Enola Holmes- Film Study

By: Savannah Barnes

start

Enola Holmes

Film Study Directed by Harry Bradbeer

5. Theme

6. Final Evaluation

7. Sources8. Thanks

3. Mise-en-scene analysis

a. Symbolismb. Conflict

4. Literary Analysis

2. Character Profile

1. Genre

index

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. Henry Cavill, Sam Claflin, and Helena Bonham Carter also star. As explained above the genre of the film is mystery, adventure, and crime

Enola Holmes is a 2020 mystery film based on the Enola Holmes Mysteries: The Case of the Missing Marquess 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.

Genre

Mystery, adventure, and crime

Enola Holmes (protagonist)

Raised by a feminist, 16 yrs old, witty, well educated, fearless, sometimes reckless.

Character Profile

Strengths: trained in marshal arts, versitile, great problem solver, brave, caring, confident, smart, knows what she believe.

Character’s likes: mysteries, reading, chess but only with a worthy opponent Dislikes: corsets, finishing school.

Weaknesses: Doesn't always think things through fully, outspoken in an age where "virtuous" woman were quite and soft spoken Can't do the corkscrew in martial arts, doesn’t care for societal norms or expectations, naive in the way of the world

Vicount Tewksbury

At first Enola is harsh towards tewksbury, calling him a fool, and telling him that she could care less if he lived or dies. But as time goes on she feels the need to protect him as she tried to protect a sheep when she was young. Gender roles between them switched. I.e, Normally, women would be trained in food and medicine while men would be trained in survival skills like making a fire, especially in that era. But with these two, it is the other way around, Enola built the fire and is traind in martial arts, while tewksbury is trained in herbs and flower and cooks the meal.

Miss Harrison

Enola is strong and bold in her beliefs. She is confident in herself and who she is. She is well educated when it comes to knowledge but careless about what is expected of her by society. Enola speaks freely standing her ground against Miss Harrison expressing her knowledge and how she doesn’t care for societal norms or expectations

behaviours towards other characters

Mycroft Holmes

To Mycroft Holmes, Enola is a nuisance and possession. He thinks she is an uneducated, poorly mannered wildling who needs to be broken and rebuilt to be of any worth to society.

personality development

Enola is a strong individual from the beginning of the film, though she believs that she may be destined to be alone since that is her name spelt backwards. As the film progresses she comes to learn that even when she is alone, it doesn’t mean she is destined to be lonely. She also learns that the people she meets on her journey are there for a reason and it is ok to need help and be distracted.In my opinion, Enola embodies how we as individuals should be sure of our thoughts and beliefs without worrying about how others will perseve them. I also like that threw her adventures the viewers learn that if they want to change the world they need to know what is happening in it and take the risks necessary for success.

Mise-en-scene analysis

Medium shot: Draws focus to what the character is doing. In each of these images, we can recognize Enola as a strong individual. These medium shots help the viewer feel closer to the character.

Cowboy shot: Viewers get some indirect characterization about Sherlock(left), Enola, and Mycroft (right). Sherlock and Enola are well lit with light surrounding them and smiles on their faces indicating that they're the more free-spirited characters. While Mycroft's background is noticeably darker and his face is quite serious, indicating that he is more conceited and serious. Wide shot: This camera angle is used to show the viewers the condition of Enola's house. With the light from the window and Enola standing directly in the middle of the room, our eye is drawn to her. This positioning isolates Enola as though she is being judged, which she is. But notice how Enola stands up straight with confidence, showing no signs of anxiety. The viewers get some indirect characterization from this camera angle and lighting.

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Enola

Enola and Lord Tewkesbury break gender norms on the way into London.

This shot is often used to show Enola's facial expressions and draw focus to her dialogue. Almost every time this shot is used she is pointing out key information or expressing her internal thoughts, similar to an aside. This camera angle allows for direct characterization and really gives the audience VIP access to Enola's thoughts and emotions.

In a close-up shot showing Enola and Tewkesbury arriving in London, their bodies are only visible from the waist down. Enola, on the left, is still disguised in Sherlock's old clothes from her train ride in. She sits with her legs uncrossed, crouching forward with her forearms resting on her knees. Tewkesbury, who's still wearing his three-piece suit, sits straight up beside her with his ankles crossed. His posture seems more like a "proper" Victorian lady than Enola's stance. Gender roles are a major theme in "Enola Holmes," so this shot appears to be yet another example of the main characters defying society's pre-written rules.

