Sherlock Holmes: The Pearl of Death (1944)

[bunniefuu]

[knocking]

Who's there?

Steward, sir.

I say, were not at Dover yet
are we?

No sir, but there's a message
for you, sir.

In the wireless room.

I'll be right there.

Dover in fifteen minutes.

Dover in fifteen minutes.

Dover in fifteen minutes.

Dover in fifteen minutes.

Dover in fifteen minutes.

Dover in fifteen minutes.

[ship horn]

Bless my soul.
I must have dropped off

right in the midst of our
most interesting conversation.

My dear young lady,
what must you think of me?

Oh please, I knew you were
tired so I kept very quiet.

I wouldn't have awakened you
for the world.

You're very kind.

Oh, you were telling me
about your roses.

Ah, yes, yes my roses.

My beautiful roses.

[ship horn]

Oh yes, yes we...

We must be getting into Dover.

Well, bless my soul.
Yes indeed.

- Oh, I beg your pardon.
- I beg your pardon.

Yes, yes there are the
white cliff's.

You know I've been dreading
this moment.

Why now?

Well, you see I have some
exposed film in my camera and

they might make me open it,

the custom's I mean.

I should so hate to lose
my little pictures.

Oh dear, that's too bad.

I wonder,
it would be a great favor.

Would you mind taking
care of it for me,

till we get through
the customs I mean?

Well, I don't quite know--

If you'll just say it's yours

being a clergyman, you're not
subject to such rigid inspection.

All right.

Just a harmless
little deception, eh?

All right my dear,
all right.

Oh...Oh dear,
it nearly fell overboard.

- Yes.
- Oh, dear.

[crowd murmuring]

- Are you a courier for
the Royal Museum?
- Right.

- Bringing in the Borgia Pearl?
- That's it.

I'll have it out for you
in a jiffy.

I say, that's a clever dodge.

Needs to be for this,
believe me.

There you are.

That message,

sent to me on the boat

it was a hoax to get me
out of my stateroom.

Oh, there you are.

I was afraid that--

My dear, they...they
didn't even question me.

- Oh, how can I ever thank--
- Don't try

just send me one of your
photographs, will you?

I'll be happy to.

- Goodbye.
- Goodbye.

Why, Giles!

Come on, get in.

How many times must
I caution you, my sweet

not to speak
until the doors are shut?

I'm sorry,
I didn't expect you to meet me.

Oh, I couldn't deny
myself that pleasure.

Naomi, your more beautiful
than ever.

I'm glad to be back.

Yes and we're glad
to have you back.

We?

Well, an old friend of yours
turned up quite unexpectedly.

He's been asking for you.

Who's that?

I found him prowling
around the room

making wistful little noises
like a dog.

No, it can't be.

Yes my dear, The Creeper.

I'm not going to the flat.

Oh, you'll be quite safe.
I have him under lock and key.

Now to business.
What luck?

See for yourself.

I stuffed it with paper
to stop it from rattling.

It's absolutely the biggest
pearl I've ever seen.

I don't understand.

You've been had, my dear,
properly had.

"My dear Conover,

forgive me if I take the liberty
of returning the Borgia Pearl

to its lawful owners.

Devotedly, S.H."

Sherlock Holmes
of Baker Street.

Well, you might tell me
what you've been doing?

One thing at a time, old boy.
Let me get off this makeup.

Oh, I'm as stiff
as a vanished eel.

It still doesn't answer
my question.

What've you been up to?

A little bit of hijacking,
old boy.

Reach into the inside pocket
of that coat

that you're about to
throw aside.

What do you find there?

Pocketbook.

Open it.

Take out what you see.

You're fingers are now closed on a
matter of fifty thousand pounds.

What?

Huh, can't be real.

Real as death, old fellow.

The blood of twenty men upon it
down through the centuries.

Where'd you get it?

From a charming young lady,
Naomi Drake.

Alias Ebet Dejue,
alias Liza Vanini.

Never heard of her.

No, nor of Giles Conover
either, I fancy.

No, I can't say that I have.

That's the incredible thing
about it, Watson.

This man invades Europe
like a plague

yet no one has heard of him.

That's what puts him on the
pentacle in the records of crime.

What's he do?

Everything and nothing.

In his whole diabolical career

the police have never been able
to pin anything on him.

And yet,
show me crime without motive,

robbery without a clue,

m*rder without a trace

and I'll show you
Giles Conover.

But that's amazing, Holmes.

Two years ago he disappeared
from his usual haunts

and I have every reason
to believe that he--

Oh, here it is.

I've every reason to believe
that he's back in England again.

It's like a precocity of
this sinister creature

I should feel that my own
career had reached its summit.

Where is that stuff?

Well, you think Conover's
behind the theft of this pearl?

I was never more sure
of anything in my life.

- Excuse me.
- Oh.

[distant footsteps]

Shh.

Listen.

The pearl, quick hide it.

Turn out that light.

Well, Mr. Holmes.

My apologies, Lestrade.

I was expecting Mr. Giles Conover.
Come in, won't you?

Good evening, Doctor Watson.

[mumbles]
Good evening.

I take it that Scotland Yard
has been notified of the theft

of the Borgia Pearl?

Yes but...but--

Give it to him, Watson.

What?

Well, I never.

That's a fine way to treat
the Borgia Pearl.

I assure you, Lestrade
I shall not feel safe

until this pearl is in
the deepest vault

of the Royal Regent Museum.

[crowd murmuring]

I don't mind telling you, Digby
I shall be glad to see the last
of your precious pearl.

Precious is a feeble word, Holmes.

Look at its flawless skin,
it's natural symmetry,

- it's a miracle of beauty.
- A miracle of horror.

- Steady on now.
isn't that a bit strong?
- Is it?

Look at its
bloodstained history.

