Original subtitles

♪

(clock chiming)

♪

♪

Oh!

(crash)

♪

♪

Well, Watson, I should say this watch belonged

to your eldest brother who inherited it

from your father.

Your brother was untidy and careless.

He was left with good prospects.

Lived for some time in poverty with occasional bursts

of prosperity.

Then finally taking to drink, he died.

Holmes, this is unworthy of you.

You must've already made inquiries into the history

of my unhappy brother.

Surely, you don't expect me to believe

you have read all this from his old watch.

My dear, Doctor, pray accept my apologies.

I was merely stating what I had deduced

from an examination of the watch.

I never even knew you had a brother

until you handed the watch to me.

Then how in the name of all that is wonderful

did you get those facts?

I could only say what was the balance of probability.

You wish to test my powers of observation and deduction

in relation to the watch, so I will tell you

why I reached my conclusions.

On the back are the initials H.W.

and the year 1830.

The second initial suggests the owner's name was Watson

and the date would indicate that the watch

was originally given to your father.

As jewelry is usually left to the eldest son,

the watch has no doubt been in the hands of your brother

who was a careless man as is evidenced

by the dents in the case.

A man invariably winds his watch at night before going to bed

and the number of scratches near the keyhole

indicate to me that he had difficulty inserting the key,

which in turn suggests that he was frequently drunk

when he tried to do so.

Your brother also suffered hard times

with occasional bursts of prosperity.

As you open the back of the watch,

you will see a number of pawnbrokers' marks

scratched on the inside.

That is truly remarkable and quite true.

Well, it amazes me how you can learn so much from so little.

♪

Elementary, my dear Watson, elementary.

♪

A young lady has called to see you, sir.

Miss Mary Morstan.

Ask the lady to come in, Mrs. Hudson.

Don't go, Doctor, I would prefer that you remain.

Oh, well, if I can be of any help.

(knocking)

Mr. Sherlock Holmes?

Yes, Ms. Morstan.

Allow me to present my colleague, Dr. Watson.

Mr. Holmes, I need your help.

And how can I be of service to you?

Briefly, the facts are these:

My father was an officer in an Indian regiment.

And when my mother died, I was sent home to a boarding school

where I stayed until I was 17 years old.

That was ten years ago.

And in that year, my father returned to England

for a year's leave from the Army.

He arrived safely then telegraphed me to join him.

On reaching London, I drove to the Langham Hotel

where I was informed that although Captain Morstan

was staying there, he had gone out

the night before and had not returned.

I presume you talked with the manager of the Langham.

Yes, I did.

He advised me to wait for one more day

to see if Father returned.

If there was still no news of him after that time,

to contact the police.

And you did that.

Yes, they made their inquiries

and advertised in the newspapers,

but to this day, no further word has been heard

of my unfortunate father.

He came home in need of rest and peace.

And instead...

(sobbing)

And what of his luggage and his papers?

Was there nothing which would give a clue

as to what could have happened to him?

No, his belongings didn't help.

All I found in his room were his clothes

and some curiosities from the Andaman Islands

where he had served as an officer in the convict guards.

Andaman Islands, eh?

When I was a surgeon in the Indian Army,

I once went there.

If my memory serves me correctly,

they are about 350 miles north of Sumatra in the Bay of Bengal.

Oh, oh, they are indeed, Holmes.

♪

Was there nothing to throw any light on why

or how he disappeared?

No, it's as much a riddle today as it was then.

Did your father have any friends in England

on whom he might have called, a fellow officer, perhaps?

There was one, a Major Sholto who had been with Father

in the East.

♪

And I suppose you contacted him.

Indeed, I did, but he knew nothing.

He didn't even know Father was back in England.

And your father has disappeared without a trace.

How very strange.

I had given up all hope.

Then six years ago, I read this advertisement

in the Times.

♪

If Mary Morstan, daughter of the late Captain Morstan,

will let this advertiser know her address,

it will be to her advantage.

And what did you do?

Did you contact the person?

Yes, I did.

I advertised my address in the same paper.

