While uncanny Sherlock Holmes and the ever-faithful Watson encounter into 221 Baker Street are visited by a beautiful young woman and they're hired to investigate why has been anonymously sent a precious stone . Holmes (Jeremy Brett) and Watson (Edward Hardwicke , the perfect counterpoint to Sherlock) are involved in killing , poison darts , a fortune in Indian jewels original from luxurious palace of Agra and much suspect behavior by strange characters (Ronald Lacey , John Thaw).
The film packs suspense , intrigue , unanswered mysteries , thrills and excellent set decoration . This is a good Holmes mystery with gripping London setting and including first-range nasties . One of the most charming Holmes television pictures and long runtime . Intriguing blending of suspense , thriller , detective story and fun . Well cast by the best TV Holmes , Jeremy Brett , along with Peter Cushing who starred the series in the 60s and in 1984 played ¨Sherlock Holmes and the masks of death¨ . Jeremy Brett as Holmes plays in a clever , broody and impetuous manner . Brett , Cushing in TV and Basil Rathbone in the cinema are the history's best Holmes . Brett (he married Anna Massey and died in 1995) had an aristocratic beautifully modulated voice and he was usually a prestigious secondary actor (Medusa touch , My fair lady , War and Peace ) , but achieved fame and fortune with ¨ Adventures of Holmes , The Return , The Case-Book and Memories Sherlock Holmes¨ series and four long time films . This story was nicely adapted by John Hakesworth and professionally directed by Peter Hammond , both of whom series' ordinaries . Rating : Better than average , 7/10 . Well worth watching .
Other adaptations about this Arthur Conan Doyle's novel are the following ones : ¨Sing of Four¨ (1968) by William Sterling with Peter Cushing and Nigel Stock from Sherlock Holmes Tv series . ¨The Sign of Four¨ realized by Desmond Davis (1984) with Ian Richardson . Another rendition filmed by Rodney Gibbons (2001) with Matt Frewer and a Sui Generis version by Fraser C. Heston titled ¨Crucifer of blood¨ and played by his father Charlton Heston as Holmes.
