The Sign of Four

The Sign of Four, directed by Basil Deardon and produced by Michael Balcon, is an adaptation of the fourth novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, 'The Sign of Four,' which was first published in 1890. The movie, released in 1960, is a crime-mystery film set in Victorian England during the late 19th century. The story centers around Mary Morstan, a mysterious woman who seeks the help of Sherlock Holmes in unraveling a tangled web of mystery that revolves around her life. The film commences with Mary Morstan receiving a white pearl in an envelope with her name on it. This has become an annual tradition ever since the disappearance of her father eight years ago. The mysterious nature of the pearl has been an ongoing riddle in Mary's life, and she has become quite despondent about the whole affair. With a sense of desperation, she pays a visit to the Baker Street lodgings of the renowned detective, Sherlock Holmes, and his trusted friend and associate, Dr. John Watson. Upon being introduced to Mary Morstan's problem, Holmes agrees to take the case, intrigued by the unusual circumstances surrounding the pearl and his determination to unravel the mystery that is shrouding Mary's life. Holmes begins by questioning Mary about her father's past and her life after his disappearance, seeking any clues that might lead him to the truth. Meanwhile, the film also introduces a mysterious man known as Thaddeus Sholto, a wealthy and influential gentleman who lives with his wife, a woman of Indian descent. The couple is shrouded in mystery, and their behavior evokes suspicion from Holmes. As the investigation unfolds, Holmes discovers that Thaddeus Sholto had been in contact with Mary Morstan's father before he died, suggesting a possible connection between the two. As the plot thickens, Holmes discovers a dark secret about Sholto's past. During the Indian Rebellion of 1857, Sholto and three other convicts had been imprisoned for their crimes against the British Empire. The prisoners formed a secret pact, agreeing to remain loyal to one another and to keep each of their past a secret. Sholto, whose real name was Major Sholto, had obtained a valuable treasure from his ancestors, but he could not access it due to the fact that the family jewels had been hidden away by a loyal accomplice, a mysterious woman who had been left behind by the family. As the story unfolds, Holmes learns about a man named Jonathan Small, one of the four convicts from the Indian Rebellion of 1857. Small had become a partner-in-crime with Sholto and had a hand in his father's disappearance. Holmes also discovers that the woman who had received the pearls in the post was none other than Violet Hunter, Sholto's sister-in-law, who was also in league with Small. The mystery is further complicated when Holmes discovers that Mary Morstan is the daughter of Jonathan Small and Violet Hunter, thereby linking her to the entire conspiracy. The web of deception and secrets surrounding the four convicts is finally unraveled, revealing a shocking truth about the fate of Mary Morstan's father and the reason for the mysterious pearls. In the climactic final scenes, Holmes exposes the truth to Mary and confronts Thaddeus Sholto, Small, and Violet Hunter about their involvement in the conspiracy. The film concludes with Holmes providing Mary Morstan with a sense of closure as the mystery surrounding her father's disappearance is finally laid to rest. The Sign of Four is a gripping mystery that showcases the intellectual prowess of Sherlock Holmes, who once again, unravels a complex web of secrets with his razor-sharp mind and incredible powers of observation.