Original subtitles

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DOORRIDLE

Doesn't come, he comes.

NOAH

DOESN'T COME, NOM

NOPE

DON'T

KA-BOOM

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This is the end.

This time you've gone too far, Holmes.

You can't turn this place into a shooting gallery.

Gun prints.

Have you ever seen a gun print?

I've never even heard of a gun print.

You'll kill somebody one of these days, Holmes.

Parliament ought to pass a law against people like you.

Well, of course, gun prints is just the name I've given it.

Actually, it's the marks on the bullet left by the rifling in the gun barrel.

Ah.

Would you like to look at these two bullets under the magnifying glass?

You'll observe that they have different markings.

Because they were fired by different guns.

I'm not interested. Not in the least interested.

The police will be here in a minute.

You should be interested, Watson.

You're interested in saving lives, aren't you?

Of course, but...

Well, look, this little, very little experiment may very well save a life someday.

How can firing bullets from here into...

Now, listen. Wait a minute.

Take the case of a man who was accused of murder.

I'd rather not.

The prosecution claimed that the bullets were fired from his gun.

They probably were.

The man was guilty. I can see it all.

Yes, but if it could be proved that it was impossible by the markings,

then an innocent man's life could be saved.

That's all very well and good, Holmes.

But this flat is not the place to conduct these sort of experiments.

How would you like it if I started to practice my surgery

in the bathtub or on the kitchen table?

Could you manage it in the bathtub, do you think?

Oh, I give up!

And now, if you're not keeping this appalling smell for experimental purposes,

I will, with your permission, open the door.

Holmes, I told you.

I knew you'd gone too far.

Now you have shot somebody.

Well, if I have, I shall have to certainly correct those guns for drift.

Oh, that's fantastic. You seem to have some breadth in him still.

No fault of yours that he has.

Now, help me in with him before somebody sees him.

Really, firing off revolvers, brewing poison, frightening people.

It's more than a man can stand, Holmes. Really, more than a man can stand.

Am I wounded badly? Please.

I'm a poor man. I can't afford hospital.

No, no, no, no, no. You'll be all right in a minute.

You've just fainted from something.

Something, you say?

Didn't you hear what happened?

I was outside, about to knock at your door, when suddenly I was attacked.

Someone turned a revolver loose on me, bullets flying everywhere.

I tried to fight back bravely, but there were too many of them.

Six or seven at least, all firing guns.

I'll get you a glass of brandy.

Oh, thank you.

You'd better call the police.

They may try it again, whoever they are.

Maniacs and foreigners, I'll be damned.

No, no, no, no. You're quite safe now.

Those shots came from my revolver and were fired into that wadding over there.

You mean you were the one who...

Yes, I was just carrying out a little experiment.

I must apologize for any shock I may have given you.

And no one is after me?

Not to my knowledge, Mr. Wilson.

Here, will you drink this, huh?

Oh, thank you.

You called me Mr. Wilson just now.

How did you know that was my name?

Well, it's, uh, it's on your collar.

Very shrewd indeed, your noticing my name like that.

In fact, you've got exactly the kind of mind that could help me to unravel my mystery.

That is, if you're willing to lend a poor man a hand.

Oh, yes, yes, yes, I owe you at least that.

What is the mystery?

But perhaps you'll get a better idea of what it is if you read this first.

Here, it's in the wanted column. Read it for yourself.

Ah.

To the Red-Headed League.

On account of the bequest of the late Ezekiah Hopkins of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, USA,

there is now another vacancy open which entitles a member of the League

to a salary of four pounds a week for purely nominal services.

All red-headed men who are sounded apply in person on Monday at 11 o'clock

to Duncan Ross at the offices of the League, 7 Pope's Court, Fleet Street.

Apply in person on Monday at 11 o'clock to Duncan Ross at the offices of the League,

7 Pope's Court, Fleet Street.

But what on earth does it mean, the Red-Headed League?

It is a little off the beaten track, isn't it?

I assure you I felt the same way as you when I read it.

A vacancy? For what, I asked?

I'm a dealer in second-hand merchandise, and I believe in giving value for value received.

And it certainly struck me as odd that somebody was prepared to give four pounds a week for nothing.

Oh, but young Spalding took a different view of it.

Oh? Who is young Spalding?

Vincent Spalding. He's my assistant, and I couldn't wish for a nicer young man.

I see. Now suppose you tell me the story as it happened, right from the beginning.

From the beginning? Yes, of course.

Well, it all started two months ago, when that paper came out.

I was in the shop at the time. I'm there practically the whole of my time.

I'm a widower, and I've got little else to do.