Tight Shot

Low close up

"Politics doesn't interest you. Why? Because you have no interest in changing a word that suits you so well".

Literary Analysis - Symbolism

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Throughout the whole movie, Flowers play an important role in Enola and Eudoria’s dynamic, and it’s through the language of flowers and coded messages that Enola knows what to do after her mother disappears. Enola's first hint that led to her adventure was her mother’s chrysanthemums. When Sherlock pointed out the chrysanthemums in an earlier scene he foreshadowed where a clue could be. Flowers not only connect Enola with her mother, but with Tewksbury as well. At the beginning of the film, Eudoria gives Enola a card that reads, "Our future is up to us". But after Enola finds a strikingly similar-looking flower in Tewkesbury's book, it's up for interpretation as to whether or not we can extend that "our" to Tewkesbury as well.

A scene showing Eudoria, Enola's mother, picking apples from a tree could be symbolic of Eve in the Garden of Eden. The audience gets to know Eudoria primarily through flashbacks, and in one of them, she's seen plucking an apple from a tree, just like Eve in the Garden of Eden. Much like Eve, Eudoria is labelled as "dangerous" and "wild" by those around her because she has ideas and knowledge extending her period of time, so it makes sense that Eudoria could be an allusion to Eve in the film

Flowers

Eudoria symbolic of Eve in the Garden of Eden

Enola wears head-to-toe black while travelling to Basilwether to sniff out clues. During the carriage ride, she gives an explanation saying, "[w]hen looking to travel incognito, it's safest to travel as a widow". "People are always anxious to avoid conversations about death." According to sources, a widow can symbolize “those who are in truth without good, but still desire to be led by good” (Swedenborg). While the outfit doesn't save Enola from getting kicked out of the estate, viewers later realize that she ended up being right about the disguise, as no one suspects Tewksbury’s grandmother of being behind her son's murder and Tewksbury’s attempted murder.

The sheep that Enola tried to save is a metaphor for Tewkesbury. After Enola barely escapes from the assassin at Limehouse Lane, she tells the story of the time she tried to save a sheep from falling off a cliff, nearly dying in the process. She then says: "The truth is, I did not ask for the Viscount Tewkesbury Marquess of Basilwether in my life. I did not want the Viscount Tewkesbury Marquess of Basilwether in my life." Enola continues, "So why do I feel responsibility for the Viscount Tewkesbury Marquess of Basilwether? Because, there are those that want to hurt him, and he has not the strength to stop them, and I do have that strength." Not only is Tewkesbury compared to the sheep in the story, but he actually appears in a cart of sheep, matching their wool in a similarly coloured suit, on his journey into London.

Enola's widow costume gives away the culprit of the crime.

Sheep symbolizes Tewksbury

Enola proves to be the ultimate opponent for her brother, as she solves the case at Basilwether before him.

- Chess -

As a child, young Enola learned to play chess, which she later reveals as Sherlock's favourite game saying "[c]hess, but only with a worthy opponent”. Chess symbolizes the connection that Enola and Sherlock have, as well as her uncovered potential.

Resolved

Literary Analysis - Conflicts

Enola never had anything but positive women shaping her so when her mother disappears and Enola is sent to a finishing school by her brother, Mycroft, to become a “proper lady” she is faced with a difficult decision. Whether to conform to societal norms or stand as the studious individual she is. Enola, being raised by a feminist and well-educated about strong independent women, chooses to defy society's expectations and escape to walk her own path. She does this with the help of Tewksbury who helps her escape in a large-sized basket, disguised as a private gift from Mycroft to Miss Harrison. Enola now in Miss Harrison’s office is able to escape and meet Tewksbury, where they drive off in Miss Harrison's automobile.

Person vs Society

Literary Analysis - Conflicts

Enola vs Linthorn fight scene in Lime house. After helping Vicount Tewksbury escape a man on the train Enola is forced to face him again on her own. Enola's only choice is to fight her way out of this situation as she relives her childhood, using the skills her mother taught her regarding jujitsu. Ironically, the same corset that Enola views as a trap is what saves her from a fatal wound. She comes out of the fight victorious and with a new calling.

