Inspector Lestrade: sides of the same coin

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

In Conan Doyle's detective stories, Inspector Lestrade plays a key role, personifying the British law enforcement system. Only in one of the stories did the writer replace his person with Alec MacDonald.

Classic of the genre

From chapter to chapter, the policeman acquires more and more new epithets. So, in "A Study in Scarlet" the author describes him as a man of thin build, small stature with an unhe althy complexion. Moreover, he compares the office worker to a city rat blinking its black beady eyes. Later, Inspector Lestrade appears to readers as an anxious man resembling a frightened ferret.

As for the policeman himself, he considers himself a true professional in his field and an expert in the criminal world. In other words, a seasoned warrior. At the very beginning of the story of the adventures of the great detective, he makes a pathetic attempt to make fun of the personality of Sherlock Holmes, questioning his methods of conducting investigations.

Later, Inspector Lestrade is forced to admit that the detective was right and his extraordinarymind. Conan Doyle often draws attention to the fact that all the "strings" leading to a solution are concentrated in the hands of the police chief, but he again and again turns out to be unable to solve another case. This moment is most clearly demonstrated in the story "The Noble Bachelor".

Soviet cinematography

The film "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson" was filmed over several years. The first series of the telenovela was published in 1980. Inspector Lestrade was played by Borislav Brondukov. According to the script, this character had a pronounced cheerful and funny personality.

Finding the right actor was not so easy. Most Soviet comedians were too Russian in character. The director also needed primordially English charisma. Only in Brondukov's game did refined irony and deliberate stiffness harmoniously combine.

Pronunciation problem was solved by professional dubbing performed by Igor Efimov. He was able to convey with just the timbre of his voice that storm of emotions that no, no, yes, seized the detective of Scotland Yard. By the way, in the film, he voiced not only this character, but also other participants in the detective events.

Modern interpretation

In the BBC series Sherlock, Inspector Lestrade has taken on a completely different look. From the first frames, he shows his respect to the detective in every possible way. The creators of the series abandoned the comic features that were traditionally attributed to the criminologist. That is why the role was entrusted to a serious and experienced performer, an EnglishmanRupert Graves.

From episode to episode, the detective turns to Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson for help. Unlike his prototype, he not only has the courage to swim against the current, but also refuses to obey the representatives of the British government. Periodically, the writers allow Lestrade to pull an active sociopath detective out of a variety of troubles.

In the television version, Dr. Watson, Sherlock Holmes, Inspector Lestrade, although they are on opposite sides of the barricades, nevertheless act together, resembling one well-coordinated team. However, the clerk's mindset still annoys the king of deduction. Speaking about the marital status of the inspector, it should be clarified that he is divorced.

Rupert Graves on Lestrade

As expected, in the fourth season of the Sherlock Holmes epic, Lestrade was given a special role. He ceased to be an ordinary cop, who now and then gets under the feet of a genius. He became a friend and confidant of the Baker Street detective.

According to Rupert Graves, Sherlock never sought to assert himself at the expense of a policeman. Holmes was too gifted to flaunt his intelligence against a rather mediocre person.

The actor believes that Lestrade never wanted to be like Sherlock. At the same time, the inspector was very jealous of the fact that the newcomer did his job much better than he did.

In the series, Graves played not only the modern image of the detective, but also his Victorian version. According to Rupert, it wasunforgettable experience. After all, he had to bring to life not just the Lestrade of the last century, but the way the consulting detective saw him.

Inside view

It is noteworthy that throughout the series, Sherlock Holmes could not remember the name of Inspector Lestrade. He always confused the name of the criminalist, which offended him unspeakably.

The character shown to the audience turned out to be a successful combination of two people from literary stories at once, whose names were Lestrade and Gregson. Perhaps connected with this moment is the amazing fact that Sherlock, having a phenomenal memory, constantly distorts the name of the representative of Scotland Yard.

In the original story by Conan Doyle, the name of the inspector is not mentioned. The writer designated him only with the letter G. Nevertheless, in the famous film adaptation, Dr. Watson calls Lestrade Greg, which surprises Holmes inexpressibly.