The Limejuice Mystery: A Delightfully Bonkers Sherlock Parody?

Alright, so is The Limejuice Mystery worth your time today? Look, if you’re into quirky old parodies and don't mind a bit of a messy ride, then yeah, give it a shot. Folks who enjoy **really specific** niche comedy or public domain weirdness will probably get a kick out of it. Anyone looking for a coherent plot or, like, high production values will absolutely hate it. 🤷‍♀️

This movie immediately sets a tone that's less 'Sherlock Holmes' and more 'someone read a Sherlock Holmes story while very sleepy.' Jack Harrison plays our Great Detective, and honestly, he just looks perpetually confused. Like he walked onto the wrong set.

The whole 'dangerous London district of London' thing in the plot description? That’s not a typo. The movie really hammers home that it's London. You can almost feel the production team saying, 'See? We're in London!'

Our detective, let's just call him Mr. Holmes-ish, ends up in an opium den. And boy, is it an opium den! Think less gritty realism, more a stage play designed by someone who only heard about opium dens from a pamphlet. Lots of smoke, some folks lying around looking very dramatic.

Then come the Tong assassins. These guys are something else. They don’t just walk in; they practically *glide* with a serious air. Their movements are a bit too balletic for what you'd expect from a street gang, which makes them hilarious.

There's a scene where one assassin tries to sneak up on Holmes-ish, but his shadow is like, three times bigger than him. You can see it coming a mile away. Our detective still acts surprised, which is a nice touch. It's all part of the charm, I guess. 😂

The 'mystery' part of The Limejuice Mystery? It's mostly about locating this woman who's been, uh, misplaced. It feels less like a cunning deduction and more like a very energetic game of hide-and-seek.

Harrison's acting is pretty consistent. He delivers lines with this *stiff* upper lip, even when something completely wild is happening. It makes him seem less like a genius and more like someone who just really needs a cup of tea.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of The Limejuice Mystery or Who Spat in Grandfather's Porridge? (1930) through its definitive frames.

And the fighting! It’s all very theatrical. Lots of waving arms and dramatic falls. No one looks like they're actually getting hurt. It’s almost like a silent film fight scene, even with sound.

One moment that stuck with me: a Tong assassin tries to use a strange, tiny throwing star. It clinks off a wall so softly you barely hear it. The detective pauses, looks at it, and then just *flicks* it back with his finger. It's such a small, pointless detail, but it made me laugh.

The sets are, well, minimal. You can tell they put most of their budget into the smoke machine for the opium den. The rest is just painted backdrops that sometimes wiggle if someone bumps them.

The film doesn't really build suspense. It just sort of *moves* from one goofy situation to the next. You don't question *why* things are happening so much as *what* bizarre thing will happen next.

And the title, Who Spat in Grandfather's Porridge? It's never really addressed. Not directly, anyway. It's just there, an absurd question hanging over the whole thing. Maybe that's the real mystery. 🤔

I think the pacing is actually one of its strengths. It's short, moves quickly. Doesn't overstay its welcome. It knows what it is: a quick, silly romp.

There's a part where Holmes-ish tries to interrogate someone, and the person just keeps rambling about their garden. Our detective just blinks. It goes on for a beat too long, and you wonder if the actor just forgot their line.

So, if you're ever in the mood for a movie that doesn't take itself seriously and feels like a forgotten relic from a more innocent (and perhaps slightly unhinged) time, then **this is it**. It’s a good one to watch with friends and just point at the screen and giggle.

Little things I noticed:

• That one background extra in the opium den who *really* commits to looking drowsy. Bless them.
• The detective's coat seems to get progressively dustier as the film goes on.
• The sound of footsteps on cobblestones feels very overdubbed.
• A teapot in one scene looks suspiciously like a modern kettle.
• The rescued woman's hair is *perfect* even after all that supposed danger.