Think of all the misery's it's
brought to the poor wretches

who lay greedy hands on it.

Alexander Borgia d*ed,
twisted and black from poison.

Carlos of Spain
became a dribbling madman.

A disastrous jewel, Digby.

The world would be
much better off

if it were sunk in the ocean
from which it came.

Oh really, Mr. Holmes

we'd hardly treat a national
treasure in such a cavalier fashion.

If you'll kindly open the case,
inspector.

Certainly, sir.

There, all snug and safe.

You call that safe?

I've told you Giles Conover's
after that pearl.

Under the circumstances,

wouldn't it be better
to place a guard over it?

It has a hundred guards over it
at this very moment.

Well, my eyes must be failing
me I don't understand.

What's to prevent anyone from
smashing the glass and pinching it?

Would you like to try it,
Doctor Watson?

I certainly would.

Don't bother smashing the glass
I'll open it for you.

Now there, help yourself.

[alarm sounding]

- Mr. Digby?
- Don't be alarmed Bates

merely a demonstration.

May I have the pearl, Doctor?

What again?

That allays your fears
I trust, Doctor Watson?

If you'll step into my office,
gentlemen,

I'll explain to you
what happened.

How does the thing work?

Electricity, The high priest
of false security.

As you'll have noticed,
gentlemen, we are well protected.

Every article in this museum
is so placed

- that its removal creates a contact.
- Very ingenious.

Tell me, Digby,
just where in the building

is the control of this ingenious
electrical safety device?

The wires are in this room.
Naturally, they're not exposed.

Well, naturally.

Well, Watson, I think our
usefulness here has ended.

- Goodbye, Digby.
- Goodbye, Mr. Holmes.

Proved to be most interesting,
thank you very much.

- Goodbye, Mr. Digby.
- Goodbye, Doctor.

- Oh, good day, Inspector.
- Good day, sir.

Oh, I'm so sorry.

Oh, accidents will happen.

Mind where you're going.

My new hat.

- My apologies, Digby.
- Oh, no harm done, I assure you.

On the contrary, I'm afraid the
greatest harm has been done.

I beg your pardon.

Are all the objects
of art in this room

connected with your
protective system?

Well, most of them but why?

This Hogarth etching
for instance,

- is it connected?
- Most certainly.

It's a priceless original.

- Take it down will you, Watson?
- Not me.

Once bitten, twice shy.

Oh tush. I'm not afraid of
guards and gongs.

But...but.

I don't understand.

What's happened?

Why don't the gongs ring?

I'll tell you why because your
whole elaborate system here
isn't worth a brass furling.

- But--
- It all depends on three wires

behind that strip of
Chinese embroidery.

- Who told you?
- You told me yourself,

said the wires weren't exposed.

The only unexposed
wall space in this room

is behind this embroidery.

While you were picking
up those ornaments

I disconnected these wires

just to show you how absurdly
easy it would be for anyone,

far less ingenious and
far less resourceful

than Giles Conover
to do the same thing.

Now will you listen to me when
I tell you to lock that pearl

in the deepest, darkest vaults
in all England?

[crowd clamoring]

Stop thief!

Stop thief!

Open the door!

Gone. It's gone.

A workman took it, sir.

Bates is after him.

I don't understand
the gongs never rang
and the shutters never closed.

No, The wires were disconnected

thanks to Mr. Sherlock Holmes.

A grateful nation owes you
a memorial, Mr. Holmes.

You demonstrated your
cleverness, oh most brilliantly.

- You did put your foot in it
and no mistake, Mr. Holmes.
- Nonsense.

- How was he to know that anyone--
- How?

Well, elementary,
my dear Watson.

By his deductive reasoning
of course.

Oh, shut up, Lestrade.

Deductive reasoning?

Giving away the Borgia Pearl
like a pound of tea.

Fifty thousand pounds
and not tea.

What's this?

A man who wanted to be caught,
Mr. Giles Conover.

- How are you, Mr. Holmes?
- But I don't understand.

This is one of our workmen.

He's been employed here
for weeks.

- He came highly recommended.
- Yes, I've no doubt of it.

- Every employee of this museum
is scrupulously investigated.
- My dear, Digby,

Mr. Conover's is a man of
infinite resource and precaution.

Well, thank you, Mr. Holmes.

Just a bare chance that his
accomplice Miss Naomi Drake

might not get away with that pearl
on the boat from Austin to Dover.

Pearl, what pearl?

Who are you getting at?

Did you search him, Bates?

Yes, Inspector
but there's not a thing on him.

- He might have swallowed it.
- No, he hasn't got it

or he would have never allowed
Bates to catch him.

While he was running away did
he stop? Did he meet anybody?

Why yes, sir as he went around the
corner he bumped into a woman.

Did you get a good look at her?

No sir, not good enough.

Ha, that's where
you lost your pearl.

That woman was an accomplice.

Same girl that was on
the boat, eh?

Possibly. In any event
may I suggest Lestrade

that you hold Mr. Conover?

Oh, come now, Mr. Holmes

haven't you made enough
mistakes for one day?

It's no crime you know
in taking a job in a museum.

There's no crime in running
when you're being chased.

Just what am I being held for?

Ah...window breaking?

Thank you, Mr. Conover.

Take him away, officer.

How long can you hold him?

Well, you heard what he said,
strictly speaking we can't.

One day, two?

- Well, make it two.
- Good.

Good? What's good about it? We
don't want him we want the pearl?

That's just what I'm
getting at, Watson.

One of two things has happened,

either the woman he bumped
into was an accomplice

in which case,
she has the pearl,

or he managed somehow
to conceal it in his flight.

He had to stick that pearl in
some make shift hiding place.

He'll never rest until his confederates
have it safely in their hands.

He'll try to send them
a message.

You are to give him
every opportunity.

