How come Moriarty didn't recognize Sherlock Holmes?
In Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011) during 1:12:11 to 1:12:17 Sherlock tried to disguise as waiter but removes his mustache and is clearly recognizable.
There also comes a moment when Moriarty looks at him. But failed to recognize.
Like the title of movie suggests it's a game of shadows. Holmes is always behind Moriarty trying to stop him. They are playing a game of chess in real life where movements of each other is keenly under observation of other. Hence the curiosity that why such a big mistake ( or some hidden plot ) by Moriarty ?
How is it that a genius like Moriarty missed observing Sherlock in such close proximity when he has previously met him ?
Best Answer
Not all Geniuses are the Same
It is clearly established in all media that Sherlock Holmes' moment-to-moment observational and deductive abilities are exceptional.
Madame Simza Heron: What do you see?
Sherlock Holmes: Everything. That is my curse.
These powers are also held by Sherlock's brother, Mycroft. They engage in a childish game of deductive one-upmanship here:
Mycroft: Good evening, Sherly. I see your boot maker is ill, dear brother.
Sherlock: As I detect that you've changed the brand of soap with which you shave
Mycroft: May I point out the chimney in the front room on Baker Street is to the need of a damn good sweeping out?
Sherlock: Are you aware that the Hackney Carriage by which you arrived had a damaged wheel?
Mycroft: Yes, the left. And it's plain to the meanest intelligence that you've recently acquired a new bow for your violin.
Sherlock: Same bow, new strings.
But Sherlock and Moriarty never engage in such a duel of observational power; Moriarty instead exerts their rivalry through the metaphor of a chess game. Moriarty's genius is in manipulation and control - the 'spider's web'.
This difference in gifting is demonstrated by the way that Sherlock generally does his own fieldwork (delegating to Watson and Heron when necessary), often in disguise, while Moriarty exerts his will through his henchmen whenever possible.
So there is no reason to ascribe Sherlock's abilities of observation - his 'curse' - to Moriarty.
In addition, Moriarty is under considerable mental load from bringing his complex plans to fruition.
Sherlock: With an empire so enormous, even You ... must keep a record of it somewhere.
James Moriarty may not always be concentrating on his immediate environment, making him vulnerable to Sherlock's daring fieldwork in disguise.
Pictures about "How come Moriarty didn't recognize Sherlock Holmes?"
How did Moriarty find out about Sherlock?
Mycroft interrogates Moriarty near the end of the Hounds of Baskerville. While posing as Richard Brook, Moriarty used the information he'd gathered on Sherlock to defile the consulting detective's name in the media. It is revealed that he gained this information from Mycroft Holmes, whom he nicknamed "The Iceman".Why was Moriarty obsessed with Sherlock?
His obsession with Sherlock Holmes was rooted in how, as mentioned above, he's the only one at his same level of genius, thus representing a challenge to him: he made up all types of crimes and riddles, and then sat back to watch how Sherlock solved them.What is the relationship between Moriarty and Sherlock Holmes?
Professor James Moriarty is a fictional character and criminal mastermind created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to be a formidable enemy for the author's fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. He was created primarily as a device by which Doyle could kill Holmes and end the hero's stories.How Moriarty survived the blow to the head (Sherlock BBC)
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Answer 2
You got a point there. However consider this, we all know in every Superman movie Clark Kent is very similar to Superman(he just removes his glass and costume). We recognize this.However in the movie not a single person realize this fact(or even trying to compare Clark to Superman). Same goes here for Sherlock Holmes.The idea in that particular scene is to deliver how well Sherlock can switch from one guy to another, rather than how similar he actually looks.
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