And immediately, a plain cardboard box

was delivered to me.

No sender's address was enclosed,

but the box contained a very large and lustrous pearl.

Since then, every year, on the same date,

there's appeared a similar box containing a similar pearl

with never any clue as to the sender.

♪

What beautiful pearls.

As a matching set, they must be worth a fortune.

And there was no other word?

Not until today, when I received this letter.

That's why I've come to you.

Be outside the Lyceum Theater, seven P.M. tonight.

Bring no police.

Mr. Holmes, I cannot go alone.

And I wondered if you... and perhaps Dr. Watson

would come with me.

Well, I certainly will and Dr. Watson...will also.

It is now 3:30 and I must make some inquiries

before we leave to meet this unknown benefactor tonight.

I shall return here at six o'clock then.

Goodbye, gentlemen, and thank you.

I'm so pleased that you'll help me.

Perhaps then I can solve the mystery

of my father's disappearance.

♪

♪

What an attractive lady Ms. Morstan is.

Is she?

I can't say I really noticed.

I shall make it my business to get to know her better.

♪

This afternoon, I spent some time reading back copies

of the Times newspaper.

Ms. Morstan, when your father disappeared,

his friend, Major Sholto, said he had not seen him.

Four years later, Sholto died and within a week,

you received a valuable present.

Does that not seem strange coincidence?

It most certainly does.

I'd never thought of that before.

I should have shown this to you earlier.

I discovered it in my father's suitcase.

It's drawn on paper of Indian manufacturer

and it appears to be a plan of a building.

And underneath is written "Sign of Four."

Jonathan Small, Mahomet Singh, Abdullah Khan, Dost Akbar.

What can it mean?

It is a plan of what could be an Indian fortress

and this X could suggest something is hidden there

perhaps by the four whose names are on the plan.

I begin to suspect that this matter may turn out

to be much deeper and more subtle

than I first supposed.

♪

(clock chiming)

Are you the parties that accompany Miss Morstan?

I am Miss Morstan and these two gentlemen are my friends.

I hope neither of you police officers.

I was told to be absolutely certain

that you bring no police with you.

Neither is a police officer, I can assure you of that.

And I will definitely not go without them.

I must accept your word then.

♪

♪

I could swear we've been round this corner before.

And this church, I'm sure we've passed it

at least twice already.

You are both right.

It is a crude attempt to ensure that even if we wanted to

we could never find our way here again.

An attempt, which I may say, has failed for we are present

in Coldharbour Lane.

We are heading for some most unfashionable districts.

♪

♪

Would you follow me, please?

♪

Follow me, please.

♪

Ah, Miss Morstan, I, I see you are not alone.

These gentleman are Sherlock Holmes

and Dr. Watson.

I am Thaddeus Sholto.

Pray step into my little sanctum,

an oasis of art in the howling desert of South London.

♪

Dr. Watson, eh?

A medical man.

Had your father heeded his doctor's advice

and looked after his heart,

he might still have been alive today.

(gasp)

I suppose I always knew in my heart that he was dead.

What can you tell me about my father?

How can you be certain he is dead?

I will tell you everything.

And after that, I must take you

to meet my brother, Bart.

Although he'll not be glad to see you

for it's against his wishes that I'm talking to you now.

My father told me the story on his deathbed.

Your father and mine were in the Indian Army together

working on convict guard duty.

When my father retired,

he returned to England with a treasure in precious stones.

Ten years ago, your father came to London

to claim his half of the treasure.

An argument developed as to how the treasure was to be divided.

Your father had a heart attack and fell,

hitting his head on the treasure chest.

Noise of the argument had been heard by others

and my father became afraid that if the body were found,

he would be charged with murder.

So helped by a trusted servant, he buried the body nearby.

No one ever suspected the truth.

And my father lived for years with his secret.

Eventually, he summoned me to tell me

where he'd hidden the treasure.

Just as he opened his mouth, a bearded face

appeared at the window.

He screamed, "Keep him away, keep him away!"

Without another word, dropped dead from fright.

