THE SIGN OF FOUR
UK, 1983, 103 minutes, Colour.
Ian Richardson, David Healy, Thorley Walters, Terence Rigby, Joe Melia, Cherie Lunghi.
Directed by Desmond Davis.
The Sign of Four is one of Arthur Conan Doyle’s best known stories involving the detection work by Sherlock Holmes. It is well mounted here with Ian Richardson as an excellent and sardonic Sherlock Holmes – full of vanity, friendship towards Watson but the touch of condescension. David Healy bumbles along in the Nigel Bruce manner as Dr Watson.
There is a strong British character supporting cast led by Cherie Lunghi as Miss Mawston. Joe Melia is an evil one-legged villain.
The book was an early story by Conan Doyle – before he wrote of the death of Sherlock Holmes. It forms the substance of the 2005 telemovie, The Strange Adventures of Sherlock Homes and Arthur Conan Doyle with Douglas Henshall as Sherlock Holmes. This film posits Doyle’s ambivalent attitudes towards his father, interned in an institution, for his struggle with the character of Holmes. In killing him off, he sought to make peace for himself. However, he was forced by public opinion eventually to resurrect the detective. In this film, whole dialogue sections of The Sign of Four are incorporated.
An excellent presentation of Holmes, his character, manner of deduction as well as being an entertaining adventure and thriller.
1. The popularity of Sherlock Holmes? The stories? The films? The quality of this film amongst the many on Sherlock Holmes?
2. The production values: the locations, the re-creation of 19th century London, interiors, the Indian décor? Baker Street? The chase on the Thames? The action sequences? The musical score?
3. The popularity of this story? The archetypal Sherlock Holmes story, situation, clues, murders, deduction, disguises?
4. The personality of Sherlock Holmes and Ian Richardson’s interpretation? Severe yet friendly, arrogant yet compassionate? At work in Baker Street, his experiment on cigars and ashes? His telling Dr Watson that he was wrong in his guess? The issue of Watson’s brother and Holmes’s compassion? His deductions? Miss Marston? His kindness towards her? It investigation, his interviews with the brother, the death of the father? Information about the one-legged man? His deductions about his associate? The clash with the police? His interviewing the wife of the man with the boat, returning to her in disguise? The dangers? The confrontation with the one-legged man, the chase on the Thames? His deduction about the empty leg? His wanting Miss Mawston to have the diamond? Sherlock Holmes as a personality, as a detective?
5. Dr Watson, bungling, his wrong guesses, not seeing what was obvious, Holmes asking him to observe as well as see? The issue of the watch and his unfortunate brother? His attraction towards Miss Mawston? His assistance, getting the dogs to track the one-legged man? His being present at all the events, the search of the attic, the chase on the Thames?
6. The general, his two sons? His being in bed, the visit of the one-legged man, scared to death? Bartholomew and his greed, not wanting to give Miss Mawston anything? His being murdered? The kindly brother, his concern, sending the diamond? His servant and bringing Holmes and Watson to his house, the Indian décor? His attraction towards Miss Mawston – and his untimely death?
7. The one-legged man, the story of the prison, the plan of Mawston and the general, the betrayal? The Andaman Islands and getting the savage as his assistant? His treating the savage like a freak, getting his rage going, in the circus? The entry into the house, the murder of the general? The Sign of Four? His searching the house, his being let in, the savage going up the drainpipe? Holmes and his examination, the footprints, deducing what had happened? His taking the treasure, hiding it in his leg? Taking the boat, wanting the diamond? The confrontation with Holmes after the chase, his lies, the jewel in his leg? His admitting the justice of what happened – and his telling the story?
8. Miss Mawston, the death of her father, employing Holmes, the dangers, the attraction towards the son? His death? Her not wanting the jewel, being persuaded to take it?
9. The background of the story, Britain and the Indian empire, robbing the wealth of India, bringing it back? The treasure belonging to the state? The Scotland Yard inspector, his obtuseness, theories, his comeuppance? The background of the river, the boatman and his death, the wife and her giving the information to Holmes?
10. An entertaining thriller, mystery?
