They Might Be Giants (1971) - Anthony Harvey

Justin Playfair, a retired, widowed judge, labors tirelessly under the delusion that he's Sherlock Holmes.  With selfish intentions, Playfair's greedy brother Blevins hires a psychologist, Dr. Mildred Watson, to confirm his brother's insanity which in turn grants Blevins control of Justin's million dollar fortune.  Reluctantly, Dr. Watson agrees but she is soon taken into Justin's dreamworld, accompanying him on his quest to track down Professor Moriarty, his sworn enemy.  Anthony Harvey's They Might Be Giants is an incredibly clever, witty, and charming piece of filmmaking that is only elevated by George C. Scott's lead performance.  While the film is basically a modern tale of Sherlock Holmes in which he is a psychotic paranoid, They Might Be Giants doesn't reveal Justin's delusion right away, letting the viewer see him from his own perception, a highly intelligent, problem-solving detective who is widely respected by everyone around him.  A film that could be described as darkly whimsical, They Might Be Giants is a love story at its core but the way it gets there is what's most impressive.  A rarity in films, the two main characters in They Might Be Giants never feel like they are being pushed towards each other romantically, rather the film lets it come completely organically, infusing their romance with the theme of the film - how much does our perceived reality matter if it's real to us.  Anthony Harvey's They Might Be Giants features an impressive performance by George C. Scott, and a charming, original story, making it certainly worth your time.

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