♪

For years we searched for this mysterious treasure,

but all we discovered was some pearls

which Father must have removed from the treasure chest.

I felt obliged to share our find with you, Miss Morstan.

And after some persuasion, my brother reluctantly agreed

that I send a pearl to you each year.

Unbeknown to me, Bart had been measuring

the house carefully.

♪

He found there were some four feet unaccounted for.

So yesterday we broke a hole in the ceiling

above the laboratory.

There we found a secret room.

In the middle, covered in dust, we found the treasure.

I helped Bart lower the treasure chest

into his laboratory late yesterday.

I told Bart that I would contact Miss Morstan immediately

and that I would bring her to the house to claim

her father's share of the treasure.

♪

Bart was forced to agree.

We are, therefore, expected, although as I mentioned earlier,

we may not be too welcome.

Shall we go?

♪

The face at the window, was your father

the only one to see it?

Oh, no, Bart and I both saw it too.

It was black-bearded and fierce looking.

The next morning, I discovered a single footprint

in the garden under the window.

Just one footprint, how very strange.

♪

Oh...oh!

♪

Why, Mrs. Burnston, what's the matter?

Oh, thank heavens you've come, Mr. Thaddeus.

It's your brother!

He's locked himself in his laboratory

and neither his Indian servants nor I can get any reply

when we knock!

I think he may be ill.

♪

Come on, we've no time to lose.

Direct me to the laboratory.

Come on, Watson, we may need to break down the door.

♪

♪

Give me a hand, Watson, we must smash it in.

♪

♪

Holmes, look at this.

There's a thorn in his head just above his ear.

Don't touch it.

It is almost certainly poisoned.

It would seem that Bart Sholto has been murdered.

Oh, no!

Heavens, no!

Bart murdered!

And he's been robbed too!

The treasure's gone!

You, Mr. Sholto, go at once.

Take the carriage and get the police.

Tell them your brother has been murdered.

And you, Miss Morstan, have this good lady show you

the way to her room.

I suggest you go and stay with her.

She has had a nasty shock.

Come on, Watson, we have at least half an hour

to ourselves before Mr. Sholto will return with the police.

Let us see what we can discover.

First, Watson, did you notice these round marks on the floor?

It would appear that the murderer,

or one of them, had a wooden leg.

Good heavens.

Did you see this?

"The Sign of Four."

Holmes, you surely don't think there were four murderers?

Anyway, how did they get in?

The door and window were both locked on the inside

and the chimney is too small.

How often have I said to you, that when you have eliminated

the impossible, whatever remains,

however improbable, must be the truth?

♪

Ah!

You mean the roof.

Exactly, Watson.

You will perceive from the position of the dart

in that poor fellow's head that it was fired from up here.

We know that a man with a wooden leg

cannot clamber onto the roof, so he must have had a helper.

Pass up that lantern.

I want to see this secret room.

I can see where the treasure box stood for ten years.

There are a lot of naked footprints nearby.

There are small prints here also.

Apparently a child had spilled some creosote

and then walked in it.

Look closely at the prints.

Notice how widespread the toes are?

So they are.

These are the prints of feet which have never worn shoes.

The owner came across the roof in through the skylight

and across the rafters to the opening above.

And he murdered Bart Sholto.

And then he came over to this window

and he let in the one-legged man

who climbed up here, probably on that rope

tied to this hook.

There are fresh marks on it.

That must be Thaddeus Sholto with the police.

(footsteps approaching)

Oh, good evening, Superintendent.

Why, it's Mr. Sherlock Holmes, I think.

And what is your theory about this man's death?

Oh, this is hardly a case for me to theorize over.

But I promise you, I will deliver

the two intruders to you.

One of them is Jonathan Small,

a middle-aged, sunburned and bearded man,

poorly educated, but active with his leg off.

And he was once a convict.

And what can you tell us of the other intruder?

The other man is indeed a curious person.

Come, Watson, first we must take Miss Morstan home

and after that we have more work to do.

What other work must we do?

