Sherlock Holmes - E7: The Case of the Winthrop Legend
30min | Crime, Drama, Mystery | TV Series (1954–1955)
Sherlock Holmes seeks a rational explanation for the Winthrop family legend, which foretells the death of any family member who unexpectedly finds silver coins in his possession.
Stars: Ronald Howard, Howard Marion-Crawford, Archie Duncan
30min | Crime, Drama, Mystery | TV Series (1954–1955)
Sherlock Holmes seeks a rational explanation for the Winthrop family legend, which foretells the death of any family member who unexpectedly finds silver coins in his possession.
Stars: Ronald Howard, Howard Marion-Crawford, Archie Duncan
Category
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Short filmTranscript
01:00My name is Dr. John Watson.
01:15I share a flat at 221 B Baker Street with a young man named Sherlock Holmes.
01:20This would normally be a simple statement of simple fact, but I had learned in the first
01:23few weeks of our association that the normal process of returning home was in itself an
01:28adventure.
01:29I knew what to expect.
01:30I seldom expected what I found.
01:32I had decided to spend a quiet evening at home, and I was determined not to become involved
01:37in any new scheme that Holmes would invent.
01:50Sulfate gas.
01:51Oh?
01:52Do you remember the Dietrich case, when the defense tried to prove that no one could produce
01:55the deadly poison without a trained chemist?
01:58No.
01:59Well, I'm going to try it now, with kitchen utensils and a secondary school chemistry
02:09book.
02:10I knew it could be done!
02:11There it is, Watson!
02:12Brilliant!
02:13Now you've gone too far.
02:23That woman was guilty as a vulture.
02:25Clever, too.
02:28I wish you wouldn't forget that we've got to live in these rooms.
02:30I can't imagine why the prosecution didn't think of this.
02:33Sir, a gentleman arrived here in a handsome.
02:36Appears to be coming up here.
02:38What else did you notice about our visitor?
02:40Oh, I don't know.
02:41I'd say about 30-ish, conservatively dressed, a man of modest means.
02:48What do you think, Holmes?
02:49I don't know.
02:50I didn't see him.
02:52You did.
02:53Oh, yes.
02:54Yes, of course.
02:55Oh, excuse me.
02:56It's boring.
02:57You come in, will you?
02:58Good morning.
02:59Is this Sherlock Holmes's flat?
03:00Yes, indeed.
03:01Oh, sulphate gas!
03:02Oh.
03:03Mr. Holmes has been experimenting.
03:04That's Mr. Holmes.
03:05How do you do, Mr. Holmes?
03:06How do you do?
03:07I must apologize for calling upon you without an appointment, Mr. Holmes, but it is urgent.
03:08May I present my friend and colleague, Mr. Holmes.
03:09Mr. Holmes.
03:10Mr. Holmes.
03:11Mr. Holmes.
03:12Mr. Holmes.
03:13Mr. Holmes.
03:14Mr. Holmes.
03:15Mr. Holmes.
03:16Mr. Holmes.
03:17Mr. Holmes.
03:18Mr. Holmes.
03:19Mr. Holmes.
03:20Mr. Holmes.
03:21Mr. Holmes.
03:22Mr. Holmes.
03:23Mr. Holmes.
03:24Mr. Holmes.
03:26My friend and colleague, Dr. Watson.
03:28How do you do?
03:29How do you do?
03:32Now then, Mr. Winthrop.
03:33Mr. Harvey Winthrop, isn't it?
03:36Have we met before, sir?
03:37No, but you mustn't underestimate your reputation.
03:41Won't you come in?
03:44And sit down.
03:46Over there.
03:52I had heard your powers of observation were remarkable, Mr. Holmes.
03:55Perhaps you also know the purpose of my visit.
03:57I can only say it's a personal matter.
04:00How do you know?
04:01It is always a personal matter when one consults me rather than the police.
04:06Of course.
04:07But my reason to see you actually concerns my elder brother, John.
04:11It is he who controls the family wealth.
04:13In the event of his death, I would be sole heir.
04:16Does his death seem imminent?
04:18His life has been threatened.
04:19In what way?
04:21I noticed you didn't ask by whom.
04:23You took pains to point out that only you would benefit by your brother's death.
04:27If you knew who made the threat, you wouldn't be so concerned with your own innocence.
04:34You're right.
04:35I do not know who's making these threats.
04:37Actually, I don't even know if it is a who.
04:40I beg your pardon, sir?
04:42It is possibly a what, Dr. Watson.
04:44In this case, the heritage of every old family.