But how?

May I suggest, Lestrade

that he's permitted to have his
food sent in from the outside?

Huh?

Oh.

Here we are, Inspector.

Here is his tray just the way
Mr. Conover left it.

Oh.

Ten to one there's a message
in there somewhere.

Yes, what makes you so blinking
sure there's a message in it?

Because he asked me for a lend
of me pencil, that's why

and he promised a quid
if I'd keep my mouth shut.

Oh he did, did he?
Cunning, ain't he?

Well, there's some
that's cunninger.

He's got the wrong pig by the
ears this Mr. Giles Conover.

Yes.

He hasn't got Mr. Sherlock
Holmes to deal with.

Well, nothing there.

There might be a note
stuck on underneath.

Oh.

Seeing eye,
that's what you've got to have.

Nothing much gets by you,
Inspector.

Oh, we all slip up
once in a while.

No one's infallible, you know.

That's funny.

Got you Mr. Giles Conover.

Here, hang on to this.

What is it?

You'll soon see,

a note to his accomplice
or I'm a Dutchman.

Yes.

Fancy me pulling Mr. Sherlock Holmes'
chestnuts out of the fire.

There she comes.

Thought he'd fool me didn't
he, bless the little man.

This will tell us where
the Borgia Pearl is.

It means promotion for me,
sure as you're alive.

What'd it say?

What do you care
what it says?

It didn't say where the
Borgia Pearl was at, Inspector.

Just you clear up this tray,
that's all you got to do.

And see it gets back
to the restaurant.

Very good, Inspector.

Holmes and his theories.

Naddie my girl,
get a move on will you?

What are you staring at
that plate for?

Oh, I ain't a staring at it
I'm a washing it, see?

Well, I ain't paying you to go
to sleep on your feet, you know?

Go on you old bag of grease.

Wash your own dirty dishes.

See?

Here, you can't do that
there here.

It's lovely weather, ain't it?

♪♪

Holmes, you drive me raving mad

standing there
scraping on that filthy fiddle

as if you haven't got a care
in the world.

All the time your reputation's
been dragged in the mud.

My dear Watson,
I really must caution you

against hitting newspaper
reporters in the teeth.

It ah...isn't dignified.

Well he deserved it,
the idiot.

But how did you know
I struck a reporter?

Observation, my dear fellow.

You come in here with two
copies of the morning paper.

The thing you never do

unless there's an article in which
you wish to keep for your files.

You talk about my reputation
being dragged in the mud.

Obviously I've been the subject
of a scuttles att*ck

in connection with the theft
of the Borgia Pearl.

Oh, you certainly have.

This article practically suggests
you stood to profit by the deal,

and it implies that you
were working with Conover.

- Yes, I'm afraid I'm in for it, Watson.
- Indeed you are.

But, how did you know
I struck the fellow?

Oh that, well you come in here,
jumping off the handle at me,

Berating me like a mother
who boxes her child's ears

after snatching it
from under a tram.

A very human impulse, Watson

and one that suggests
that you've been

taking up the cudgels
on my behalf.

What a remarkable deduction.

Not when you consider
that the skin is missing

from the first and second
knuckles of your right hand.

Didn't hurt.

Good old, Watson.

It's like you to stand by a man
who's been discredited.

Oh, rubbish.

We've been in tighter
spots than this.

Not many, I'm afraid.

Well, come along, old fellow.

What have we here?

Kippers.

Kippers, splendid.

I'm as hungry as a bee
on a flower.

[knocking]
Come in.

Don't get up.

I haven't got a minute.

- I've just popped in to tell you--
- I know,

to tell me that you can't
hold Conover any longer.

In fact,
you've already let him go.

Never a doubt.

How did you know?

Elementary, my dear Lestrade.

You know as well as I do
that you can't hold a man
for more than forty-eight hours

- without bringing a charge against him.
- That's right.

- Have one won't you?
- Thanks.

Well, I've got to be off.

Off to solve another
baffling crime I suppose?

You might call it that, Doctor

but to me it's just
another routine m*rder.

Oh?
Who is it?

A bloke named Harker,
m*llitary man.

Harker?

Horace Harker?

- That's right you know him?
- I've heard of him.

Horace Harker.

Yes, I remember him.

He's a major in India.

- He's retired.
- Uh-huh

- So he's been m*rder*d, has he?
- That's right.

Had his back broke.

Well, now I've got to be off.

Wait a minute.
What did you say?

Had his back broke.

You know, spine snapped.

- That's it.
- That's what?

It's come at last, Watson,

the thing we've been
waiting for.

Now hold on, hold on.
Keep your shirt on.

There's no mystery about it.

He must have fallen down
in the struggle that's all.

Nonsense.
Here's your coat, Watson.

- What is all this?
- We're giving Lestrade a hand.

- Well, the Borgia Pearl we can't--
- The Borgia Pearl were after.

- Come along, Lestrade.
- I don't want a hand.

Borgia Pearl were after.
Giving Lestrade a hand.

- Watson!
- I'm coming.

Giving Lestrade a hand. Lestrade
is always going morning noon...

And this is exactly
how you found him?

Yes, sir.

Nobody's touched him
but the police sergeant.

- Back broken, eh?
- Snapped clean, sir.

d*ed instantaneous
the doctor said.

Lestrade, would you mind if
Doctor Watson has a look at him?

- Not at all.
- Thank you.

Watson, I'd like to know
whether the break is

cervical, thoracal, lumbar

and I'll wager it's lumbar.

Oh, tosh.

Who found the body, Murdock?

- She did, sir. His housekeeper.
- Oh.

Said she came in to clear
away supper things

and found him lying there.

And that's the first and last word
we've been able to get out of her.

Oh it is, is it?