As soon as Miss Morstan is safely home,

we must return here with a tracking dog

to follow the trail left by the one-legged intruder

and his fellow barefooted assistant.

♪

♪

Do you remember the small, naked footprint

in the creosote near the body?

I took the precaution of putting some creosote

on my handkerchief.

Toby will have no trouble tracking them

once we find where they climbed over the wall.

♪

♪

How did you know so much about the one-legged man?

You even told Mr. Jones his name,

what he looked like and even that he'd been in prison.

How did you know all that?

Really, Watson, it is simplicity itself.

Mr. Sholto told us that his father, Major Sholto,

and Mary's father, Captain Morstan,

had been in command of a convict guard

in the Andaman Islands.

Whilst there, they learned where a treasure chest

had been hidden.

We know this because Mary Morstan

found a plan among her father's papers.

You will recall that the plan was marked dramatically

"The Sign of Four."

The same as the note found upstairs on the desk

next to Bart Sholto's body.

The three other names on the plan are those of Indians

leaving Jonathan Small as the only white man.

I assume, therefore, that as the words on the plan

are in English, then Jonathan Small wrote them.

The only valid explanation as to why the four

did not collect the treasure is that they could not

because they were being held as convicts.

So, Major Sholto collected the treasure

and brought it to England

intending to keep it for himself.

And then his friend, Captain Morstan, arrives,

that was ten years ago,

before collecting any part of the treasure.

And then all is peaceful for about four more years

until the night Sholto died when he and his sons

all saw a bearded face at the window.

It could only have been Jonathan Small.

But how did he get there?

Sholto was shocked and terrified.

He was shocked because he knew Jonathan Small

was not due for release and must have escaped.

And he was terrified because he feared

that Jonathan Small had come to kill him.

How did Jonathan Small learn that the Sholto brother

had found the treasure yesterday?

I can only guess how that was done.

He had probably made secret contacts

with one of Sholto's Indian servants

who had told him of the discovery.

♪

♪

We're out of luck.

This is where the trail ends.

It suggests that our quarry boarded a boat in this wharf.

♪

♪

Toby can find no trace of them on these other boats.

So they must have done as you say

and left on a boat from here.

♪

It looks as though the boat owner lives here.

Let's ask and see what help he can give.

Mordecai Smith, boats for hire by the hour or the day.

It would appear that one of those boats

is a steam launch and its absence from the wharf

would suggest our quarry has taken it.

Let us inquire within.

Uh, Mrs. Smith?

I'm sorry to disturb you so early.

I wonder if your husband could spare us a few minutes.

Oh, I'm afraid he's away, sir.

He left yesterday on the Aurora.

My friend and I were interested in hiring your steam launch

for a few days.

The only steam launch we own is the Aurora.

My husband's out on her now.

But he shouldn't be long

'cause he hasn't enough coal aboard her

to take her more than a few miles.

He doesn't like buying it along the river

because of the high prices they ask.

What bad luck I missed your husband.

Was he alone?

Oh, sir, he's not alone.

He's under hire to a one-legged man

and another party I didn't see.

What does she look like, the Aurora?

I'll keep an eye open for her when next I'm on the Thames.

She's as trim a little thing as any on the river.

She's been fresh painted black hull with two red streaks.

♪

Tell me, Holmes, if we cannot advertise

seeking the whereabouts of the Aurora for fear

of arousing suspicion, and you don't wish

to involve the police, then how do you intend

to find the boat?

♪

(approaching footsteps)

The Baker Street Irregulars.

Good morning, Wiggins.

I want you to check the waterfront

on both sides of the river.

We are looking for a boat called the Aurora.

She is a steam launch with a black hull

with two red streaks.

You'll each be paid for the time you spend searching

with a gold coin to the boy who finds her first.

Let me know the moment you find her.

We surely have the easiest job in London.

After all, there are not many men about

who have a wooden leg whilst the other man

is even more distinctive.

One could say he's absolutely unique.

The other man again?

What do we know of him?

At the Sholto residence, we both saw

small naked footprints.

And I drew your attention to the fact

that the toes were widespread.

Those feet have never been fettered by boots.

