Original subtitles

All right. All

right.

Oh.

Sorry, Holmes.

No, no.

You couldn't have come at a better time.

I was afraid you were engaged.

I am, very much so.

Dr. Watson shared my love of all that is bizarre and outside the routine of

everyday existence.

It is at present impossible to say whether this case is an instance of

no. But precisely to say that I know as little about Mr. J. Bears Wilson as you

do yourself, beyond the obvious facts, that he has done manual labour at some

time, that he takes staff, that he has been to China, and that he has done a

considerable amount of writing lately.

Oh, in the name of good fortune, did you know all that, Mr. Holmes?

True as gospel, I once did manual labour. I started off as a ship

Your hands, my good sir, the muscles of your right hand are more developed than

the left.

And the writing?

What else could be indicated by the right cuff so very shiny for five

And the left sleeve with the smooth patch near the elbow where you lean it

the desk.

A china.

The fish.

Tattooed immediately above his right wrist.

I have made a small study of tattoo marks, Mr. Wilson, and have even

to the literature of the subject. That trick of staining the fish scales, a

delicate bink, is quite peculiar to China. When, in addition, I see a

coin hanging from his watch chain, the matter becomes even more simple.

Well, I never.

I thought at first it was something clever, but now I see there's nothing in

after all.

Now, I begin to think that my reputation, such as it is, will suffer

shipwreck if I'm so candid.

Omne ignotum pro magnifico.

Everything becomes commonplace by explanation.

Watson, that is a very loose translation.

Oh, please.

Show the doctor that advertisement.

There. You can read it for yourself, sir.

To the red -headed Lee.

On account of the bequest of the late Ithaca Hopkins of Lebanon, Pennsylvania,

USA, there is a vacancy open which entitles a member of the league to a

of four pounds a week for purely nominal services.

All red -headed men, sound in body and mind, and above the age of 21 are

eligible.

Apply in person on Monday at 11 o 'clock to Mr Duncan Ross at the offices of the

League, 7 Popes Court, Fleet Street. Is this serious?

It is a little off the beaten track, eh, Watson? Oh, would you make a note of

the paper and the date?

Evening standard of Saturday the 27th of April, two months ago.

Do try the city. Now, Mr.

Wilson, off you go at scratch and tell us all about yourself.

Oh, well, gentlemen, I have a small pawnbroking business in Saxe -Coburg

Street, near the city.

It's not a very large affair. It just gives me a living.

I used to keep two assistants, but now I just keep the one.

And to tell you the truth, I'd have a job to make it pay, but that he's

to come at half wages so as to learn the business.

About two months ago... What is the name of this obliging youth? Vincent.

Vincent Spalding.

Oh, he's not such a youth either, Mr. Holmes. He's typical to say his age, but

couldn't wish for a smarter assistant.

You seem most remarkably fortunate.

In having an employee who comes under the market price, I don't know that your

assistant is not as remarkable as your advertisement.

Oh, but he does have his faults.

How never was there such a fellow for photography, always snapping away with

camera when he should be improving his mind and then diving down into the

to develop the wretched thing. Still, on the whole, he's a good worker and no

vice in him. It was he who first showed me the advertisement.

I wish to the Lord I was a red -headed man, Mr Wilton.

Why's that?

Well, there's another vacancy in the League of Red -Headed Men.

I've never heard of it.

I wonder at that.

You being so eligible yourself.

Nice money, too.

A couple of hundred a year.

And the work's slight.

Ah, there'd be thousands of ready to admit a play.

Oh, well, I doubt that, sir.

What, not with such a fine, fiery colour as you are blessed with, Mr Wilson?

But then I suppose it's only worth your while to put yourself out of the way for

the sake of a few hundred pounds.

Yes, sir.

I'm very much of a stay -at -home sort of person. Sometimes weeks on end

putting my foot over the doormat. But this, it looked interesting.

I was intrigued.

And young Vincent said he'd come with me, so on Monday morning we shut up the

shop and off we went.

Now, Vincent, let's go back. I can't abide a crowd. Courage, Mr Wilson.

We're so near.

There's so much at stake.

You put your coat on.

Come along with me.