04:47The family legend.
04:48What is the Winthrop legend?
04:51Every member of the family destined for a violent death
04:54finds about his person silver coins.
04:58Silver coins?
05:00Oh, you mean like those silver coins the pirates use called pieces of eight?
05:05Exactly, Dr. Watson.
05:07Pieces of eight as a warning, and at the time of death, a gold doubloon.
05:12Have these coins any special significance?
05:15Thirty years ago, my father was killed by a fall down the stairs in the main hall of Winthrop Manor.
05:19A gold doubloon was found under his body.
05:22Was he actually seen to fall downstairs?
05:25No, the manor was closed and has remained so ever since.
05:30I assume your brother has discovered several silver coins?
05:33Each day for the past seven days.
05:36What has been his reaction?
05:38He has decided for the first time in thirty years to reopen Winthrop Manor.
05:42In defiance of the legend?
05:44Exactly.
05:46We are going to be there this weekend.
05:47Who is we?
05:49My brother, my fiancé, and myself.
05:52And I would like you two, Mr. Holzer and Dr. Watson, to be there as well.
05:56Well, that's very good of you, sir.
05:58Do you have any other evidence to substantiate your belief?
06:02I was very young in those days,
06:04but I can still remember the sight of my father's body at the bottom of those stairs.
06:09Dr. Watson and I will arrive at Winthrop Manor this Friday night.
06:13Thank you very much.
06:14Thank you very much.
06:17If there is anything I can do until then,
06:18or if there is any question you want to ask me before,
06:21please don't hesitate to call upon me at any time.
06:23We'll do that.
06:29Again, thank you, gentlemen.
06:30Not at all. Good day to you, sir.
06:31Good day.
06:35Well, Holmes, what do you think?
06:37I think it's amazing the extent to which people will go
06:39to obscure the simple facts of murder or threatened murder.
06:42You don't believe in the legend?
06:44Nonsense.
06:46Well, but after all, Holmes,
06:47you said yourself that these things very often have a basis of fact.
06:51The odour lingers.
06:53There was no mention of that in the Dietrich's case.
06:55I'm a man of science myself, Holmes.
06:57You know that.
06:58And yet there are things that happen every day
07:00for which they have no logical explanation.
07:03How would Mrs. Dietrich's have removed the odour?
07:06Of course, it worked equally well both ways.
07:09Winthrop himself admitted that in the event of his brother's death,
07:11he was the heir to the estate.
07:13His visit here might have been a blind.
07:16The solution of a murder, Watson,
07:17is infinitely easier than the prevention.
07:20We have committed ourselves to a weekend
07:22in a draughty manor house that has been closed for 30 years.
07:26We will watch and we will wait.
07:28And in time, we will apprehend the person, persons or ghosts
07:33who will commit the murder of the Winthrop legend.
07:35Mr. Holmes?
07:36Mr. Watson?
07:38Please come in.
07:45The thunder was making so much noise.
07:48I wasn't certain I heard you knock.
07:51I'm afraid I heard you.
07:53I'm afraid I heard you.
07:55I'm afraid I heard you.
07:57I'm afraid I heard you.
07:59I'm afraid I heard you.
08:01I'm afraid I heard you.
08:03I'm afraid I heard you.
08:05Yes, I think we got here just in time.
08:07Yes, we were worried that you would be caught in the storm.
08:10I'm Mrs. John Winthrop.
08:14How do you do?
08:16I'm Dr. Watson.
08:17This is Sherlock Holmes.
08:20How do you do?
08:24I'm very pleased to meet you.
08:27You can leave your things here and go into the sitting room.
08:30If you manage to get it comfortably warm,
08:32I'll have your luggage brought up to your room.
08:35You'll have to excuse the inconveniences of the house.
08:38My husband's decision to spend the weekend here was rather sudden.
08:42And I'm afraid we're understaffed.
08:45Please don't concern yourself with us, Mrs. Winthrop.
08:48I'm sure we'll be very comfortable.
08:50Oh, there you are.
08:54I'm glad you made it before the storm.
08:58I see you've already met my sister-in-law.
09:00Yes, we have.
09:01How do you do?
09:02How are you?
09:03Oh, Harvey, perhaps you can show Dr. Watson and Mr. Holmes to their room.
09:06Yes, sir. You'll probably want to freshen up.
09:08Good evening, gentlemen.
09:13This is my brother, John Winthrop.
09:14Dr. Watson.
09:15How do you do?
09:16How do you do?
09:17How do you do?
09:18How do you do, sir?
09:19I hope you'll be comfortable.