Person vs Person

“I did not want the Viscount Tewksbury, Marquess of Basilwether in my life. So why do I feel responsibility for the Viscount Tewksbury, Marquess of Basilwether? Because, there are those that want to hurt him, and he has not the strength to stop them, and I do have that strength”. Enola resolves this conflict by analyzing her situation, acknowledging that she has the strength to help him, and choosing to risk her safety to help him.

Literary Analysis - Conflicts

“Enola Holmes” is a coming-of-age film that explores the internal conflict of a young woman caught between society's vision for her life and her own. Though Enola was raised to think she would be better off alone she comes to learn that things can be better with company. This particular conflict occurs as Enola decides whether to put herself in danger by saving Tewksbury or to “let nature take its course”. Enola’s internal conflict is shown to the audience through a metaphor of a sheep Enola tried to save when she was young.

Person vs Self

The last example for this paragraph is when Enola uses her skills and talents to help Tewksbury, and fosters relationships built off of love and respect, not sexist social norms. Furthermore, the choices Enola makes on her journey support the message that we have to be the change we want to see, and that sometimes we have to take risks to reap the rewards.

While there are many lessons to be learned from watching Enola Holmes, the most prominent lesson is that the future you wish to live in is up to you to create. This theme is emphasized throughout the film, beginning with the words of Eudoria, Enola’s mother who says; “[t]here are two paths you can take, Enola: yours, or the path others chose for you". The first example of this is when Enola finds her mother's first message and decides to disguise herself in Sherlock's old clothes and run away starting her own journey of self-exploration. The second example of this is when Enola uses the advice her brother Sherlock once told her: “[t]he choice is always yours. Whatever society may claim, it can’t control you". His advice is encouraged her to use her voice in a society that demands silence and subservience from its women, as she did while standing up to Miss Harrison.

Theme

Final Evaluation

I admire how the producers and writers were able to cover such important issues in history such as suffrage, voting, and overall gender equality while keeping the film so playful and family-friendly. After watching this film, it should have impacted your perspective on life’s journeys, your beliefs about gender equality, and your views on self-worth. I strongly recommend watching this film for all ages and demographics

After watching this film several times, I can say with confidence that it is a strong contender for film study. With aspects of adventure, message deciphering, bits of romance, action, and social and political issues, this film has something for everyone. The highlight of this film is the protagonist, Enola Holmes. She shows that no matter who you are, you have a right to be whomever you want and show others that your path is as good as theirs. She inspires the viewer to take risks and stand as an individual for the things they believe in. Overall, this film was a great experience.

Swedenborg, E. “Spiritual Meaning of Widow.” Bible Meanings, 2002, http://www.biblemeanings.info/Words/Family/Widow.htm. Accessed 19 May 2022. Twomey, Grace. “Lessons Taught and Learned in Enola Holmes.” Emertainment Monthly, 17 November 2020, https://emertainmentmonthly.org/2020/11/17/lessons-taught-and-learned-in-enola-holmes/. Accessed 22 May 2022.Willen, Claudia. “'Enola Holmes': Hidden Details and References You Probably Missed.” Insider, 23 September 2020, https://www.insider.com/enola-holmes-hidden-details-references-easter-eggs#as-a-child-young-enola-learned-to-play-chess-which-she-later-reveals-as-sherlocks-favorite-game-1. Accessed 19 May 2022.

Work cited

Pascual, Bea Grace. “Life lessons you'll learn from Netflix's Enola Holmes.” SAGISAG PH, 28 September 2020, https://www.sagisag.com/article/2924/entertainment/life-lessons-youll-learn-from-netflixs-enola-holmes. Accessed 22 May 2022. Singh, Harshdeep. “Enola Holmes | linkr.” Linkr, Northern college, 4 October 2020, https://www.linkreducation.com/en/content/enola-holmes/32655. Accessed 22 May 2022.

By: Savannah Barnes

“Sometimes you must dangle your feet in the water in order to attract the sharks”.

“The choice is always yours. Whatever society may claim, it can’t control you."

thanks!