As one of the most complex Sherlock Holmes mysteries, it is not easy to make a film of it, while Granada actually succeeded in bringing out an excellent version, surpassing all others. Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes is still rather fresh in his role and makes more than the best of it, visibly enjoying it, while Edward Hardwicke as Watson presents a more human approach to the mystery and its characters. The film is slightly Dickensian in its excellent concentration on environments of the dirtiest London with its shabbiest figures, one of them being Sherlock Holmes himself in an overly convincing disguise. The film is true to the book, which is its greatest advantage, and it is just as difficult to follow as it is in the book. It is difficult to label it as an entertainment or thriller, but the Dickensian trait actually makes it something of a literary film, including a strong performance by John Thaw and the wonderful dog Toby. Conan Doyle would have liked it and only found negligible details to object against.
Review of The Sign of Four