Now, consider the owner's agility and the poison dart.

What does this add to?

Some sort of native, a savage.

A poisoned dart would only be shot in one way,

through a blow pipe.

The Aborigines of the Andaman Islands

are perhaps the smallest race on earth.

Their average height is less than four feet.

They are fierce, morose, and intractable people,

but capable of forming the most devoted friendship

once their confidence has been gained.

They have always been a terror to shipwrecked crews,

frequently shooting survivors with poisoned darts.

Such massacres are invariably concluded by cannibal feasts.

We have already concluded that Jonathan Small

was a convict on the Andaman Islands.

Surely it is not so very strange that an islander

would come with him to London.

Although I fancy that Small will wish he had returned

to England alone if, as a result of Bart Sholto's murder

he doesn't already do so.

♪

Now that the, uh, Baker Street Irregulars

are all out looking for the Aurora,

this seems like a good time to get some sleep.

And I heard him playing his violin

and pacing half the night.

He didn't go to bed at all.

He's gone out and left no message.

(knocking)

Oh, this must be him now.

I am Chief Superintendent Jones, madame.

A Mr. Sherlock Holmes requested that I meet him here

and wait if he is not at home.

Ah, Dr. Watson, Mr. Holmes not here?

Hello, Mr. Jones.

No, he isn't.

Oh, oh, do sit down.

Would you care for a drink of something?

Thank you, I don't mind if I do.

I'll have a whiskey and soda.

I've just received this telegram from your friend, Holmes.

"Go to Baker Street at once.

Wait for me there.

Am close on the track of the Sholto murder gang.

To be in at the finish, come with us tonight."

(approaching footsteps)

What in blazes is he doing here?

You might offer me a cigar too.

Well, we'll discuss it.

I thought my disguise was pretty good,

but I hardly expected to fool you gentlemen.

(laughing)

You had us fooled for a moment.

Now, I thought I recognized the eyes.

Why are you in disguise anyway, Holmes?

When Wiggins and his Baker Street Irregulars failed

to find the Aurora--

They are a gang of boys which Holmes has used

to look for the launch on which the murderers got away.

I was puzzled.

The boat could not have gone far before daylight

and she would have been seen.

Yet it had vanished.

Then in the middle of the night, it came to me

where the boat must be hidden.

So this morning I got up early

and so as not to arouse suspicion,

I dressed as an old seaman and went out looking for her.

The question we must ask ourselves is

where can one hide a steam launch on the Thames

and still have it available for immediate use?

The answer is in a boat builder's yard

into which you deliver the boat for some minor repairs.

I confirmed that today after I visited 15 of them.

Not only did I see the Aurora, black hull with red streaks,

just as Mrs. Smith had said,

but I also saw her elusive husband.

(footsteps)

We must all go out this evening, Mrs. Hudson.

I have a cab picking us up at 6:30.

Would you mind giving us a very early dinner?

I saw Smith go aboard the Aurora where she's tied up

at Jacobson's yard.

I heard him tell the shipyard workers

that they needed her at 8 o'clock tonight.

Can you have a fast unmarked launch ready to sail

at 7 o'clock tonight?

She must be very fast as we are going to be in for a chase.

I'll organize one to be ready at Westminster Bridge,

and I'll meet you there at 7 o'clock.

One thing more, gentlemen, for our own protection,

we must each take a revolver tonight.

♪

(clock chiming)

(boat whistle)

♪

♪

Cruise gently up and down here under the cover

of this string of barges.

We are hidden by these barges so we can see them,

but they cannot see us.

We must be ready to give chase as soon as they appear.

♪

♪

A boat is leaving now.

♪

Stop!

Police here!

Stop!

♪

♪

What's with that bundle they have on the deck, Holmes?

Surely it's not a dog?

No, it is not a dog, Watson.

Gentlemen, we will be alongside shortly.

I suggest that you have your revolvers ready

and if that black bundle moves then shoot it.

♪

I'm sorry, Mr. Small, they're nearly on us.

I did me best.

The game's up.

