Holmes, a fictional biopic of the famous Baker Street sleuth played by Sir Ian McKellen.

Was this a project that you were keen to do?

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Did you specifically ask for Ian, having worked with him onGods And Monsters?

The first and only for me, absolutely.

I sent it on and he read it quickly and said, Well thats a part and a half!

[Laughs] And we were on!

I was so lucky he responded to it.

Was that the same with Laura Linney?

Yes, big fan.

We worked together onKinsey,The Fifth Estate,andThe Big C, over and over with her.

Shes got a great English accent in the film.

Oh Im gonna tell her you said that cos its a very specific region.

And she worked so hard on it.

Youve tackled real biopics, such asKinsey, did you approachMr.

Holmesin the same manner?

Thats a really interesting question, thats the conceit of the novel isnt it?

That it is real, and he is a real person, right?

Holmesis more like that; its a very concentrated period to time, in 1947 when were following him.

Do you think theres a danger that some people will thinkMr.

Well, thats the idea.

I think that its always frightening when you see those polls and find out what people think.

Im sure the majority of people think hes real!

[Laughs] Exactly though, if we told the story well enough then I think they will.

It was, I have to say.

He was so brilliantly cast back when he was a teenager; he just captured the essence of Holmes.

But I think enough time has passed now and hes comfortable enough, and hes a wonderful actor.

We caught him at a moment when it was fun for him to revisit it.

It was a fun scene.

It was the one thing I said to him when he called after reading it.

and he was there last night [in London].

And played this wonderful Sherlock Holmes and endured Ian McKellen scowling and laughing and shaking his head at him.

But he knew that was part of the game, but he enjoyed it.

[Laughs]

Are you a fan of the Sherlock Holmes books?

Can I just say Im a fan not a fanatic.

Because after I made the movie I met the fanatics and I knew I wasnt one of them.

I dont compare to that.

Its a wonderful thing about that character.

Thats what Im hopeful about this movie is this adds one other view of him.

Obviously it hasnt been seen before, his old age and later life this unlikely kind of place.

And its such an anachronism living after the horrors of World War II.

Your father was a detective, wasnt he?

Did this have an influence?

He was, thats right yeah.

I think its a great form.

Your CV is quite eclectic…

I guess so, right?

Thats a good question because looking at it [his CV], its not a consistent thing.

As you know, its a pretty full-on commitment.

I guess the big question is alwaysTwilight.

But Ive always been interested in horror and suspense and I always like to revisit those genres again.

But I see the consistency although I know its probably hard for other people.

[Laughs]

You were involved in bothChicagoandDreamgirls, do you think theres room for a Sherlock musical?

[Not an entirely serious question readers!]

[Laughs] Well, its been tried in the theatre.

It was the most expensive bomb in Broadway history, it was calledBaker Street.

I think half the budget went on dry ice, famously.

So its been tried.

In a way theres always that question of, Does the character sing?

And Im not sure Sherlock Holmes sings.

Maybe do a Rex Harrison a laMy Fair Lady?

That would be it.

And thats whatBaker Streetwas like actually.

How do you feel about switching from the big Hollywood projects to smaller, more indie key in films?

I loved every minute of it.

So, its a trade off almost but I love going back and forth.

But I probably prefer smaller.

Milo Parker, who plays Sherlocks new young friend inMr.

Holmes, was a great find.

Boy we got lucky there.

The movie really wouldnt have worked if it hadnt been for him.

Hes just a remarkable, self-possessed young man.

I saw him last night [at the London premiere] and he hasnt gone crazy.

Hes got a huge talent.

Hes got that Tim Burton-y look!

[Laughs] Thats so true.

Speaking of faces, the camera lingers on McKellens face inMr.

Holmesin a number of close ups.

As films seem to be youth-obsessed, was this a conscious decision to champion the beauty of age?

First of all, Ians eyes its just hard to cut away from them.

I think, also, its quite an internal movie.

In a way that is the movie, Ian McKellens face.

[Again, not an entirely serious question.]

[Laughs] No, hes a good sport about it.

[Laughs] Hes been great.

I think its clear to see theres no overlap.

Theres nothing that Benedict did in this performance or Robert Downey Jnr.

What has the future in store, anything afterBeauty And The Beast?

That is my future [laughs], for the next two years until we finish it.

In the case here, the household staff and creatures are computer-generated.

Its an important movie to a lot of people.

Its great so far.

Big and complicated but very, very fun.

First of all its a really perfect movie.

You know, Gaston and LeFou cant be literally as cartoonish as there were in the movie.

Im hoping its a satisfying expansion of what people already know.

Bill Condon, thank you very much!