When young Spalding came back from lunch...

Mr. Wilson, if you only knew how I wish that I had red hair like you.

Huh?

Do you believe it or not, here is another vacancy for the League of Red-Headed Men.

The League of what?

Red-Headed Men. Surely you've heard of them, haven't you?

Oh, I'm afraid I don't get about as much as some of you young people do.

Well, I should have thought everyone would have heard of the League of Red-Headed Men.

Well, at least everyone who was eligible.

Now, a man like you, if you were accepted,

could make himself a nice little nesting without hardly lifting a hand.

Vincent, I've told you before, there's one thing you've got to learn in life.

Nobody ever gets anything except by the sweat of his brow.

Value receives value.

What is this Red-Headed League?

Take a look at this paper yourself.

Ah, how I wish my hair would change color. Really, I do.

What a nice little mistake I'd make for myself.

Well, this doesn't make sense to me.

No? Well, do you see the name?

Ezekiah Hopkins?

Yes.

He was an American millionaire.

Very peculiar in his ways.

He was red-headed himself and had great sympathy for all red-headed men.

So, when he died, he left an enormous fortune in the hands of trustees

to make life easier for all red-headed men.

Oh, really?

Yeah, red-headed men.

Uh-huh.

Oh, but I couldn't apply even if I wanted to.

I've got the shop here to look after.

That's the whole point. The work don't amount to anything.

Absolutely nothing at all.

You see, it need not interfere with a man's other occupations.

Well, even so, probably millions of men would apply for it.

No, this is limited to Londoners and to grown men.

You see, this American started off from London

and I suppose wanted to do the old town a good time.

And then again, I hear it's no use applying

unless your hair is a real fiery red.

Huh.

Do you think my hair is red enough?

I've never seen any redder.

Oh.

I could use the money.

There's all sorts of repairs I could do and...

Vincent, I'm going to investigate this league.

Lock up the shop. You're coming with me.

Yes, sir.

You're right.

It is fiery red, isn't it?

Just let me handle everything.

All right, all right, all right. Stand back, everybody.

This is Mr. Hopkins' son. Go on, step back

or he'll see that you don't get interviewed at all.

Mr. Hopkins, this way.

Thank you for applying, Mr. Iverson.

Your name will be kept on file

and in the event you are chosen to fill the vacancy,

I'll get in touch with you immediately.

Thank you, Mr. Ross.

I do hope I win.

My family and me could do with the money.

We shall see what we shall see, Mr. Iverson.

Thank you so much.

Are you the next applicant?

Yes, this is Mr. J. S. Wilson.

Your search is over. He's willing to fill the vacancy.

Will you sit down, Mr. Wilson?

I've never seen anything like it.

I told you, Mr. Wilson.

It's extraordinary. Beyond belief.

Congratulations. It would be an injustice to hesitate.

I've got the position.

You have.

You will, however, excuse me for taking an obvious precaution.

There are tears in your eyes.

I perceive all is as it should be.

But we have to be careful,

for twice now we have been deceived by ways,

and once by paint.

I'm sorry.

The vacancy has been filled.

But thank you one and all for coming.

Oh, no, no, no, come along.

My name is Duncan Ross.

I'm one of the trustees in charge of the fund

left by your noble benefactor.

When shall you be able to embark upon your new duties?

Oh, well, almost any time, I suppose.

Though I should mention that I have another business to attend to.

I have another business which will require some of my time.

Oh, so long as you're free to be here between the hours of ten to two.

There'll be no objections.

Easy enough, Mr. Wilson.

There's very little business during those hours, and what there is,

I could take care of.

Oh, thank you, Vincent. I appreciate that.

And what is the work?

Copying the encyclopedia.

Oh.

The Encyclopedia Britannica.

You will provide your own pen, ink, and blotting paper,

and copy it down word for word.

Is that agreeable?

Oh, well, uh, yes.

Our only demand is that you remain in the office,

or at least in building, during working hours.

If you leave, you forfeit your position forever.

The will is very clear upon that point.

Oh, well, it's only four hours a day.

I shouldn't think of leaving.

No excuse will avail, neither sickness nor business or anything else.

Here you must stay or lose your village.

Oh, I quite understand.

Then, goodbye, Mr. Wilson.

And again, let me congratulate you.

Oh, uh, thank you, sir. Thank you.

The Encyclopedia Britannica.

You'll do a wonderful job with it, Mr. Wilson. I'm sure you will.

Thank you.

Thanks.

Ha, ha, ha, ha.

The first word was archen.

At the end of eight weeks, I'd finished the A's and begun the B's.

