bonham Carter.
Originally planned for a theatrical release by Warner Bros. Pictures, the distribution rights to the film were picked up by Netflix due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Enola Holmes was released on September 23, 2020. The film received positive reviews from critics, who praised Brown's performance. It became one of the most-watched original Netflix films, with an estimated 76 million households watching the film over its first four weeks of release. A sequel, Enola Holmes 2, was released on Netflix on November 4, 2022.
Storyline
Enola Holmes is the youngest sibling in the Holmes family. She is extremely intelligent, observant, and insightful, defying the social norms for women of the time. Her mother Eudoria has taught her everything from chess to jujitsu and encouraged her to be strong-willed and independent.
On her sixteenth birthday, Enola wakes to find that her mother has disappeared, leaving behind only some gifts. A week later, she meets her older brothers, Mycroft and Sherlock. Sherlock finds her intelligent, whereas Mycroft finds her troublesome and as her legal guardian, intends to send her away to a finishing school run by Miss Harrison, his old friend who reunites with him after many years.
The flower cards left by her mother reveal secret messages and lead to hidden money, which Enola uses to escape disguised as a boy. On the train, she finds the young Viscount Tewkesbury hidden in a travel bag. She thinks he is a nincompoop, but warns him that a man in a brown bowler hat named Linthorn is on the train searching for him. Linthorn finds and tries to kill Tewkesbury, who escapes with Enola by jumping off the train. Tewkesbury forages for edible plants and fungi, and the two return to London and part ways.
Disguised as a proper Victorian lady, Enola continues to trace Eudoria, leaving cryptic messages in the newspaper personal advertisements. Enola discovers pamphlets and a safehouse containing explosives, and learns that Eudoria is part of a radical group of suffragettes. She is attacked by Linthorn, who interrogates her about Tewkesbury. She fights back, ignites the explosives in the safehouse and escapes.
Enola decides to find Tewkesbury again, to save him from Linthorn. She visits the Tewkesbury estate too, meeting Tewkesbury's grandmother the Dowager. Meanwhile, Mycroft has Inspector Lestrade of Scotland Yard search for Enola Holmes.
Enola finds Tewkesbury selling flowers in Covent Garden and warns him of Linthorn. Taking him to her lodgings, she is caught by Lestrade and imprisoned in Miss Harrison's finishing school by Mycroft. Sherlock visits her and admits he is impressed by her detective work. Tewkesbury sneaks into the school and they escape together, stealing Miss Harrison's motor car. Enola decides they must go to Basilwether Hall and face Tewkesbury's uncle, who she has deduced was trying to kill him.
The estate is seemingly deserted, but Linthorn ambushes them. Enola trips him using jujitsu, causing a fatal head injury. Tewkesbury's grandmother is revealed as Linthorn's contractor. As a staunch traditionalist, she did not want him to take his father's place in the House of Lords and vote for the Reform Bill. She shoots Tewkesbury, but he survives, having hidden a plate of armor under his clothes. Sherlock arrives at Scotland Yard, where Lestrade informs him of Enola's actions as they plan to have the Dowager arrested.
Enola shares a tearful goodbye with Tewkesbury. She eavesdrops on a meeting between Sherlock and Mycroft, where Sherlock suggests becoming her guardian. Upon returning to her lodgings, Enola finds Eudoria waiting there. She explains why she had to leave, and why she must leave again, but she is impressed by what Enola has become. Enola has found her purpose—she is a detective and a finder of lost souls.
Also See
- Enola Holmes (2020) (Trailers)
- Enola Holmes (2020) (TV Spots)
- Enola Holmes 2 (2022)
Sound Effects Used
- Hollywoodedge, Horses Several Whinn PE025201/Horse Whinnies Group AT045501
- Hollywoodedge, Screams 5 Woman Short PE133901
- SKYWALKER, METAL - TRAIN MECHANICS SCRAPING
- SoundDogs, Train: Trains - Freight Cars Coupling Impact - MCU - Bg Engine Noise, Also Rattles, Clunks, Squeaks, & Creaks, All Coupling Related, Several Ambiance Changes (2nd impact only, very low pitched.)
- Sound Ideas, BARN, AMBIENCE - BARN AMBIENCE: EXTERNAL: SMALL GROUP OF GOATS AND SHEEP, FOOT MOVEMENT, FARM
- Sound Ideas, FOREST, DAY - FOREST ENVIRONMENT, AMBIENCE, SUMMER, BIRDS, LIGHT BREEZE, DIGIFFECTS
- Sound Ideas, HUMAN, BABY - CHILD CRYING, 2 MONTHS OLD BABY, HUMAN, DIGIFFECTS
- Sound Ideas, SHEEP - BABY CALLING, ANIMAL 02
- Sound Ideas, TRAIN, FREIGHT - FREIGHT TRAIN: APPROACH AND PASS BY CLOSE, LOUD WHEEL CLACKING
- Sound Ideas, TRAINS - STEAM TRAIN - WHISTLE 01