To the order of USSR GOSTELERADIO
LENFILM Studio
THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES AND DOCTOR WATSON
PART ONE
THE MASTER BLACKMAILER
Based on stories by SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE
Starring:
Vassily LIVANOV
Vitaly SOLOMIN
Rina ZELENAYA
Cast:
Valentina Panina Borislav Brondukov
Boris Ryzhukhin
Boris Klyuev
Anatoly Podshivalov and others
There's one question that worries me.
It is extremely important,
if I venture to write about this case.
How did you know he was poisoned?
Rack of lamb in garlic sauce.
- What lamb? - In garlic sauce.
That night for dinner
he had lamb in garlic sauce.
I don't understand. What has lamb got to do with it?
Elementary, Watson. Opium powder has a specific taste.
Opium powder!
Garlic sauce is a good means to conceal the odor of opium.
Watson!
There's a very odd death.
Hear this.
Yesterday lord Christopher Hacksley died suddenly
in his family castle at age 42.
Death was caused by heart failure.
The inconsolable widow
found her deceased husband in his study.
But why do you find that odd?
It's the suddenness, Watson.
A maintenance man came by.
That means, something needed fixing.
I was right.
These are his footprints, right next to the gas-bracket.
Where's Mrs. Hudson?
- Mrs. Hudson! - Morning, gentlemen.
I'm glad to see you healthy and in good spirits.
Breakfast will be ready in half an hour.
We owe you 2.5 shillings for fixing the gas-bracket.
One and a half, Mr. Holmes.
Judging by the time he spent here,
he earned his honest 2 and a half shillings.
He was too garrulous.
You think so? I think he was just a jovial fellow.
Look at the funny faces
he drew on the dusty top of my secretaire.
This dust, Mr. Holmes, is all your responsibility.
Why, you won't allow me to clean your room.
Therefore there's dust all over the place.
Mrs. Hudson!
If I could, I'd prohibit cleaning altogether.
To everyone, everywhere, and at all times!
Your cleaning up, Mrs. Hudson,
is like chopping off hieroglyphs off Egyptian stones.
After that Egyptologists would have nothing else to do.
They would have to deal with
absolutely bare smooth stones, without a trace of information.
A letter?
Is lies there since last night.
Since yesterday morning, if you didn't touch the newspapers.
I've come to the conclusion that you owe your observation
and the rare ability to construct a chain of deductions
to systematic training exercises.
You perfect your deduction method every minute.
I think it is more of a hereditary thing.
- Were there sleuths in your family? - No.
My grandmother was the sister of the French artist Vernier.
You know, Watson, if there's aristocratism in your blood,
at times it takes on the most unusual forms.
Why do you think you inherited this quality?
My brother Mycroft has the same talent, only developed to a far
greater degree of perfection. This letter is from him.
At times you shock me with your arrogance,
and at times - with excessive modesty.
Neither anyone I know nor the police have ever heard
of a detective Mycroft Holmes.
If I say my brother is more perceptive that I am,
you must trust me.
- Is he younger than you? - 7 years older.
- Why is he unknown? - He is popular in his circles.
For instance, in the club "Diogenes".
What is that club?
The most silent club in London.
It prohibits any chatting or conversations.
One who breaks the rule,
is immediately excluded.
Mycroft is one of the founding members.
Every time I go there I find that the atmosphere is
most appeasing.
I am going there now. Want to keep me company?
It is a special room for visitors.
You can talk in here. My brother Mycroft.
Pleased to meet you, doctor.
Since the day you started writing my brother's biography,
there's no end to questions whether I am in any way related
to the famed Mr. Holmes.
Sherlock, I expected to see you last week
about the case in Manorhouse.
Thought you might be having difficulties.
We solved it. We've just come back from there.
- Garlic sauce? - That's right.
To get rid of the opium odor.
That's what I figured from the start.
What an interesting character.
The marker?
The man who's talking to the doorman.
A marker?
Could be.
The right shoulder is more developed.
The left pocket is smeared with chalk.
Is easily susceptible to colds.
Especially in spring.
Single.
- More likely, a widower. - I agree.
- But not more that 3 years. - I agree.
- Has a child. - Children, my boy.
A boy and an older girl.
But wants to get married again.
Despite his gout.
Well I'll be damned!
Now you see, dear Watson,
Mycroft would have made a brilliant detective,
if he wouldn't prefer silence to everything else in the world.
But not even here can one hide from the gruesome reality.
Sherlock, I wanted to see you about a very important matter.
Not one soul, except you, of course,
is to know about this.
Especially the police.
Such was the request of Lady Eve Brackwell.
- Brackwell? - Don't strain your memory.
She's hardly known to anyone yet.
