Who is the better Sherlock Holmes? In the 1980s, two of the four full-length novels by Arthur Conan Doyle about the victorian master detective were adapted in two very different ways, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. The Sign of Four was one of the two stories which had been filmed both with Ian Richardson in 1983 and with Jeremy Brett in 1987 – the latter was made for the 100th anniversary of the first short story publication, while the former actually preceded the Granada series. The fascinating story of both movies and how they are related to each other is part of today’s double review, which is actually more about the movies themselves than the admittedly not very exciting, but still absolutely watchable DVD releases. Both articles are improved and expanded from my previous German versions.

Continue to The Sign of Four (Jeremy Brett) »
Continue to The Sign of Four (Ian Richardson) »