For this, Mr. Ross rewarded me every Saturday with four golden sovereigns.

Yesterday morning, however, I got a staggering blow indeed.

Come in.

Mr. Milford?

Yes, what can I do for you, officer?

What's happened to Mr. Ross?

Mr. who?

Mr. Ross, Duncan Ross, in office number four.

He's gone.

What's happened to him?

Mr. Milford, let me look him up in my files.

Are you a customer of this Mr. Ross?

I work for him.

That is, I did up until this morning.

What did you do of?

I copied the encyclopedia.

You copied the encyclopedia Britannica.

Wouldn't it have been cheaper buying another encyclopedia rather than going to all the trouble of copying it?

You don't understand.

That's the work the red-headed league required me to do.

Look here, my good man.

If this is a joke, I fail to see the humor.

If it isn't, it's my duty to inform you that office number four was rented temporarily to William Morris, an accountant.

I never heard of Duncan Ross nor the red-headed league in all my life, and I'm certain they never existed.

I got the home address of William Morris, but when I arrived there, it turned out to be a factory making ladies unmentionables.

No one had ever heard of William Morris or Duncan Ross.

My word, you really were on a wild goose chase, weren't you?

After that, I didn't know quite what to do.

The whole experience was so embarrassing, I could hardly make myself tell it to Spalding.

Read and quite naturally, you thought of me.

Oh, as I said before, I'm not a rich man.

If I don't locate the league or find out what happened to them, I stand to lose four pounds a week.

You don't stand to lose anything, Mr. Wilson.

You can't lose something you didn't possess in the first place, and the story is probably a pack of lies in any case.

Holmes.

And if it isn't, you've no reason to complain.

You're 30 pounds richer by your experience, not to mention the invaluable knowledge you've gained on every subject under the letter.

If I were you, Mr. Wilson, I'd be quite grateful and forget about the whole affair.

Good day to you, sir.

Well, I hardly expected this kind of treatment.

If you should discover a corpse at your second-hand shop in an old cello case, you're perfectly welcome to return.

In the meantime, I have an experiment to conclude.

I'm going to find out if firing a gun in a house is illegal.

If it is, you can rely on me to report you.

Holmes!

What on earth persuaded you to behave like that?

Oh, yes, yes.

It was rather unseemly behavior, wasn't it, Watson?

Well, absolutely necessary, I assure you.

But why?

Well, if I tell him I was willing to take on his case, he'd probably give it away to the wrong party.

Why burden him with the necessity of having to keep a secret?

Then you mean you're going to take the case?

I wouldn't miss finding out about the red-headed league for all the tea in India.

China, Holmes.

Do you think you could be a prank, some sort of wild practical joke on Mr. Wilson?

Well, at four pounds a week for eight weeks, the joke would be on someone else.

It is a considerable sum, isn't it?

The case as I see it breaks down into two whys.

I think I know the first why, but the second why eludes me.

Well, which is the why you know and which is the why you don't know?

Well, why was the league forked?

Now, that's obvious.

To keep Wilson out of the shop, the cello case, and the case itself.

To keep Wilson out of the shop a certain number of hours a day.

But why is the why that I want to know?

Well, why is the why that you want to...

I see.

You mean somebody tried to get Wilson out of your shop in order to steal something from you.

No, no, no. The case is too elaborate to justify stealing from such a small shop as Wilson's.

No, the reason is bigger than that. Bigger than any of us might imagine.

Now, you're not going to start shooting again, Holmes.

No, but I'm going to take this with us.

Us?

Yes, you're interested in the case, aren't you?

I'm a doctor, Holmes.

I'm here to see if someone should get hurt.

This started out to be such a peaceful morning,

and an old friend of mine was coming from India, and we were going to spend the day together.

And now, look what you've talked us into. The redheaded leak.

Yes, exciting, isn't it?

Seems to me nobody's here.

I wonder where he could be.

I'll be right with you, gentlemen.

May I help?

I'm sorry, I was occupied in the cellar. I hope I haven't kept you waiting.

Not at all. My friend here is interested in making a purchase.

Um... anything in particular?

Anything in...

Well, you never know what you might...

Oh, what's that?

That? That's, um...

That is a...

Ah, yes. This is fascinating.

It's the essential part of the structure of a wild boar trap.

No, really?

By Jove, a wild boar trap, eh?

How very interesting. And a very fine specimen as wild boar traps go.

It is, isn't it?

Oh, yes, very fine.

It reminds me of my day...

There we were, all lined out in a row, as far as the eye could see.

Down the hill came the enemy and the battle of Royal Burneth was on.