One of the most beautiful women I've ever met,
she started going out only this year.
Their wedding with duke Dovercourt
is planned for next week.
Charming.
However there are several careless letters -
- That's right, careless, -
that she wrote to one poor esquire.
The letters were stolen by a scoundrel.
His name is...
- Charles Augustus Milverton. - Yes.
These letters are enough to break the engagement.
Milverton will hand them over to the duke
if he is not paid a substantial sum of money.
The monster!
Lady Brackwell doesn't have the money.
That's why I ask you take up this case, Sherlock.
Milverton?
The Master Blackmailer.
He abuses people's vices, mistakes and weaknesses.
He has many victims to his score.
Do me a favor and take this case, my boy.
Charles Augustus Milverton.
"I shall pay you a visit at 10 p.m.".
That means, someone had informed him about our
conversation, even though we talked at the Silent Club.
Watson!
I wonder what you can say about that gentleman.
I presume, that was his card.
Correct.
All of London's criminal world is at his service.
He pays generously.
Once he paid 700 pounds to a servant
for a note of 2 sentences.
As a result the head of a family committed suicide
and the whole family was ruined.
Come in, he's upstairs.
I imagine you must be quite surprised, Mr. Holmes.
Not at all.
Did the doorman from the "Diogenes" club tell you?
No, a marker I know.
This gentleman?
My friend and colleague doctor Watson.
The case of our lady client is a delicate one...
I have no secrets from doctor Watson.
Then let's get down to business.
I understand, you are acting on behalf of Lady Eve?
Has she authorized you to accept my conditions?
- What are they? - 7 thousand pounds.
What happens if we say no?
Dear sir, I hate to say this,
but if the money will not be paid to me on the 14th,
believe me, on the 18th there will be no wedding.
We will advise Lady Eve to tell her husband
everything and count on his magnanimity.
I can see, you don't know the duke.
There is nothing bad in those letters.
They're witty, very witty.
The lady wrote beautifully.
But I assure you, the duke won't appreciate the style.
However, If you insist
that your client will only benefit if the duke reads the
letters, it would be madness to pay such a small fortune.
Let's consider the matter closed.
We will do everything possible to avoid a scandal.
I didn't doubt for a second you would take exactly this attitude
But we both know Lady Eve is not rich.
What you say about her financial situation is true.
But this marriage is a perfect opportunity for her friends and
family to do something for her.
They will be considering a a wedding present.
And they need to know that she will be more happy to get these
letters than all the vases and chandeliers in London.
Don't you think your business is immoral?
Not to mention the legal side. But Christian morality!
Stop preaching, doctor!
Who if not me stands on guard Of the interests of matrimony?
This belongs to...
But let's not be immodest,
until this note gets into the hands of the lady's husband.
But as soon as the lady trades her diamonds
for this trifle, the marriage will be saved.
Now, remember the abrupt breaking off of
Miss Miles and Colonel Dorking?
The "Morning Post" wrote about it 2 days before the wedding.
And some 1200 pounds could have saved that marriage.
Not to mention how
unfaithful and stubborn wives
send their trusting husbands to heaven. When lord Hacksley
learned about the escapades of his wife...
We read "The Times".
The heart of this young 40-year-old man
couldn't take the blow. Alas!
And who would be to blame? Don't tell me It is I.
I still don't understand.
Why ruin people's lives if it doesn't bring any profit?
You're mistaking there.
I benefit from that kind of publicity.
I'm handling about 8-10 cases at a time.
If they find out I have severely punished Lady Eve for instance,
the others will be more reasonable.
You understand?
Watson!
Let's see what the scoundrel has in his pockets.
What?!
I have to deal with that kind of attitude quite often.
No one can do anything to me!
If I have to use the gun, the law will be on my side.
Besides I'm not that stupid to carry the letters on me.
I expected something more original from you,
Mister Holmes!
My dear brother, we've made 2 inexcusable mistakes.
First of all!
Instead of trying to impress doctor Watson
with our brilliant family talents,
we should have paid more attention to the marker.
And second! To speak in a club where everyone else is silent...
is the same as to shout when everyone else is speaking.
Exactly!
As a result Milverton made his move first.
He caught me by surprise, unarmed,
without any facts or proof.
I'm not used to working that way. I quit the case.
Are you suggesting that we try to find the money?
It will be better that way.
And there's no other option?
I don't think so.
I feel sorry for the poor girl.
Don't, Escott!
What has Charlie got to do with you?
If he gets near you, I'll kill him like a fly.
I'll shoot his brains out! And no regrets.
- Escott, you won't do that. - Sure I will.
Milverton's estate is like an impregnable fortress.
Gloomy-looking streets, identical houses...
And all of a sudden amidst all that - an ancient house!