Oi!

Oi! Oi!

A little less noise, please, gentlemen.

Hey, Governor, play the white man. Here.

Here. Look your game.

Come on.

All right, off you go. You're next.

Get in.

Wait, where are you going?

Straight this way, Al. Come on.

This is Mr. Wilson.

Right, in you go, Mr. Wilson.

Admirably suited.

Every requirement.

Very fine.

Congratulations, Mr.

Wilson. It would be injustice to hesitate. You will, I'm sure, excuse me

take an obvious precaution.

Tears in your eyes.

I perceive all this as it should be.

We have to be careful.

Twice deceived by wigs, once by paint.

Now you tell your tales of cobbler's wax that would disgust you with human

nature.

My name is Duncan Raw.

I am myself a pensioner upon the fund left by a noble benefactor. Ah, I hear

about to question me about Mr. Ethic Geyer Hopkins.

He was himself red -headed.

In his youth, he left London for America, where he made many millions of

dollars. On his death, it was found, he had instructed the trustees in his will

to... make life a little easier for the red -headed men in the town

of his birth.

Wonderful colouring.

Now, what's your full name, Mr. Wilson?

J .B .S. Wilson.

J .B .S. Wilson.

And are you a married man, Mr.

Wilson? Do you have a family?

No, I'm a widower. No, I never had any family.

Oh, dear.

Sad to hear you say that.

The fund, of course, is for the propagation and spread of red -headed

well as for their maintenance.

In another case, the objection might be fatal.

However, I think we've got to stretch a point in favour of a man with such a

head of hair as yours.

The vacancy has been filled.

upon your new duties.

Oh, well, it is rather awkward, as I do have a business already.

What would be the hours? Ten till two.

Well, the mornings are quiet. I do have an assistant.

Yes, that would suit me very well. And the money mentioned, four pounds a week.

Correct. And the work?

Purely nominal.

Yes, well, what do you call purely nominal?

Well, you have to... Stay in the office, or at least in the building the whole

time. If you leave, you forfeit your whole position forever. The will is

clear in that point.

Oh, I shouldn't dream of leaving.

No excuse will avail, neither sickness, business, nor anything else. Here you

will remain, or else lose your ability.

Oh, I am quite clear on that point, but what exactly is the will?

It is to copy out the Encyclopedia Britannica.

There is the first volume.

You will supply the ink, paper, and pen. We will supply this desk and chair.

Now, would you be free to start next Monday morning?

Oh, yes, certainly.

Then, once again, my congratulations, Mr. Chavez -Wilson, on the most

position you've been fortunate enough to get.

Wonderful head of hair.

Goodbye, Mr. Wilson.

Well done, Mr. Wilson. Well done, indeed.

This is the quickest way out, sir. This way.

When I got

home, the whole thing seemed, on reflection, to be quite ridiculous.

Why? Who would make such an extraordinary will?

Not a very generous...

millionaire to make you buy your own pen, ink and paper.

Well, exactly, Mr Holmes.

I soon persuaded myself it was some great hoax or fraud.

Then when Monday morning came along, it did seem stupid to turn down a good job,

so off I went and bought a penny bottle of ink and a pen and seven sheets of

foolscap paper and I set off for Pope's court.

Good morning, Mr Wilson, and welcome to London.

Well, to my surprise and delight, everything was as right as possible.

The table was set out ready for me, and Mr Duncan Ross was there to see I got

fairly to work.

My employment had truly begun.

The schedule never varied.

My work started at ten o 'clock and ended at two o 'clock, with a small

from my lunch at half past twelve.

It was Saturday at two o 'clock.

Mr. Ross would come in and give me my money, compliment me upon the amount

I'd written, and then we'd both leave.

Mr. Ross locking the door after me.

Artichokes, I find, were simply fascinating, you know. They had a kind

on them.

Annabelle, I also thought, was A, but she was H after all. I thought that was

very interesting. Good morning.

Oh, the work was very interesting.

Abacus. Abbey.

Architecture.

Acts of the Apostles.

Adulteration.

Anatomy.

Apes.

Aqueducts.