Well, I'll soon get a word
out of her. Here you--

- I shouldn't do that
if I were you, Lestrade.
- Why not?

The woman's suffering
from shock.

Cataleptic if you ask me.

- I ain't asking you, Mr. Holmes.
- Naturally.

Get her out of here, Murdock.

Get her to a hospital.

Can't you see she's suffering
from cata...from shock.

Come on now.
Nobody's going to hurt you.

Major Harker seems to have
thought very highly of Napoleon.

He's rather overdone it.

Mm-hmm.

I don't think much of that one.

Where was the break, Watson?

One of the lumbar vertebrae
as you thought,

the third vertebrae.

I can't for the life of me
imagine how it happened.

I can.

Oh, really?

Well, it happened
just as I thought.

The house breaker comes in
through this window over here.

So you see
Mr. Sherlock Holmes I shan't
be needing you after all.

- Simple as A-B-C isn't it?
- Yeah.

The m*rder*r comes in
through that open window,

Major Harker's having
supper over there,

with his back to him,
carry on.

Well, he tiptoes
over behind his victim here.

Harker rises,
they come to gripes.

They barge all around the room
banging into this table,

dishes go every which way,

Harker falls and
breaks his back.

Simple ain't it?

So simple, my dear Lestrade
as to be almost childish.

For instance,
will you kindly explain

how the dishes
that were on this table

could have been knocked
off in the struggle

and this silver milk jug
left standing

and all these knives and forks and
spoons in perfect arrangement?

Well Mr. Holmes,
if it's a psychology

of knives and forks and
milk jugs you're talking about
I beg to be excused.

I'm trying to account for this
broken china, Lestrade.

That's the outstanding feature of
this case whether you know it or not.

All these broken plates,

plaster ornament,
bric-a-brac,

why was all this china mashed

and nothing else disturbed?
Why?

Yes and how about his
back being broken?

A man can't just fall down
and break his back

- in that casual way, you know.
- Right you are, Watson.

External force is indicated.
There's no doubt about it.

Major Harker's back
was broken deliberately.

I suppose you're going to
tell us just who did it?

Yes, I think I can.

I've never known but one k*ller
who used that technique.

What?

Oh, come on,
he's dead and done for.

Can you remember him?

Am I likely to forget
the Hoxton Creeper?

Hoxton Creeper?

Hoxton Horror I called him.

A monster, Watson

with a chest of a buffalo
and the arms of a gorilla.

His particular method of m*rder
is back breaking

and it's always the same,
the third lumbar vertebrae.

How horrible.

Do you mean to stand there and tell
me you think he's still alive?

Why they got him two years ago trying
to escape from Devil's Island.

- Did they?
- Yeah.

I wonder.

I'll lay you odds he's in
London at this very moment.

All right Mr. Holmes, you stick to
your theories I'll stick to my facts.

That's fair enough.
Do me a favor will you?

Anything your little
heart desires.

This broken china
get it all swept up carefully

and send it to me at
Baker Street, will you?

All right but what do
you want it for anyway?

Oh, just a souvenir.

Come along, Watson

I think our usefulness here
has ended.

Mind you sweep it all up,
Lestrade.

As a matter of fact, Watson

what I did not tell Lestrade,
since I can't prove it,

is that the Hoxton Creeper has always
been Giles Conover's right arm

when it comes to k*lling.

When you heard that
Major Harker's back was broken

you suspected The Creeper, eh?

Naturally,
can't be mere coincidence

that the Creeper
comes back into the scene

just as Giles Conover
reappears in London.

I see but how does Harker
tie up with that g*ng?

I haven't the foggiest notion.

Buy a box of matches, gentlemen?

But there is a connection

or Harker wouldn't be lying
there now with his back broken.

My surmise is

that Giles Conover
has lost the Borgia Pearl

and is trying desperately to
get it back just as we are.

Do you really think so?

I'm just as sure of it

as I am that we're being
shadowed this very moment.

Eyes front, Watson.
Come on.

[whistles]

Listen.

Have you got
your revolver?

- Yes.
- Then get it ready.

Huh?

- Taxi?
- No thank you.

Come on, Watson.

[g*n sh*ts]

Conover's g*ng.

We're on the right track,
Watson.

"Due primarily to the brilliant
work of Inspector Lestrade."

Brilliant work of
Inspector Lestrade, rubbish!

Lestrade couldn't even see
the stripes on a zebra.

Hello. "Housekeeper held."

They arrested the housekeeper.
Whoa!

How could a little woman of
that size break a man's back?

Lestrade's an idiot.

Well, what the dear public
don't know,

the dear public
won't worry about.

That's funny.

I had it here a moment ago.

Extraordinary thing.

Where can it be?

I lifted it.

Oh, what would Holmes do?

I know, reconstruct the..

Reconstruct it, that's it.

I was sitting here,

cutting,

paste,

reach for pipe,

matches,

light...

Well then, it ought to be...

And so it is.

Eureka. Well done.

Pure deductive reasoning.

Pretty good.
I must tell Holmes about that.

He couldn't have done
better himself.

The first door
on the right, sir.

Oh, thank you.
Thank you, Madame.

[knocking]

Come in.

Doctor Watson, I believe.

Is Mr. Holmes in?

Well he's out, sir.
He'll be back any minute.

Won't you come in and wait?

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Won't you sit down, sir?

Thank you.

Have a cigarette?

No thank you.

No, doctor won't allow
me to smoke cigarettes

but may I?

Yes, yes sir. You'll find
matches on the table.

Oh, thank you very much.

You know, my health has
never been the same

since that dreadful affair
at Farnsworth Castle.

Farnsworth Castle?

The Farnsworth case,
I thought I recognized you.

Just a minute,
I'll tell you who you are.

Really?

Yes, simple deduction.

