Sherlock Holmes - E11: The Case of the Red Headed League
30min | Crime, Drama, Mystery | TV Series (1954–1955)
Sherlock Holmes investigates a strange story told to him by a shopkeeper, who claims to have been a member of the 'League of Red-Headed Men' until it unexpectedly dissolved.
Stars: Ronald Howard, Howard Marion-Crawford, Archie Duncan
30min | Crime, Drama, Mystery | TV Series (1954–1955)
Sherlock Holmes investigates a strange story told to him by a shopkeeper, who claims to have been a member of the 'League of Red-Headed Men' until it unexpectedly dissolved.
Stars: Ronald Howard, Howard Marion-Crawford, Archie Duncan
Category
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Short filmTranscript
01:00Ah, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm.
01:07Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm.
01:11Holmes!
01:14Holmes!
01:16What are you doing?
01:18I hope I didn't alarm you, old chap,
01:19but I'm just taking gun prints.
01:24This is the end.
01:26This time you've gone too far, Holmes.
01:28You can't turn this place into a shooting gallery.
01:30Gun prints.
01:32Have you ever seen a gun print?
01:33I've never even heard of a gun print.
01:35You'll kill somebody one of these days, Holmes.
01:36Parliament ought to pass a law against people like you.
01:38Well, of course, gun prints is just the name I've given it.
01:40Actually, it's the marks on the bullet
01:41left by the rifling in the gun barrel.
01:43Ah!
01:44Would you like to look at these two bullets
01:45under the magnifying glass?
01:47You'll observe that they have different markings,
01:49because they were fired by different guns.
01:50I'm not interested, not in the least interested.
01:52The police will be here in a minute.
01:53Well, you should be interested, Watson.
01:55You're interested in saving lives, aren't you?
01:56Of course, but we're-
01:57Look, this little, very little experiment
01:59may very well save a life someday.
02:00How can firing bullets from here into a-
02:02Now, listen, wait a minute.
02:03Take the case of a man who was accused of murder.
02:04I'd rather not.
02:06The prosecution claimed that the bullets
02:07were fired from his gun.
02:08They probably were.
02:09The man was guilty.
02:10I can see it all.
02:11Yes, but if it could be proved
02:12that it was impossible by the markings,
02:14then an innocent man's life could be saved.
02:16That's all very well and good, Holmes,
02:17but this flat is not the place
02:18to conduct these sort of experiments.
02:20How would you like it if I started to practice my surgery
02:22in the bathtub or on the kitchen table?
02:24Could you manage it in the bathtub, do you think?
02:26Oh, I give up!
02:28And now, if you're not keeping this appalling smell
02:31for experimental purposes,
02:33I will, with your permission, open the door.
02:35Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
02:38Holmes, I told you.
02:40I knew you'd gone too far.
02:41Now you have shot somebody.
02:44Well, if I have, I shall have to certainly
02:45correct those guns for drift.
02:48That's fantastic.
02:49He seems to have some breadth in him still.
02:50No fault of yours if he has.
02:52Now, help me with him before somebody sees him.
02:56Really, firing off revolvers,
02:59brewing poison, frightening people,
03:01it's more than a man can stand, Holmes, really.
03:03More than a man can stand.
03:06Am I wounded badly, please?
03:09I'm a poor man, I can't afford hospital.
03:12No, no, no, no, no, you'll be all right in a minute.
03:14You've just fainted from something.
03:16Something, you say?
03:18Didn't you hear what happened?
03:21I was outside, about to knock at your door,
03:23when suddenly, I was attacked.
03:26Someone turned a revolver loose on me,
03:28bullets flying everywhere.
03:30I tried to fight back bravely,
03:32but there were too many of them,
03:33six or seven at least, all firing guns.
03:38I'll get you a glass of brandy.
03:41Oh, thank you.
03:43You'd better call the police.
03:45They may try it again, whoever they are.
03:47Maniacs and foreigners, I'll be bound.
03:49No, no, no, you're quite safe now.
03:51Those shots came from my revolver,
03:52and were fired into that wadding over there.
03:56You mean, you were the one who...
03:57Yes, I was just carrying out a little experiment.
03:59I must apologize for any shock I may have given you.
04:03And no one is after me?
04:05Not to my knowledge, Mr. Wilson.
04:07Here, will you drink this, huh?
04:09Oh, thank you.
04:13You called me Mr. Wilson just now.
04:15How did you know that was my name?
04:17Well, it's on your card.
04:20It's on your collar.
04:23Very shrewd indeed, your noticing my name like that.
04:26In fact, you've got exactly the kind of mind
04:29that could help me to unravel my mystery.
04:31That is, if you're willing to lend a poor man a hand.
04:35Oh, yes, yes, yes, I owe you at least that.
04:37What is the mystery?
04:39But perhaps you'll get a better idea of what it is
04:41if you read this first.