No!
A castle rather!
It stands in the middle of a garden, surrounded by a high
wall, cracked from the dry sun,
a stone wall, overgrown with moss. It...
I see.
A high stone wall. Go on.
Right. Apart from the wall.
First of all, I saw the man we had seen earlier.
Second, I bumped into a sneaky-looking character,
who I think suspected something...
I'll shoot his brains out! And no regrets!
Well I'll be damned, Holmes.
That's not the worst part.
The thing is, I'm engaged.
My fiancée is Milverton's housemaid.
Her name's Agatha.
A sweet charming girl.
Isn't that going a bit too far?
For her I am a tinsmith. Name's Escott.
My business is going well.
But what about the girl, Holmes?!
All we did was walk the dog and talk.
But now I know Milverton's house like the palm of my own hand.
I have a lucky rival by the name of Charlie.
He'll take my place as soon as I disappear from the scene.
But thank you for the valuable information. I haven't noticed
the marker. Look at this, Watson.
An ultimate thief's kit.
Glazier's diamonds, a knife, and a set of master-keys.
Objects born out of the progress of civilization.
And here... Look.
Look at this beauty!
A thief's flashlight.
I'm going to rob Milverton.
I always told you
I'd make a good thief.
And I'm grabbing at this opportunity.
But what if they catch you and arrest you?
"Holmes in the hands of Milverton!"
Can't you - Sherlock Holmes - find another solution?
There is no other solution.
I will commit a crime only in the eyes of the law. From the
point of view of morality my actions will be justified.
You're not sure? Why then did you rush to help me
when I attempted to search the bastard's pockets.
You were about to hit him with a chair.
But the risk! Think about the risk!
A gentleman mustn't mind the risk,
when a woman is asking for help.
What if he already handed the letters over?
No.
He's taking his time. He thinks I quit the case.
If I won't get the letters tonight,
tomorrow he's going to ruin poor Lady Eve Brackwell.
- When do we set off? - You can't help me here.
Why do you say that?
You're not the only one who has a feeling of
self-respect and sympathy for others.
All right.
We spent a long time living under one roof.
If we're unlucky, we'll share the prison cell.
- Have you got soft shoes? - Of course.
My tennis shoes.
What about a mask?
We can cut two out of a black silk fabric.
Bravo, doctor!
You're a natural born thief!
The papers are in a safe. The safe is in the study.
The study adjoins the bedroom.
Just like any staunch scoundrel, Milverton
sleeps soundly.
Agatha confirmed that.
All goes according to schedule. It's half past ten.
- It's time to put on the masks. - No.
We'll put them on when we climb over the wall.
Get the tools.
It's Nora.
Don't be afraid of her.
We love vanilla rusks.
Nora, here's some more!
Jump, Watson.
Now that she recognized me,
we can put on the masks.
This is the door of the study.
Bad luck, it's bolted.
Let's try the back door.
There's a greenhouse that leads to the drawing-room.
God dammit! I cut my finger.
Welcome!
It saw us.
The parrot.
Throw a handkerchief over it.
- The garden door is open. - Strange.
Let's not waste time.
Watson!
Wipe that away! Quick!
- You have a handkerchief? - I left it with the parrot.
Here, take mine.
I shall be in my study!
Come in. It's open.
You're half an hour late.
I hope I will be rewarded for the inconvenience?
Couldn't you come earlier?
Well, I can see you couldn't.
So you say, the countess mistreated you?
Now you have a chance to get even with her.
Haven't you?
What's with you, young lady? You're trembling!
Calm down.
That's better.
Now lets get down to business.
You said you have 5 letters
that compromise your mistress.
You want to sell them, I want to buy.
All we have to do is agree about the price.
But I have to see the letters first.
My God! It's you?!
Yes, its me.
The poor woman that you have ruined.
You were stubborn.
You shouldn't have let matters get out of hand.
I assure you, if there's no need, I won't hurt a fly.
But everyone earns his bread in his own way.
What was left to do? I named the price.
You could afford it.
But you didn't want to pay!
And then you sent the letters to my husband.
His heart wasn't strong enough for that.
He died.
The noblest of men passed away.
You remember the night when in this very room
I stood on my knees begging you to have mercy on me?
But you only laughed in my face.
Just as you're laughing now. Only your lips are quivering.
Coward!
You thought you would never see me again?
But I knew the way.
You don't think you scare me, do you?
All I have to do is call my servants and throw you out.
But I shall be lenient towards the angry lady.
Your anger becomes you!
Just leave.
And let's forget the whole story.
I won't let you destroy any more lives,
torment any more hearts.
I shall save the world from the venomous viper.
He's dead.
Stop!
Drop your gun!
I got you!
