John Standish is a minor character from the 2009 Sherlock Holmes. He is an American ambassador and a member of the Temple of the Four Orders. He was portrayed by William Hope.
Ambassador Standish and the other members of his order try to convince Sherlock Holmes to take on the case of stopping Lord Blackwood, whom they believe will come after them. Holmes agrees, but out of personal interests and not for any price that the order offers him.
One night, Blackwood returns to the temple and Standish confronts him. He attempts to shoot Blackwood, but when his gun goes off, no bullet is fired and Standish inexplicably becomes wrapped in flames. He then screams out for the temple members to help him although out of fear they do nothing and back away. As he burns, Standish staggers about frantically and smashes through a window, falling to his death.
Holmes later reveals the circumstances behind the seemingly arcane nature of Standish's death, how he had flammable liquids doused upon him as he returned to the Temple on the night of his death which he would have dismissed as rain and how his gun was sabotaged by having an excess amount of gunpowder filling the chamber.