The bowed shoulders
of the scholar,

the open constancy
of the churchmen,

you must be
Lord Farnsworth's brother,

Archdeacon Farnsworth.

No sir, I'm no archdeacon.

Well then, you're the man who
found the body in the bathtub.

No, it was the butler
who found the body

- and I was in the cupboard.
- Oh yes, yes.

Strangled wasn't he?

No, no sh*t.

Oh sh*t,
yes of course, sh*t, yes.

Lord Farnsworth's uncle,
wasn't it?

I am Lord Farnsworth's uncle.

Oh, of course. My mistake.
Your Farnsworth uncle.

And your name is--

Theopolus Kirby,

Lord Farnsworth's uncle
and biographer.

Of course,
I remember you well.

I...Holmes will be
very glad to see you.

He maybe a bit late.

By the way, as he isn't here if
there's anything that I can do.

Same...same training as Holmes,

pure deductive reasoning.

For example, I can see that
you're in trouble.

On the contrary, sir.
I've never been happier.

Oh, my mistake,
never been happier.

I've been looking for
some little token of gratitude,

which I could give to
Mr. Holmes

and at last I think I've found
something that he'll appreciate.

It's Doctor Johnson's great
dictionary, an early folio.

- Early folio.
Doctor Johnson dictionary,
- Yes.

I'm quite sure that he'd be
very excited about that.

That's very kind of you.

I'm a bit of a book
collector myself.

Oh, no please, please, I..I,

I've inscribed
a little dedication.

It may be a little flowery
perhaps but,

well it's straight from
my heart, to his I hope

and it's just a little private.

Oh, yes of course,
a little private

and you want him to be
the first to read it.

That is so.
You're very understanding, sir.

Thank you very much.

Now, I'm afraid I must go.

I'm sorry I cannot stay
any longer.

Don't you worry about
the book, sir

I give you my word
that Sherlock Holmes

will be the first person
to open it.

Oh, that makes me
very happy, sir.

Very happy.

- Goodbye, sir.
- Bye, Doctor.

I'm sorry you can't stay.

. Huh.

An early folio.

Must be worth a lot of money.

[phone ringing]

Bugger.

Yes.

Who?

Mrs. Pennyweather.

There's no
Mrs. Pennyweather here.

This is Doctor Watson
not Mrs. Pennyweather

Wrong number I'm afraid.

I don't think Holmes
would mind if I just...

[knock on door]

Come in, come in.

Oh, hello, Mrs. Hudson.

I've brought your tea

and when Mr. Holmes comes in

see that he eats a bite
like a good sole.

Certainly my dear,
I'd be glad to.

I have a hard time
getting him to eat.

- Oh, good afternoon, Mrs. Hudson.
- Oh, I just brought your tea.

Thank you.

- And be sure you drink it.
- I will.

Hello, Watson.

Hello.
Too bad you're late.

- An old chap was here to see you.
- Oh?

Sorry to have missed you.

What old chap?

Theopolus Kirby.
The Lord Farnsworth's uncle.

You remember the
Farnsworth case?

Yes, indeed I do and
I remember Theopolus Kirby too.

Quite a scholar
and like most scholars,

poorer than a church mouse.
What's he want?

He brought you a present.

First folio of
Doctor Johnson's dictionary.

Must be worth a lot of money.

He's written an inscription
in it, bless his heart,

- out of gratitude.
- That's very nice of him.

- Would you like to have a look at it?
- Have a cup of tea?

Oh thanks, old boy,
put it down there.

Gratitude is a rare quality
in these days.

Let's see what he wrote.

Watson, have you been
smoking a cigar?

No, the old boy smoked one.

Kirby wasn't a smoking man
as I remember him.

And even if he were

he wouldn't be smoking
a Bolivar cabinet size,

imported from Havana,
especially for connoisseurs.

Well, if you're not sure of him

there's plenty of samples of his
writing in the shelves over there.

- Why don't you compare them--
- Don't touch that book.

- What?
- Give it to me.

I'm sorry, Watson

but unless I'm greatly mistaken

- you've been entertaining
Mr. Giles Conover.
- What?

Stand back from that book.

Great Scott!

He meant that for you.

Oh, that's very gratifying.

- Gratifying?
- Certainly.

Conover wouldn't go to all this
trouble to eliminate me

if I weren't in his way

and obviously I am in his way

because he hasn't yet found
the Borgia Pearl

and as long as he hasn't--
[phone ringing]

All right let me have it.
Here.

Yes, yes.
Oh, Lestrade.

Yes.
What?

Say that again.

Don't touch a thing.

No not a thing
do you understand?

- Right, We'll be with you.
- What is it, Holmes?

Another m*rder, a little old
lady with her back broken.

- No!
-Yes

and in a litter of
smashed china.

That was exactly how
I found my sister.

There, there, there,
steady my dear, steady.

You live here, Miss Carey?

No, Mr. Holmes.

I teach history at
a school in Cardiff.

I came home today
for the holidays.

This card, Mr. Holmes,

the very last thing she did.

"To my dear Ellen.

To inspire her
and her pupils with love."

A gift for you.
What was it, Miss Carey?

I don't know.

I'll never know now.

I found it on the desk
over there.

She was writing it when...

Why do you stand there?

Why don't you find the
beast who committed this
dreadful crime?

Look here, Miss Carey
there's just one question I--

That'll be quite
enough questions.

You come along with me,
my dear.

What you need is a sedative.

I'll telephone for a nurse.

There, there, my dear.
You'll be quite all right.

Pitiable.

Poor little woman.

- Back broken, eh?
- Snapped clean, sir.

- Same as Major Harker's?
- Yes.

Once more we find the body
in a litter of smashed china.

What do you make of that?

Coincidence I'd call it.

- Would you?
- Yeah.

Curious isn't it?

Two murders at the
opposite ends of London.