God dammit!
Here! They're here!
Where's your shoe, Watson?
Apparently, same place as your handkerchief.
The police have them.
Did your handkerchief have your initials on it?
Luckily, no.
Lets hope, everything will end well.
The main thing is that lady Eve is safe now.
I wasn't too careful either.
There's my blood on the greenhouse door.
The police to see you, gentlemen.
Hello, Mr. Holmes. Doctor.
Good morning, inspector.
I would like to ask...
- You're not too busy right now? - Not too busy.
Please sit down.
Thank you, I prefer to stand.
- Sit down, inspector. - I won't keep you long.
Mr. Holmes, something very unusual
happened in Hampstead this night.
Unusual indeed, because one crime
seemed to have overlapped with another.
Tell me what happened.
I know you like cases like this one.
I'm sure you do.
A murder without any traces of theft.
- I'm sure you're interested. - Yes and no.
- Depends on the details. - The details are perfect!
A dramatic murder with all the ensuing details.
- Very interesting... - Go on, inspector.
I would be much obliged,
if you would personally go to Appledor Towers.
We've been keeping the deceased under surveillance for some time
and I must say, he was a real bastard.
In his safe he kept papers
that he used for blackmailing people.
But after he was murdered all the papers were burned to ashes.
Not a single valuable was stolen.
This tells me
that the criminals were people of a high social status.
- There were several? - Two.
We have evidence.
Blood on the glass door, a tennis shoe, footprints,
a handkerchief.
That's evidence all right.
Yes! We nearly caught them.
But the first one was agile, And the gardener caught
the second one, but he got away leaving only his shoe.
He was a man of average height,
sturdily-built, with a broad face,
red moustache, and wearing a mask.
Such a general description could fit anyone.
Even Watson.
- You flatter me, inspector. - Yes, exactly.
I'm afraid I won't be able to help you, inspector.
First of all, I am very busy right now.
Secondly, you have enough evidence.
And most importantly, I knew this man Milverton.
He was one of the slimiest bastards in London.
Let's hope he has been punished according to his deeds.
I won't take this case.
Well, it is up to you, Mr. Holmes.
But if I have any questions, I'll come to you for advise.
I'll be happy to help you out.
Good-bye, Mr. Holmes.
Well I'll be damned!
What the dickens devil!
I solve crimes all my life,
and I fail to cover my own tracks.
Mr. Holmes, there's a letter for you.
Thank you.
"Dear limb of the law!
You've overstepped the limit. Beware! M."
Lestrade is not a fool after all.
This note is his work.
He must have noticed the shoe in the fireplace too.
Yes!
We're up to our ears in this.
The story is just beginning,
and Lestrade has nothing to do with it.
Where's this year's reference book "All London"?
- Letter "M"? - No, letter "H".
Lord Christopher Hacksley.
Look up his address.
I didn't call the police.
We're not from Scotland Yard. We are private detectives.
Thank god, my husband died his own death.
I am in no need of private detectives either.
I'll get down to business.
This morning me and my friend Doctor Watson
received a letter, the content of which will hardly
interest you, however you may recognize the signature.
It is the letter "M" made of four crossed swords.
Is this monogram familiar to you?
I'm afraid I don't understand.
You see, m'lady, there are many rogues in London,
who are interested in aristocratic families.
Our aim is to protect you from blackmail.
I never saw this monogram before.
Are you sure?
I'm sure you are wasting your time.
I've forgotten
what an ordinary London postman looks like.
Your mail delivery gets on my nerves, gentlemen.
Either it's brought here by some ragamuffins,
or flies into the window with a stone,
and the next time your brother Mycroft sends a telegram with
a messenger looking like he was straight from Buckingham
Palace. In the morning some kind of a hairy monster
slipped a note under the door.
And a moment before you arrived
a man rushed in, barked out something unintelligible,
threw an envelope at me and ran away.
- Where's the envelope? - It's in the hall.
I think there's a bomb in there.
I've long given up Mr. Holmes as hopeless. But you, doctor!
A lady! A true lady in everything she does.
This is what I asked her for.
And she sent it with god knows who.
What a woman! What self-possession!
What common sense!
- Some kind of hieroglyphs. - That's wonderful, Watson.
We will have to decipher them.
And let all British Egyptologists be envious of me!
Scriptwriter: Vladimir Valutsky
Director: Igor Maslennikov
D.O.P.: Yuri Veksler, Anatoly Lapshov
Production designer: Mark Kaplan
Music composed by: Vladimir Dashkevich
End of Part One
In Part Two
The Famous detective Sherlock Holmes and his friend doctor Watson
experience the power and insidious nature
of the man, whose identity is concealed behind the letter "M".
To the order of USSR Gosteleradio