♪

♪

I'm afraid he's done for.

He can't possibly swim in that overcoat.

He's gone under already.

With that rope around his feet, he had no chance.

How very appropriate.

He was destined to die by the rope

for the murder of Bart Sholto.

♪

♪

That murderous little rogue tried to kill us.

Pull Small out of the mud and bring him aboard.

There are some questions I wish to put to him.

♪

Give me the key to this chest.

I threw it into the river.

You threw it into the river?

Well, we'll just have to break the chest open.

There's nothing in it.

It's empty.

Let us go to Baker Street where Small can dry

those wet clothes and we can hear the full story.

Oh, Jonathan Small, I am sorry it had to come to this.

At least I can offer you a drink and a smoke

while we hear your story.

Thank you, sir.

I'm sorry too.

I give you my word that I never raised my hand

against Mr. Sholto.

It was that little hell hound, Tonga,

who shot one of his cursed poison darts into him.

I don't see why I should swing for the job.

And what about the treasure, what did you do with that?

I put it away where you'll never be able to lay a hand on it.

It was my treasure and that of my three Indian friends.

They're still in prison in the Andaman Islands.

And when I saw your launch catching us,

I decided that if we four could not have the treasure,

then no kith or kin of Sholto or Morstan should have it.

I threw it, piece by piece, into the Thames.

And why were you so determined to see

that neither Ms. Morstan nor Mr. Sholto

should get any of it?

It's a long story.

Soon after I joined the Army, I was posted to India.

One day I was swimming in the Ganges...

♪

...when a crocodile took my leg.

Five months in hospital and I was discharged

as a cripple and not yet 20 years old.

I got a job as an overseer on a plantation.

The job consisted mainly of riding on horseback.

In spite of my leg, I found I could cope quite well.

Then, with no warning, a lot of Indians

mutinied against the British.

My house was burned and my friends

and their families were slaughtered.

♪

I managed to reach the city of Agra

where other English people had gathered.

♪

♪

One night, I was in charge of the sentry on one of the gates.

Listen to me, Sahib.

There is a Raja in the Northern Provinces

who has joined forces with the mutineers.

This Raja has kept his gold and silver with him.

All his jewels he has put in a box which his servant

is to bring to Agra.

This servant will arrive tonight.

If the mutineers win, the Raja will say

that he has been on their side.

He will share in their success

and will keep his gold and silver.

If the English win and the mutiny is defeated,

he has all his jewels and is still a very rich man.

By joining the mutiny, the Raja has forfeited

his right to this property.

And the man carrying it is liable to execution.

Exactly, Sahib!

Now, my half-brother, Dost Akbar, is bringing the man

with the treasure to this gate tonight.

Here the man will die and the jewels

will be forfeited, all according to the law.

Except that the jewels will be split four ways.

To him, to Dost Akbar, to me, and to you,

unless you would prefer to die now.

In which case, we will split your share three ways.

I am with you heart and soul.

♪

The deed was done and we buried the body.

Then, after one look at the jewels,

we hid the box in a wall.

Unfortunately, another servant of the Raja

suspected what had happened and when the body was found,

the four of us were charged with murder.

We were found guilty and sentenced

to life imprisonment on the Andaman Islands.

And there you met Major Sholto and Captain Morstan,

who are officers of the guard.

Also the murderous little Tonga.

To cut a long story short, we did a deal with Sholto

who was to get the treasure, then send back a boat

for Morstan and we four prisoners.

Sholto robbed us all and took the whole treasure

to England as his own.

On that day, I swore to get back our treasure.

I befriended Tonga, who had been ill.

♪

I nursed him to health.

And in return, he helped me to escape.

♪

I clubbed a guard with my wooden leg

in order to get away.

I fear I may have killed him.

♪

I think the rest you know.

I've no doubt you'll be happier when I'm behind bars.

Well, I've got my prisoner.

What have you two got?

♪

You first, Small.

I don't want my head caved in with your wooden leg.

♪

I've got my prisoner, what have you two got?

♪

You first, Small.

♪

♪

♪