After eight weeks, I'd fairly dealt with the letter A and was hoping the

diligence to get on to B when suddenly this morning the whole business came to

an end.

I went to my work as usual, but the door was shut and locked with a little

square of cardboard hammered onto the middle panel.

Oh, excuse me.

Have you seen Mr Duncan Ross this morning?

Ross? Ross?

Never heard of a gentleman of that name, sir.

Well, my memory's good. It's very good. It's infallible to me.

No, the gentleman at number seven.

Ah, the gentleman who is red -headed. Yes, yes. Ah, yes, yes, yes. Gone.

Gone? Mr. William Morris. A solicitor using my room as a temporary convenience

until his new premises are ready. Moved out yesterday.

Paid him full. Doesn't owe a penny. William Morris? Where can I find him?

At his new office.

William Morris, number... 17,

King Edward Street.

We'll be right back.

I don't see there's anything very funny about it.

If all you can do is laugh at me, well, I can go elsewhere.

No, Mr Wilson, please, please sit down. I wouldn't miss this case for the world.

It is most refreshingly unusual.

I was so incensed at the fraudulent deceit that I came straight to you, sir.

Having heard of your great reputation for helping poor people in distress.

Mr Wilson. Forgive me.

You know, Mr. Wilson, I really don't think that you've got any great

against this extraordinary league.

On the contrary, you've been very well paid to say nothing of the detailed

knowledge which you've acquired on every subject under the letter A.

Yes, but what's the object of them playing this prank on me? That's what I

to know.

This assistant of yours, how long has he been with you?

Well, about three months. How did he come?

Well, the answer to an advertisement.

Was he the only applicant?

No, I had 12 others.

Why did you pick him?

Well, he was handy and would come cheap.

At half wages, in fact.

Yes.

What's your line with Vincent Balding? Hmm?

Oh, well, he's tall.

He's slightly built.

He's very quick in his ways.

He's got now hair on his face.

He's got a white splash of acid on his forehead.

Have you ever observed whether his ears have been pierced for earrings?

Yes.

Yeah, he'd tell me a gypsy had done it for him when he was a lad.

He is still with you? Yes. Yeah, I would have just left him.

You will be at your shop if I should need you.

Well, I had thought of shutting up shop at dinner time today because Vincent had

suggested I spend the rest of the weekend with my sister in Barking. This

business has upset my nerves very much.

Well, you enjoy a restful weekend in Barking. Today's Saturday.

By Monday, we should have a conclusion for you.

In the matter of your fee... Don't worry about that.

I believe it will be paid for by another.

Good day to you, Miss Woods.

What do you make of it all, Watson?

I make nothing of it.

It's the most mysterious business.

And yet there are greater issues hanging from the surface on the first night of

the year.

What are you going to do?

To smoke.

It is quite a three -pipe problem.

And I beg that you won't speak to me for 50 minutes.

The business of the Red -Headed League is concluded, sir.

Satisfactorily, I trust?

Most satisfactorily, Professor.

I am pleased to report.

Good.

Come, what do you want?

Excuse me, can you show me the way to the stand?

Ah, bird right, full flits, thank you.

Oh, I could have told you that. No, Doctor. What is it?

And why did you beat the paving with your stick?

Watson, we are spies in an enemy territory.

It's a hobby of mine to have an exact knowledge of London now.

There is Mortimer's, the tobacconist.

The little newspaper shop.

Coburg branch, the city and suburban bank.

McFarlane's carriage building depot.

And a vegetarian restaurant around the corner.

Lots of glitter memory.

It is just possible that we're being observed.

A considerable crime is in contemplation.

Today, being Saturday, somewhat complicates matters.

But now, Doctor, our work is done. It is time we had some play.

Sarasate is playing at the St. James' Hall this afternoon.

A sandwich and a cup of coffee? And then off to violin land, where all is

quickness, delicacy and harmony.

And no red -headed clients to vex us with their conundrums.

All the afternoon, he sat in the stalls, wrapped in the most perfect happiness,

while his gently smiling face and his languid, dreamy eyes were as unlike

those of Holmes the sleuth -hound as it was possible to conceive.

When I saw him, so enwrapped in the music,

I felt that an evil time might be coming upon those whom he had set himself to

hunt down.