09:21As comfortable as possible in a house that's been closed for 30 years.
09:25I feel I should apologize.
09:27Not at all, sir.
09:28I'm sure everything will be fine.
09:30I hope so.
09:32Come down to the sitting room when you're ready.
09:33It's a bit more cheerful there.
09:35Let me show you to your room, gentlemen.
09:37Come along, my dear.
09:48You didn't mention your brother was married.
09:50Didn't I?
09:52I thought I had.
09:53Then surely she would be the heir to the estate if anything should happen to your brother.
09:56No, the estate upon his death goes to the next male member of the family.
09:59Oh, I see.
10:01How did Mrs. Winthrop lose her sight?
10:03It was a riding accident shortly after they were married.
10:07Her sister-in-law is a remarkable woman, Mr. Holmes.
10:10She took to her new way of living with cheerfulness and thoroughness.
10:15Yes, it's always encouraging to hear of such cases.
10:17And it reflects great credit on those surrounding the patient.
10:22Oh, Peg.
10:23I want you to meet...
10:25Dr. Watson.
10:27And you must be Sherlock Holmes.
10:29Harvey has told me so much about you.
10:31Gentlemen, my fiancée, Miss Margaret Hall.
10:33How do you do?
10:34How do you do, Miss Hall?
10:36John and Alice are in the drawing room, darling.
10:38We'll be down shortly.
10:40All right, darling.
10:42I think we're going to have a wonderful weekend in spite of this old house.
10:45Don't keep yourselves from us too long, gentlemen.
10:48You're a very lucky man, Mr. Winthrop.
10:50She's a lovely girl.
10:55As a matter of fact, you know,
10:57there's some very good hunting country around here.
11:00Do you go in for that sort of thing, Mr. Holmes?
11:03On occasion, sir, not very often.
11:07My wife thinks I'm a bit reckless.
11:09She worries about my neck.
11:11A glass, my dear?
11:14That appears to be a preoccupation
11:16with more than one member of your family, sir.
11:19You mean my brother, too.
11:21And the reason for your being here.
11:23Nonsense.
11:25I said the same thing.
11:27And you agree with me.
11:29You, too, think it's a lot of rubbish.
11:31I don't think we're referring to the same thing, sir.
11:34I'm talking about the legend, of course.
11:37Ah, I see.
11:39May I ask, sir,
11:41what is the origin of your name?
11:42May I ask, sir,
11:44what precautions you've taken against it?
11:46What would one do?
11:48How does one fight a myth?
11:51What's your opinion, Mr. Holmes?
11:53Should I take this matter seriously?
11:57You are obviously taking it seriously.
12:00By defying it.
12:06By coming down here
12:08to prove that it doesn't exist.
12:12I joke.
12:14I hadn't thought of it like that.
12:16You're dead right, of course.
12:18But let me put it like this.
12:20Do you really believe the legend is dangerous?
12:22You are obviously overlooking the second conclusion, sir.
12:25If the legend is real
12:27and beyond our understanding,
12:29then your life may be being threatened
12:31by the supernatural.
12:33If we rule that out,
12:35then there'll certainly be a threat
12:37to the rest of the world.
12:39And if we rule that out,
12:40then the threat has a very realistic source.
12:43In either case, the threat remains.
12:47I hadn't thought of it that way.
12:49But there are just the six of us here, Mr. Holmes.
12:52Surely if there is danger for John,
12:54it couldn't come from any of us.
12:56There are just the six of us now, Miss Hall.
13:05But now there are seven.
13:08Now there are seven.
13:15John, what is it?
13:17Nothing, my dear, nothing at all.
13:19I think we'd better go in to dinner.
13:21Excellent idea.
13:35I don't like it, Holmes.
13:36Neither do I, Watson.
13:38Neither do I.
13:49Come in, Watson.
13:53Don't be alarmed, old chap.
13:55I don't think this contraption has been fired for centuries.
13:57You could hardly expect me to know that from here, Holmes.
14:06It seems it's working after all.
14:15I want to know what you're up to.
14:18I'm not up to anything.
14:20I'm not up to anything.
14:22I'm not up to anything.
14:24I'm not up to anything.
14:26I wanted to talk to you about that dinner we just had.
14:29Oh, yes, yes.
14:31Excellent duck, don't you agree?
14:33Well, it was better than the conversation,
14:35or lack of conversation, I grant you.
14:37Well, quite natural under the circumstances.
14:39Everyone's suspecting things they'd rather not say.
14:41What do you make of it, Holmes?