People who couldn't conceivably
have had anything in common.

Their backs broken

and smashed china
around their bodies.

Well, things do get smashed
in a struggle you know.

Including the plates that are

hung on these wire racks
on the walls?

- When a lady gets hysterical--
- She may do many desperate things

but my dear Lestrade she
does not run around the
walls like a mouse.

No, those plates were taken
down and smashed deliberately

and it was done after she was
k*lled and not before.

Is that another one of your
little theories, Mr. Holmes?

No it's a fact,
and easily demonstrable.

If you lift up that body
I think you'll find

there's not a vestige
of broken china underneath.

Just to prove your wrong.

- Here, lend a hand here, Bleeker.
- All right, sir.

Easy does it.

Light as a feather, ain't she?

What did I tell you?

Look at that, Lestrade.

That china was broken

after her dead body was
flung there on the floor?

But why, why was it done?

Well, as I see it
we're dealing with a monomaniac

and after each and every
one of these murders

he goes into a bestial fury
and smashes things.

But why bric-a-brac
and nothing but bric-a-brac?

Why should a m*rder*r
who's strong enough to
break Major Harker's back,

vent his bestial fury by
breaking up dinky little
cups and saucers

when he could just as easily
break up a large chair
or smash a big table?

There's no accounting
for the workings of the
criminal mind.

Oh, nonsense.

He follows a pattern
and there's purpose in it.

Would you have those
broken fragments collected

and sent to me
at Baker Street please?

Oh, what's the use? You won't
find any fingerprints in them.

Perhaps not.

But broken china

is the one thing these murders
have in common.

We've got to get to the
heart of this mystery and
quickly too.

Don't you realize there's a
monster at large in the city

bent on destruction?

We don't know why,
we don't know where.

But somewhere at any moment.

[cat meowing]

Blast that cat.
I'd swear I put her out.

That's funny.

I'm sure I drew
those library curtains.

I'm afraid I must disagree
with the newspapers, Watson.

The Hoxton Creeper,
to the best of my knowledge,

is not a madman
or if he is

then there's method
in his madness

and that method I'm convinced
is supplied by Giles Conover.

Do you think all this broken
china is just a blind

to make it look like
the work of a madman?

On the contrary,
my dear fellow.

The smashed china shows
purpose, it shows motive.

And purpose and motive
are the last things

a sane man would wish to imply
if he were posing as a madman.

Why smash the china?

The k*ller didn't choose
to smash the china

he had to smash it.

Huh?
Had to? What for?

Oh, possibly to cover up
something else that was
smashed.

Some object
identical in all three cases.

The clue that we're
looking for.

Why mess about with
the plaster?

You'll find more chance
at finding the clue you're
looking for

in the china cause
there is much more china.

And there's too much china,
Watson and too little plaster,

which leads me to suspect that
the greater conceals the less

and if the china was smashed
to cover up the plaster.

Curious notion.
Oh, look. Bird.

Matter of fact
I had thought of it myself.

Oh, did you really?

And it was very tactful of you
not to mention it.

Here, what do you make of this?

Cocked head.

Soldier, eh.

No doubt of it.
Part of a bust, m*llitary hat.

Late th century
I should think.

Well, that's funny.

Here we are
in the second house.

Here's a shoulder, a bit of a
chest and a metal on it.

Looks like it might have come
from the same bust?

Identical.

Same plaster, same proportion,
same m*llitary subject

and this piece comes from
the house of the second m*rder

while these pieces came from
the house of the first.

- We're getting warmer, Watson.
- Wait a minute, wait a minute.
I've got something over here.

Here we are.
Look, here's a nose,

there's a mouth
and a bit of a chin

- from the third house.
- Put them under his hat.

- The little corporal himself.
- Right, Watson. Napoleon.

A single statue made of fragments
from three different houses.

- Identical busts in each house, huh?
- Yes.

Put the pieces down here.

I told you this china was smashed
to cover up something else.

But why smash Napoleon?

Think Watson, think.

Something was hidden
in one of those busts

Something that Conover's
looking for.

- You don't mean that--
- Precisely, the Borgia Pearl.

But how did it get in the bust
in the first place?

That's what they're
going to find out.

We're going to get
a hold of that guard.

The one that chased
Conover down the street

the day he stole
the Borgia Pearl.

Get your hat, I'll get a taxi.

"Get your hat,
I'll get a taxi."

Borgia Pearl.
The Napoleon bust.

Now we're driving about London
looking at broken glass.

Borgia Pearl...

Here we are, sir.
This is where I nabbed him.

He was b*ating it along here
like a frightened rabbit

when I come up from behind
and made the pinch.

That isn't true.

Well, strike me dead
if it isn't, sir.

Isn't it true
that he went in there?

Well, he was
trying...he was--

Well, out with it man
did he or didn't he?

Well as a matter of fact
he did duck in there,

but I made the pinch right on
this very spot like I said.

Can you tell us
exactly what happened?

Why yes, sir.

He runs in here in full length
and up to this door.

Was the door open?

Just like it is, sir

but when I got here
from the head of the stairs

the door was bolted.

So I started to climb
in this here window.

Was the window open too?

No, sir. I had to force it.

When suddenly the door opens,
out he nips

and I made the pinch right on
that very spot like I told you.

How long was Conover
out of your sight?

I'd should say
less than a minute, Mr. Holmes.

That's why I didn't want to
mention it before. I didn't
think it was important.

Important.
Great heavens man, come on.

Oh, I beg your pardon?

Gentleman,
this is not my sales room

this is my workshop.
What can I...

Oh. it is you, is it?

Catching more thieves today?

Ah, no I was explaining here to
Mr. Holmes and Doctor Watson--

- Thank you Bates that will be all.
- Thank you, sir.

- Good day, Bates.
- Good day, sir.