You've got the future of the cartographer.

Oh, that'll be a felony, Jones. That'll be as well to have someone from Scotland

Yard do this.

He's an absolute imbecile at his profession, but he does have the

lobster when he gets his claws into someone.

Good evening, Jones.

So, we're working in couples again, Mr. Holmes.

Our friend here's a wonderful man for starting a chase. All he needs is an old

dog to help him do the running down.

Mr. Merriweather, my friend and colleague, Dr. Watson.

How do you do, sir?

I only hope a wild goose may not prove to be the end of our chase.

I'm not personally in favour of amateur criminal investigators.

You may place considerable confidence in Mr Holmes.

Oh, if you say so, Mr Jones.

Well, he has his own little methods, which, if he won't mind me saying so,

little theoretical and fantastic.

But he has the makings of a detective in him.

Ah!

But I do say, as I have said before, the Coburg branch of the bank is as well

secured as any building in London.

There is no possibility that it could be broken into.

Even insurance assessors agree on that point.

And you, sir, should know, being not only the resident manager, but also the

director.

I should know, and I do know.

And what is more, this is the first time for seven and twenty years that I've

missed my Saturday night of whist at my club. Oh, dear. And I find myself

extremely inconvenienced.

I think that you will find the game tonight much more exciting, and the

will be for many, many thousands of pounds.

And what will my reward be, Mr. Holmes?

A young man.

Called Clay?

John Clay?

Oh, how I'd like to get my hands on that devil.

You shall.

This young fellow's a gentleman, as Mr. Holmes says, but he's turned against his

class. He's as cunning as the devil, slippery as an eel, and he's turned crib

-cracking and forgery into a fine art.

His grandfather was a royal duke, and he himself was educated at Eton and

Oxford. So, Watson, bring the gun.

Come, gentlemen.

Archive is below.

There are only two keys to the vault.

I have one.

The chairman holds the other in his personal safe.

Well, you are certainly not coming from the third.

Nor from below.

Why did I get to sit on one of those boxes and not to interfere?

There is no way in which a thief could break into this bank.

Is there a special reason why you should want to break into this bank?

Nothing particularly.

Something in the past few months.

Something that you have concealed from us.

The information I have is confidential, known only to the directors of the bank.

It is not to be divulged to members of the public.

Not even amateur detectives.

Private consulting detective, Mr. Merriweather.

Unique in the annals of crime, I believe. Isn't that so, Inspector?

Yes, Doctor.

I advise you to cooperate with Mr. Holmes.

Especially as at this moment I am trying to save your skin and that of your

fellow directors.

For what is it?

Our French gold.

We had occasion some months ago to strengthen our resources and borrowed

that purpose 60 ,000 napoleons from the Bank of France.

Therefore, our reserve of bullion is much larger than is usual in such a

of the bank.

Where is this girl?

The crates upon which Dr. Watson sits contain 30 ,000 napoleons

wrapped between layers of lead foil.

May we see?

Mr. Merriweather, someone has had access to information of the most confidential

sort.

Careful plans have been made.

A mastermind has been at work.

Are you suggesting that... I'm suggesting that it bears the hallmarks

Professor Moriarty's work.

Who is this Moriarty? We don't really know, sir. Well, that is, neither the

police nor, I think, Mr. Sherlock Holmes here have ever set eyes on him. Yet his

name echoes and re -echoes throughout the underworld.

It appears that he is a man of good birth and excellent education.

But... he has hereditary tendencies of the most

diabolical kind.

A criminal strain runs in his blood, which has increased.

and rendered infinitely more dangerous by his extraordinary mental powers.

He is the organiser of half that is evil and nearly all that is undetected in

this great city.

He is never caught.

His agent is caught, but the central power is never caught.

It's held me in perspective.

You shall not see the Professor tonight.

The only way for tonight's enemy to escape is through the pawnbroker's.

Jump, Archie, jump!

It's no good, John Clay.

You have no chance at all.

Sir, I see.

Though I fancy my pal is all right.

At this moment, he is running into the welcoming arms of the police.

You seem to have done the thing very completely. I must compliment you.