14:43Did you realize that young Harvey Winthrop
14:45was in love with Alice before she married his brother?
14:48Holmes, you're fantastic.
14:50How did you determine that?
14:53He told me.
14:54Oh.
14:56Oh, that'd be good to match, Watson.
14:59Yes, I think I should have.
15:01I...
15:07Holmes!
15:09Look!
15:11Yes, I know.
15:13I slipped it in your pocket during dinner.
15:15You what?
15:17I just wanted to see how easy it was
15:19to plant those things on someone else.
15:21Well, really, Holmes, for all you know, I...
15:22Well, I...
15:44I saw it!
15:46I saw him fall!
15:50He's dead.
15:52Neck broken.
15:59A gold doubloon.
16:03What's happened?
16:08Will someone tell me?
16:10What's happened?
16:22And now,
16:24we return to the case of the Winthrop legend.
16:38Had quite a time getting back here.
16:40The roads are turning bare.
16:42Um, Harvey Winthrop.
16:44Good evening, sir.
16:46Could you get everybody together
16:48and see if we can try and get this thing sorted out?
16:50Where's the body?
16:51Broken neck.
16:53Died instantly.
16:55What do you say, you up there?
16:57Oh, good evening, Constable.
16:59That is Mr. Holmes.
17:01I've spoken to you about him.
17:03Oh, yes, good evening to you, Mr. Holmes.
17:05Glad to have you on this case.
17:12His wife.
17:14It'd be a terrible shock for her.
17:16Oh, Mr. Holmes,
17:18I'd like to discuss this case with you.
17:20I've got several theories.
17:22Dr. Watson was telling me
17:24you're coming down in the carriage.
17:26I think it would be better
17:28if she retired for a while.
17:30These will help.
17:31Thank you, Doctor.
17:34Dr. Watson summarized the legend
17:36for me on the way down,
17:38but quite faintly, Mr. Holmes,
17:40I would say we're opposed to a devilish mind here.
17:41Holmes, really.
17:43I don't know.
17:45What on earth do you think you're doing?
17:50A button, at the very least,
17:52at the very least.
17:54Observe, Watson,
17:55I've almost torn a button loose.
17:57So I should think after all those acrobatics.
17:59Are you going to sit like that all evening?
18:01And yet, the late Mr. John Winthrop
18:03fell down a long flight
18:05of exceptionally sharp stone stairs
18:07with the help of a very sharp knife.
18:08What's that?
18:10I'd better check.
18:11Yes, I think you had.
18:13He may not have torn a button,
18:15but he suffered some very severe damage
18:17to his neck, I'd like to remind you.
18:19An indisputable fact, my dear Watson.
18:21Well, what are you getting at, Holmes?
18:23That's right.
18:25Now we're getting somewhere.
18:27Come on, Watson,
18:29let's examine the situation more thoroughly.
18:31The killing blow was struck
18:33at the back of the neck.
18:35Is that right?
18:37Yes.
18:39It was.
18:41He must have struck the edge of the stairs as he fell.
18:43Stone, edges quite sharp.
18:45The wound bit deeper, more pronounced, Watson.
18:47Would you re-examine the injuries like a good fellow?
18:49Mm-hmm.
18:52Well, the skin's broken,
18:54but not unusually so.
18:57Still, it's difficult to know the position
18:59of the body when he fell.
19:01I agree with Mr. Holmes.
19:05Winthrop and the blind woman
19:07were at the top of the stairs where he fell.
19:10Mm-hmm.
19:12And in a position to have pushed him down.
19:14Right.
19:16You then imply that Miss Hall,
19:18being downstairs all the time,
19:20may be ruled out as a suspect.
19:22Well, I should take that
19:24as a prima facie proof of her innocence.
19:26Do you really think so, Watson?
19:28What's that?
19:30Who are you accusing, Mr. Holmes?
19:32Your fiancée.
19:34Holmes!
19:35I assure you,
19:37your brother didn't fall down these stairs.
19:39He was killed,
19:41struck by a blow from behind,
19:43very probably in this room.
19:45His body was then placed at the foot of the stairs,
19:47and the legend having been carefully reawakened,
19:49and the manner in which your father met his death,
19:51and the girl Dabloon,
19:53all led you to the obvious conclusion.
19:55She couldn't have done it.
19:57I assure you she could.
19:59But Holmes, she had no motive.
20:01The estate now passes to Harvey Winthrop.
20:03Well, yes, and the only one who had a motive.
20:05You and the lady you are going to marry.
20:09Are you going to report her to the police?
20:11Less than useless, I'm afraid.