Mr. Gelder our time is short
and believe me when I tell you

- that lives are at stake.
- Lives?

Please answer my questions
as briefly as possible.

Last Tuesday
at ten minutes past twelve

where were the workman who are
usually employed in this room?

It was their dinner hour
they were out.

On this table over here?

You had some busts of Napoleon
standing to dry did you not?

Yes, I did
but how did you know?

Never mind that now,
how many were there?

Six, just like these
busts of Beethoven.

Six busts of
Napoleon Bonaparte.

Six, are you sure,
no more no less?

Yes, I'm positive.

Watson, look sharp will you?

Go to that door to the alley
and do exactly as I tell you.

- Huh?
- No, not huh.

Just do it,
leave your stick.

What do you think I am
an alley cat?

Go outside and close the door.

Stand over there will you?

- Me?
- Yes, please.

Ready, Watson?

Ready, Holmes.

All right, come in quickly.

Close the door.

Bolt it.

Turnaround.

Take two steps forward.

Stop.

Wait a moment.
Look around you.

Now, look over here.

Wait a minute.
Now run over here.

Pause a moment.

Look at these wet
plaster busts.

Look back to the door.

Take a coin out
of your pocket.

Come on, hurry man, hurry.

Now, stick your finger in
one of these wet plaster busts.

Go on, go on,
do it, do it.

Put the coin in.

Put it in, put it in!

Now smooth over the plaster,
covering up the hole.

Mad.
Both of them.

Fifty-four seconds.

That's close enough.

Conover could have
done it faster.

He acted on his own while you
had to wait for instructions.

- You mean to say that--
- Precisely.

Conover stuck that Borgia Pearl

in one of those six wet
plaster busts of Napoleon.

- What?
- Gelder.

Gelder, what happened
to those six busts?

- You are not the first one
asking me that?
- No, who was the other?

- A woman.
- When?

Was it Wednesday the day
after the thief was taken?

Yes, it was.

- Naomi Drake, Watson.
- Naomi Drake?

- What did you tell her?
- The same as I'm telling you,

- they were delivered all six of them.
- Yes, yes but to whom?

To Amos Hodder's Art Shop
on Kensington Road.

Amos Hodder.

Watson.

Huh?

What an amusing statue.

Most amusing.

Is it, why?

Cause I say it is.
Pretend to be interested.

What?
Oh, fine bit of molding, Holmes.

What a most amusing statue.
Most amusing.

- Sit down in that chair.
- Huh?

Sit down in that chair.

Let no one else
in or out of that door.

Attend to the gentleman,
Miss Benzenger.

Yes, Mr. Hodder.

[plaster breaking]

Oh, mercy me.

Here, here.
What have you broken now?

I never saw such a
one for breakage.

You aren't even worth
half the wages you earn.

But it's my poor eyesight,
Mr. Hodder.

I can't help my eyes
now can I?

What have you broken
this time?

One of the
Copenhagen Vases, eh?

Well that makes four.

There was a flying
mercury yesterday

and the two Napoleons
the very day you came.

I never broke the Napoleons
I tell you

I found them that way.

- Mr. Hodder may I trouble you?
- Well, I beg your pardon I'm sure

but this sort of thing
is most trying.

What can I do for you, sir?

My name is Holmes,
Sherlock Holmes.

I'm doing a little
private investigating

in connection with some
busts of Napoleon

that you purchased from
George Gelder's plaster shop.

I understand there were
six busts of Napoleon

here on Wednesday
morning last.

That's correct, Mr. Holmes.

Now let me see
I think I heard you say

that two of the busts of Napoleon
were broken by accident.

Accident.
That clumsy girl.

Oh Benzenger,
put the vases up on the shelf

before you break
the rest of them

and sweep up this litter,
will you?

Yes, Mr. Hodder.

Well, don't be too hard on
the poor girl Mr. Hodder

accidents will happen you know.

Now tell me,
you say that two of the busts
were broken here in the shop,

the third went to Major Harker,
a fourth to Miss Carey

and a fifth to
Mr. Thomas Sandeford.

Yes, sir.
And by the strangest coincidence

- all three of those persons--
- It was not a coincidence, Mr. Hodder.

Bless my soul.

Tell me, what happened
to the sixth bust?

I...I sold it
same as the others.

To whom?
Do you remember?

Some doctor or other.

I have his name
in my account book.

My memory for names
is rather poor.

Now where is the retched thing?

Ah yes, yes here we are.

Let's see, it would be
Wednesday or Thursday.

Any luck?

The best of luck I think, Watson.

Fortunately for us we arrived
here before Naomi Drake.

Ah, here we are sold to
Doctor Joseph Caldecot,

thirteen LaBrennan Road,
Stratham.

Good, that's just what I wanted.

Take down the address
will you, Watson?

Got a pencil?

Doctor Joseph Caldecot.

Joseph Caldecot.

C-A-L-D-E-C-O-T.

LaBrennan Road...

This name and address, Hodder.
Is that your handwriting?

Look carefully.

Why no the doctor is mine

- but the rest is changed.
- Shh. Quiet.

Oh, rest my soul
it's a forgery.

Ink eradicator has been used
and another name written in.

Think carefully.

Can you remember the name of
the doctor that you wrote here?

Oh, dear me,
I'm poor at names you know?

This is very much like it.
Very much.

Clever devil.

She's made the names sound
alike to throw you off.

This telephone is there,

- is there an extension in there?
- Why yes.

- What are you going to do, Holmes?
- Shh. Quiet.

You were right Giles,

it worked like a charm.

He'll be off to the wrong
end of town presently.

Yes, I'm leaving at once.

Thanks my dear,
that's what I wanted to know.

I shall start at once.
Meet me in two hours.

Same place, eh?

Why of course he's here.

