Netflix’sEnola Holmes, by Harry Bradbeer and released in 2020, was definitely a novel take on the infamous Holmes family. What makes this particular film interesting is the way it focuses on the youngest Holmes sibling as well as the infusion of comedy and action.WithEnola Holmes 2set to be released later this year, it might be a good idea to revisit the film that made everyone have a good laugh.
Even though this particular film seems quite hilarious and chill, withMillie Bobby Brown, who plays Enola, breaking the fourth wall by directly talking to the viewer,Enola Homesis so much more than another detective film. In fact, if one were to look at it closely, one would be able to recognize the feminist ideologies incorporated in the film. Not only doesEnola Holmestake us back to a time when women were not granted equal rights as men like the right to vote. While the film does not address this directly as it focuses heavily on Enola, the film does bring out the suffrage movement during this period in the UK. Additionally, there are many feminist takes on the film that need to be applauded. AsFoltz perfectly sums it up, this film:
is an emotion-filled adventure with a touch of feminism, brimming with action at every corner, as the audience watches young Enola take on an unfamiliar world.
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Enola As A Young Feminist
From the very beginning of the film, it is made obvious that Enola Holmes is not your ordinary young girl. Let it be the Victorian era or the 21st Century; a persona like Enola is hard to come across. One key reason is the way in which she is not afraid to break rules. Enola’s ability to stand up for her brothers makes her one strong character. The way in which she leaves a caricature of Mycroft before running away is one symbolic moment because it suggests that she is not afraid to defy the strict rules which Mycroft represents.
We also see Enola being a representation of a gender-bending persona. She may not excel in embroidery like other girls of that century, but she is brilliant in science, literature, and martial arts, all fields that come in handy when one enters brutal society. The way in which Enola cross-dresses is yet another significant portrayal of her breaking patriarchal social norms. This sixteen-year-old character’s strong voice definitely makes her stand out from the rest.Bradbeer also makes it a pointthat Enola is no different from Sherlock when it comes to mystery-solving skills, and, in fact, she might even be able to surpass him.
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Eudoria Holmes: A Part of the Suffragette Movement?
The film drops many hints that point towards the fact that thematriarch of the Holmes family, Eudoria Holmes (Helena Bonham-Carter),is a part of the suffrage movement. For one, her statement “the future is up to us”, which she tells her young daughter, is"an apt metaphor for what the film could mean for the mythic detective". In fact, it clearly illustrates how the suffragette movement brought forth many rights for women.
When Sherlock goes searching for his mother and sister, he comes across Edith, an acquaintance of Eudoria. During their conversation, Edith mentions how politics plays a key role in their beliefs and even points out Sherlock’s naïveness by stating how he had “no interest in changing a world that suits” him so well. This powerful message reflects the basis or the premise for Eudoria’s vanishing. All of these point out that she is illustrated as a fictional character that plays a prominent role in the suffragette movement.
Viscount Tewkesbury: A Gender Bending Male
There are somany reasons why the audience fell in lovewith Viscount Tewkesbury (Louis Partridge). One key reason is the way in which he goes against the notion that males should be masculine. If one were to closely analyze Enola and Tewkesbury, they might be able to see how Tewkesbury is Enola’s foil. While Enola is not afraid to jump from the train, Tewkesbury seems to be having second thoughts. While Enola cannot cook, Tewkesbury is quite aware of how to make do with nature’s ingredients and stew up a good dish. Additionally,Willen brilliantly points outhow in one particular scene, when the camera focuses only on the two characters' seating positions:
“Enola sits with her legs uncrossed, crouching forward with her forearms resting on her knees… (Twekesbury) sits straight up beside her with his ankles crossed. His posture seems more like a “proper” Victorian lady’s than Enola’s stance”
This hidden detail perfectly captures the key theme of gender-bending in the film. All are directed to the ideology that gender is not binary and is socially construed to “control” people.Enola Holmesdid not fail to surpass the viewers' expectations. It is a brilliant film that gives one a lot to think about.As Wynne points out:
The heart of the film is feminism and the 16-year-old budding detective who is, undeniably, a feminist without even knowing the word.
