Sherlock Holmes (Jeremy Brett) and Dr. Watson (Edward Hardwicke) are visited by Mary Morstan (Jenny Seagrove), a young woman with a tale. Mary’s father (Terence Skelton) was a Captain in the Indian army. She spent most of her time away at school. When she was seventeen, her father got a leave of absence and sent for her to return to London. When she returned her father had disappeared. He’s been missing for ten years.
Four years after her father’s disappearance there was an ad in the paper asking her to come forward. Mary had been working for a family as a governess and published their address in the paper. The next day she received a large pearl. She has since been receiving a pearl every year on the same date. The pearls are rare and expensive. Today she received a letter asking her to be at a certain place at a certain time. She is not to bring the police, but she can bring two friends if she feels the need for protection. Holmes finds her case interesting and agrees that he and Dr. Watson will accompany her.
At the appointed place and the appointed time, they meet a driver that takes them to see Thaddeus Sholto (Ronald Lacey), a squirrely little man. He tells them that they must go to Norwood but first he must explain the situation to them. His late father, Major John Sholto (Robin Hunter), came to Cherry Lodge in Norwood from India eleven year ago. He was a rich man but a bit of a recluse and quite paranoid. One day he received a letter that upset him enough to affect his health. Before he died, he instructed his sons, Thaddeus and Bartholomew (Ronald Lacey) to make recompense to Captain Morstan’s daughter Mary. He tells them that he and Morstan got hold of a treasure. When Morstan came to get his portion, Sholto didn’t want to give it up. They argued and Morstan had a heart attack. Now he wants his sons to give her the pearls. As for the rest of the treasure, Sholto dies before he can reveal its location.
Bartholomew, being somewhat like his father, would only agree to give Mary one pearl a year. Just to keep her out of poverty. Yesterday the brothers found the rest of the treasure. In defiance of Bartholomew’s wishes, Thaddeus wants to take them to it. When they arrive at Norwood, they find that Bartholomew has been murdered and the treasure is gone. Holmes’ mystery has just begun.
“The Sign of Four” was released in 1987 and was directed by Peter Hammond. It is a British made for television crime drama and a mystery. It is based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s second novel and was produced by Granada Television. The movie is actually episode 21 of the Granada television, Sherlock Holmes series. It is the first of two movies done for the series. The first series ran from 1984 to 1985 with thirteen episodes. The next series ran from 1986 to 1988 and was thirteen episodes. The third series ran from 1991 to 1993 and was comprised of nine episodes. Finally, the fourth series ran in March and April 1994 and was 6 episodes long. The second movie or full-length episode was “The Hound of the Baskervilles” 1988 episode 26. The two films were part of the second series.
Many feel that Jeremy Brett is the best when it comes to adaptations of the Sherlock Holmes character. I will admit he is great in the role. I also loved the music score. It enhanced the mystery and tension. The scenes on the river when Holmes and the police are chasing Jonathan Small (John Thaw) is long and actually slow speed, but the music makes it intense and edge of your seat.
Character actor Ronald Lacey, who plays Thaddeus and Bartholomew Sholto, is well known as the evil Gestapo agent Toht in “Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark” 1981.