Yes, sir, if you'll excuse me...

There we were, outnumbered 112 to 1.

That was from the count after the battle, as you understand.

Yes, yes, I understand perfectly.

Charge, they shouted, as down the hill they came, the hordes of heathen, at 112 to 1.

And from that moment I became a collector and I've been a collector ever since.

You understand that, of course.

Oh, yes, but that is a quite totally natural reaction.

It's, uh, one o'clock. It's one o'clock... What?

Yes, one o'clock. Our engagement with the Colonel.

The Colonel? Remember? The one who led you in the charge.

Oh, of course, yes. Well, uh, I hope you'll, uh, keep that for me, will you?

Well, there's been a fearful run on wild boar traps lately, but I'll do my best.

Thank you, sir. Thank you.

Good afternoon.

Well, what did you discover?

The knees of Spalding Stroud show considerable wear.

What does that mean?

Perhaps a great deal. Let me have your stick for a minute.

What are you doing?

No time to explain now, but a considerable crime is in contemplation.

And since today is Saturday, we may have some difficulty in preventing it.

What kind of a crime?

A bank robbery.

What?

Shh, shh, shh. Meet me at the side entrance of the Westminster County Bank at 10 o'clock sharp.

Yes, is that the bank that's going to be...

Yes, yes, yes.

At 10 o'clock sharp. Remember?

Yes.

The basement vaults of the Royal Westminster Bank.

As you can see, they are impregnable.

Why are you so sure that the bank's going to be robbed, Holmes?

Because the knees of a man's trousers were badly worn.

I can't see how they could have been robbed.

I can't see how they can possibly get in here.

Is that the gold?

Yes. We had occasion some months ago to strengthen our reserves.

And so we borrowed 30,000 Napoleons from the Bank of France.

Word must have leaked out, if Mr. Holmes' deductions are correct.

Gentlemen, we must prepare ourselves.

As soon as Mr. Wilson goes to sleep, they will make attempts to get in.

Who are they?

Shh.

Who are they?

Shh.

It's all clear. It's all right.

Hey, John!

All right, Spalding.

All right, Spalding.

Your bank robbing days are over.

So I see.

I fancy my pal got away all right, though.

There are three policemen waiting for him at the other end.

You seem to have done things very, very, very neatly.

I must compliment you.

I feel obliged to reciprocate.

Your red-headed league was very inventive indeed.

Here.

You were the one who came into the shop this afternoon.

You came with...

With me.

I thought there was something very, very clear.

You don't look like a collector at all.

They helped to collect you, didn't they?

I think you'd better come along with me.

I don't know how the bank can repay you, Mr. Holmes.

I've been more than amply repaid, Mr. Merriweather.

By having one of the most unique experiences of my career.

However, there is one thing you could do for me.

Name it.

Well, it's...

Anything, Mr. Holmes.

I'm a regular depositor at your bank, Mr. Merriweather.

And I should be eternally grateful if you could do something about your pens.

I've yet to find one of them that works.

Come along, Watson.

What I shall never understand is how you suddenly knew there would be a bank robbery.

Well, if you remember, when we visited the second-hand shop,

Spalding was in the cellar.

I didn't pay much attention to it at the time.

But later on, I noticed that the knees of his trousers were badly worn.

As if he'd spent some time kneeling, doing some sort of burrowing work.

But burrowing where?

Perhaps from the cellar to the next building.

The moment the thought occurred to me, I whisked you outside

and surprised you by tapping on the pavement with your stick.

You certainly did.

Oh, I'll just go and see who it is.

Hello. Come on in, Inspector.

Good evening, Dr. Watson. I hope it's not too late to make a call.

Of course not. Come right on in.

Oh, I saw the light was on and I just thought I'd drop in.

Ah, how are you, Inspector? Now make yourself at home.

Oh, thank you very much.

Comfy?

Yes, please.

Well, by the time the newspapers come out with the report of your exploits tomorrow, Holmes, you'll be a hero.

I shall try and remain humble through it all.

Yes, the whole of London. Except, of course, Mr. Wilson.

Unless I miss my guess, he wants me still to arrest you.

Arrest me? What for?

Well, he didn't like the way you treated him last night, you know.

And then, of course, he complains that...

Well, now, it's too ridiculous.

Still, I think you'll enjoy hearing about it.

He claims that you were firing a revolver in this house.

You know it's against the law, don't you?

But who in their sober senses would do such a thing?

Yes, it does sound very implausible, doesn't it?

Yes, that's exactly what I told him.

I mean, people just don't do things like that, do they?

Huh?

Ha ha ha ha!

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