20:13No court in this world would ever convict her
20:15on the evidence we have.
20:17Well, assuming you're right,
20:19and mind you, to me it's only an assumption,
20:21there's nothing we can do.
20:23Yes, there is.
20:25We can at least remove the assumption.
20:27Come with me, gentlemen, into the drawing room.
20:35What's the matter?
20:37Nothing.
20:39What's the matter?
20:41Nothing.
20:43What's the matter?
20:45Nothing.
20:47What's the matter?
20:49Nothing.
20:51What's the matter?
20:53Nothing.
20:55What's the matter?
20:57Nothing.
20:59What's the matter?
21:01Nothing.
21:03What's the matter?
21:05Oh, Constable, I didn't know you were there.
21:08Just looking around, routine, you know, miss.
21:10Of course.
21:12Did you want to see me?
21:14Not especially, miss.
21:16A few more things to check up on.
21:20The rest lies completely in your hands.
21:27Alice is resting now.
21:29Not sleeping, but...
21:31Oh, this whole thing is horrible.
21:33If you'll forgive us, Doctor,
21:35Dr. Watson has a medical certificate to fill out.
21:37Yes, I shall attend to that.
21:43Oh, Miss Jones, at your service, my good constable.
21:53That Holmes, what a peculiar man.
21:56What?
21:58No, Holmes, yes, he is, isn't he?
22:00A big guy, Holmes.
22:02Yes.
22:03Well, this is difficult to say.
22:05What is, darling?
22:07In light of what's happened,
22:09I think it's best we break off our engagement.
22:11Break off?
22:13But why?
22:15Well, there's certainly to be a mess in the papers about all this.
22:17Oh, you needn't worry about me, darling.
22:20Actually, it's Alice I'm thinking of.
22:23Alice?
22:25Yes, she'll be so terribly alone now.
22:27In a way, I feel responsible for her.
22:30You love her.
22:31You've always loved her.
22:33And now that your brother's dead, you...
22:35You mustn't think that.
22:37There's something else.
22:39What else?
22:41Why this sudden protective fatherly interest?
22:43Ten years ago, Alice and I went riding across the moors.
22:45They started a race.
22:47Her horse broke away from her and she couldn't stop him.
22:51He took a high fence and fell.
22:53And Alice became blind.
22:55But you can't live with that for the rest of your life.
22:57It was an accident.
22:59It was unfortunate.
23:01But you're in a relationship now.
23:03I'm afraid it does.
23:05To me.
23:07John dies and you take Alice.
23:11That's funny.
23:13That's really ironic.
23:15Ironic?
23:17What make you see ironic in such a situation?
23:19I don't know.
23:21I just meant...
23:23Nothing.
23:25Just an expression.
23:27Very interesting choice of words, I might add.
23:32Alas, I must confess we were eavesdropping.
23:39Is there anything you'd like to confess, Miss Hall?
23:43What does this mean?
23:45You spoke of irony.
23:47Such a choice word.
23:49You didn't kill John Winthrop
23:51so that Harvey could share the family fortune with Alice.
23:53You didn't kill John Winthrop
23:55so that Harvey could share the family fortune with Alice.
23:57You'd have seen to that in time.
23:59You're insane.
24:01I couldn't have pushed John down the stairs.
24:03I was at the bottom myself.
24:07Well, you were in a perfect position
24:09to strike him with this.
24:11And then, very thoughtfully,
24:13placed the end in the fire
24:15to remove any evidence of the blow.
24:18No court in the world
24:20would convict me on evidence like that.
24:23You're quite right, Miss Hall.
24:24But you know the facts.
24:26But you know the facts.
24:28And we know the facts.
24:38But surely Holmes, something can be done.
24:40I don't think so, Watson.
24:42The young lady used her wits
24:44at an ancient legend.
24:47And a murderess walks free.
24:48And a murderess walks free.
25:14Oh, my God!
25:18No!
25:39But it's a gold doubloon.
25:43And she said no court in the world
25:45would ever convict her.
25:48And she said no court in the world
25:50would ever convict her.
25:52And she said no court in the world
25:54would ever convict her.
25:56And she said no court in the world
25:58would ever convict her.
26:00And she said no court in the world
26:02would ever convict her.
26:04And she said no court in the world
26:06would ever convict her.
26:08And she said no court in the world
26:10would ever convict her.
26:12And she said no court in the world
26:14would ever convict her.
26:16And she said no court in the world
26:18would ever convict her.
26:20And she said no court in the world
26:22would ever convict her.
26:39The end.