He's sitting right behind me.

Then I shan't meet you

not till you've got rid of him.

Oh nonsense, my dear.

His devotion to you
is most touching.

But I tell you I just can't
stand having him near me.

[laughing]

Giles?
Giles?

[laughing]

Yes, my dear?
What is it?

I thought you'd hung up.

Hardly, Naomi.

I understand there's
another doctor same name,

not listed in the directory.

You sure you've given me
the right man?

I'm positive.
Doctor Julian Boncourt,

B-O-N-C-O-U-R-T.

Eighteen Chelsea Place.

Thank you, my dear.

Don't worry about The Creeper.

I'll take care of him.

Watson, telephone
Doctor Julian Boncourt,

B-O-N-C-O-U-R-T,

tell him to take the bust of
Napoleon that he bought here

and to go the nearest
police station.

Just let go, Naomi,

I'm here to catch you.

Think your clever, don't you?

- You can't hold me.
- Come on. Come on down.

What charges are against me?

Peddling matches
without a license.

Constable, put the cuffs on her

she's an accomplice in
three murders possibly four.

Leave me alone,
you can't do this to me.

No one there.

I can hear it ringing.

[telephone ringing]

Better drive slowly.

I wouldn't like to get picked up
with our passenger in the back.

Well, he's pretty quiet back
there. What's he up to?

He's got Naomi's vanity case.

Stay here till I call you.

Doctor Boncourt.

Yes, yes what'd you want?
Don't you see I'm busy?

I shan't keep you very long.

- I've only come to ask--
- How did you get in here?
Who are you?

I'm also a very busy man.

Doctor, I understand you
bought a bust of Napoleon

a few days ago.

I should like to look at it.

What are you talking about?
Will you get out of here please

or must I call the police?

Stay away from that telephone
you old fool.

Where's that bust?

Unfortunately, it is broken.

Broken?

Yes, you will find the pieces
over there.

in the container.

But you won't find the Borgia
Pearl there my dear, Conover.

Drop that g*n.

The bust is still unbroken
and quite safe.

You're still full of your
little surprises, Mr. Holmes.

Back up against that wall.

I don't like your work, Conover.

I've seen quite a bit of it
both here in London

and elsewhere on
the continent.

Don't like the smell
of you either.

That underground smell,
the sick sweetness of decay.

You haven't robbed and k*lled
merely for gain

like any ordinary,
halfway decent thug.

No, you're in love with cruelty
for it's own sake.

And the world will be
much better off without you.

It will give me
great pleasure--

Don't move.
Put your hands up.

That's it.

You know I never would have thought
of disconnecting those wires

if it hadn't been for your
excellent example

at the Royal Regent Museum.

It has been said that imitation is
the sincerest form of flattery.

Oh yes, I'm willing to learn
from an old master hand.

Come now, where's that bust?

Doctor Boncourt took it with
him to the police station.

Oh, that's a very feeble lie.

You'd hardly have let it out
of your hands,

you'd of been afraid Doctor Boncourt
would have met us coming in.

Us?

Yes, you know whom I mean.

Creeper!
Creeper!

Stay where you are.

Now listen,

go to the room
at the head of the stairs,

the one with the two glass
panels in the door.

You know what to look for.

And if you should meet
Doctor Boncourt on the way

pay him your respects.

You'll hang for this Conover.

Just as Naomi Drake will hang.

They caught Naomi Drake,
you know?

Well that's too bad
that's her fault.

No it's your fault, Conover.

It's all your fault.

Poor Naomi.

Now stay where you are!

I shouldn't let The Creeper
know if I were you.

He wouldn't like it
if he knew you'd let her down.

He's crazy about Naomi.

She's a very pretty girl.

Now you're trying to scare me,
Mr. Holmes but it won't work.

You've got nothing on Naomi,
she'll get off.

Oh, no she won't.

She lost her head you see when
she found she was cornered.

Grabbed a large pair of shears

and stabbed
Doctor Watson to death.

She'll hang for that you know
and it's all your fault.

You got her into this

and you won't raise a hand
to help her, will you?

She'll hang by her soft,
white neck.

Trustees will put their hands
on that pretty body of hers

and throw it in the quick lime.

Stay back.

Do you hear me?

Stay back!

[g*n sh*ts]

That's it.
Give it some more.

Go on,
put your shoulders to it.

Give it some more.

That's it. It'll go.

Holmes.
Thank heavens.

Come in, gentlemen.

But where's Boncourt?

He's quite safe.

Lestrade, send one of your men
upstairs, will you?

Tell Doctor Boncourt
that all is well.

- Gently though,
he's old and his heart is weak.
- I see.

That's why I didn't dare
send him out of the house.

He's up there.

All right, up you go.

You see, if he'd run into
Conover and The Creeper.

Conover and who?

The Creeper my dear, Lestrade

that you said didn't
exist anymore.

Where is he?

You'll find him the laboratory.
Conover too.

Come on.

You won't need your revolver
nor handcuffs.

Oh.

You got them.

Yes.

- Did they find the bust?
- No.

Well, what did you do with it?

My time was very short, Watson

so I put the bust
in the last place

I thought that Conover
would look for it.

He literally brushed by it
as he came in.

Amazing and the Borgia Pearl's
inside that?

If it isn't

I shall retire to Sussex
and keep bees.

Look, there it is.

By Jove.

The Borgia Pearl.

The blood of five more
victims on it.

Well anyhow,
Conover was one of them.

What's Conover?

No more than a symbol of the greed
and cruelty and lust for power

that have set men at each other's
throats down through the centuries

and the struggle will go on,
Watson

for a pearl,

kingdom,

perhaps even world dominion

till the greed and cruelty

have b*rned out
of every last one of us

and when that time comes

perhaps even the pearl

will be washed clean again.