And I you.

I'm Sherlock Holmes, a private investigator.

I didn't for a moment suspect you of being a policeman, Mr. Holmes.

Come on, hold out while I put the derbies. I beg you to take your filthy

off me.

You may not be aware that I have royal blood in my veins.

And be so kind as to say sir and please when you address me.

All right.

Would you please, sir, mind marching upstairs, where we'll get a cab to

transport your highness to the police station?

That's better.

Gentlemen.

Oh, one question, Mr Clare.

Am I right in thinking that Professor Moriarty was somewhere behind the idea

the red -headed lead?

I suggest you keep that name off your lips, Mr. Holmes, if you value your

well -being.

Really, gentlemen, I don't know what to say. Please forgive me, Mr Holmes, for

ever doubting your outstanding, your brilliant qualities. There is no doubt

have detected and defeated in the most complete manner one of the boldest

attempts at bank robbery that has ever come within my experience. Mr

Merriweather, I have been at some small expense over this matter. I shall expect

the bank to refund.

Of course.

Of course.

It won't do, you know.

It won't do.

No, Professor.

I'm sorry we failed you.

Sherlock Holmes... Holmes is a mere amateur in the field of detection.

Still, he seems a clever man.

Or a lucky one.

And he has a positive talent for getting in my way.

Should he be removed?

It may be necessary.

It would be disappointing.

I find him interesting.

I believe this is the third time he has incommoded me.

If this continues, then certainly something will have to be done to

Mr. Holmes either to withdraw...

Morning, Constable.

Lavender! Lavender!

Lavender! Sweet Lavender!

Beg your pardon, Doctor, what... This has all been too much for me.

My clients respect me as a man of confidence, but where's the confidence

here? I'm utterly ruined! Oh, cheer up, Mr Wilson. You'll feel better when

you've cleared up the mess.

Well, that's all very well. And Mr Holmes asked me to give you this.

50 sovereigns.

with the compliments of the city and suburban bank. Well, that's fair enough.

I'll talk to Watson. It is more than acceptable.

Emma, compliments to Mr. Sherlock Holmes.

And he sends the same to you, Mr. Wilson. And a word of advice.

Next time you engage an assistant, pay him the proper wage.

Good day to you.

Holmes, I trust I am not more dense than my neighbours, and yet here I have seen

what you have seen, heard what you have heard, and yet you have seen clearly not

only what had happened, but what was about to happen, while to me the whole

business was still confused and grotesque. What's a recollect?

When I heard that the assistant had come for half wages, it was obvious that he

had some motive for securing the situation.

Yes, but how did you know what his motive was?

Had there been a woman in the house, I would have suspected immediately some

vulgar intrigue.

But when I heard from Mr. Wilson about the acid stain and the pierced ears, I

knew that Vincent Spaulding and John Clay were the same person. But why was

there?

The photography gave you the clue.

Exactly. The cellar. He was working on something in the cellar.

Something which took many hours a day. For two months on end, he was tunneling.

But where to?

When I tapped my stick on the pavement in the street that day, I was

ascertaining whether the tunnel stretched in front or behind the

was in front, towards the bank.

Could you tell me the way to the stand from here?

I recognized Clare immediately and delayed him to have time to examine his

knees.

They spoke clearly of many hours of tunnel.

no doubt linking up with the maze of sewers beneath Saxe -Coburg Square.

When they closed the red -headed league offices, it was a sign they no longer

cared about J. Bez Wilson's presence. In other words, the tunnel was complete.

And that they would make the attempt on the Saturday was just a guess.

You disappoint me.

I never guess.

Saturday is an excellent night for stealing bullion. It gives you a full

escape. Thank you, gentlemen.

Thank you.

Oh, you've reasoned it out beautifully, Holmes. It's so long a chain, and yet

every link rings true.

It saved me from underway. You know, sometimes I think that my whole life is

spent in one long effort to escape from the commonplaces of victory.

No, no.

You are a benefactor of the race, Holmes.

Well, maybe it is of some little use after all.

Ah.

L 'enferiere!

L 'oeuvre fait tout, as Gustave Robert wrote to George Sand.