04:43There, it's in the wanted column.
04:46Read it for yourself.
04:48Ah, to the Red-Headed League.
04:51On account of the bequest of the late Ezekiah Hopkins
04:54of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, USA,
04:57there is now another vacancy open
04:58which entitles a member of the League
05:01to a salary of four pounds a week
05:03for purely nominal services.
05:05All red-headed men who are sounded...
05:08Apply in person on Monday at 11 o'clock
05:11to Duncan Ross at the offices of the League,
05:137 Pope's Court, Fleet Street.
05:16Apply in person on Monday at 11 o'clock
05:19to Duncan Ross at the offices of the League,
05:217 Pope's Court, Fleet Street.
05:24But what on earth does it mean, the Red-Headed League?
05:28It is a little off the beaten track, isn't it?
05:30I assure you I felt the same way as you when I read it.
05:34A vacancy? For what, I ask?
05:36I'm a dealer in second-hand merchandise
05:38and I believe in giving value for value received.
05:42And it certainly struck me as odd
05:44that somebody was prepared to give four pounds a week for nothing.
05:49But young Spalding took a different view of it.
05:52Oh? Who is young Spalding?
05:55Vincent Spalding. He's my assistant.
05:57I couldn't wish for a nicer young man.
06:00I see. Now suppose you tell me the story as it happened,
06:04right from the beginning.
06:05From the beginning? Yes, of course.
06:08Well, it all started two months ago when that paper came out.
06:13I was in the shop at the time,
06:15I'm there practically the whole of my time,
06:17I'm a widower and I've got little else to do,
06:19when young Spalding came back from lunch.
06:24Mr Wilson, if you only knew
06:28how I wish that I had red hair like you.
06:30Huh?
06:31Don't believe it or not,
06:33here is another vacancy for the League of Red-Headed Men.
06:36The League of what?
06:38Red-Headed Men.
06:39Surely you've heard of them, haven't you?
06:41Oh, I'm afraid I don't get about as much as some of you young people do.
06:44Oh, I should have thought everyone would have heard of the League of Red-Headed Men.
06:48Well, at least everyone who was eligible.
06:51Now, a man like you, if you were accepted,
06:54could make himself a nice little nesting
06:57without hardly lifting a hand.
06:59Vincent, I've told you before, there's one thing you've got to learn in life.
07:03Nobody ever gets anything except by the sweat of his brow.
07:07Value receives value.
07:10What is this Red-Headed League?
07:12Take a look at this paper yourself.
07:17Ah, how I wish my hair would change colour. Really, I do.
07:19What a nice little mistake I'd make for myself.
07:23Well, this doesn't make sense to me.
07:25No? Well, you see the name?
07:27Ezekiah Hopkins?
07:28Yes.
07:30He was an American millionaire.
07:31Very peculiar in his ways.
07:33He was red-headed himself and had great sympathy for all red-headed men.
07:37So, when he died, he left an enormous fortune in the hands of trustees
07:40to make life easier for all red-headed men.
07:43Oh, really?
07:45Yeah, red-headed men.
07:47Uh-huh.
07:48Oh, but I couldn't apply even if I wanted to.
07:50I've got the shop here to look after.
07:52That's the whole point. The book don't amount to anything.
07:55Absolutely nothing at all.
07:56You see, it need not interfere with a man's other occupations.
07:59Well, even so, probably millions of men would apply for it.
08:03No, this is limited to Londoners and to grown men.
08:06You see, this American started off from London
08:08and I suppose wanted to do the old town a good time.
08:11And then again, I hear it's no use applying
08:12unless your hair is a real fiery red.
08:17Huh.
08:19Do you think my hair is red enough?
08:22I've never seen any redder.
08:25Oh.
08:28I could use the money.
08:31There's all sorts of repairs I could do and...
08:35Vincent, I'm going to investigate this league.
08:39Lock up the shop. You're coming with me.
08:40Yes, sir.
08:45You're right.
08:47It is fiery red, isn't it?
08:58Just let me handle everything.
09:00All right, all right, all right. Stand back, everybody.
09:02This is Mr. Hopkins' son.
09:03Go on, step back or he'll see that you don't get interviewed at all.
09:05Mr. Hopkins, this way.
09:12Thank you for applying, Mr. Innocent.
09:15Your name will be kept on file.
09:17And in the event you are chosen to fill the vacancy,
09:21I'll get in touch with you immediately.
09:24Thank you, Mr. Ross.
09:26I do hope I win.
09:27My family and me could do with the money.
09:29We shall see what we shall see, Mr. Innocent.
09:32Thank you so much.
09:40Are you the next applicant?
09:46Yes, this is Mr. J. S. Wilson.
09:49Your search is over. He's willing to fill the vacancy.
09:51Will you sit down, Mr. Wilson?
10:02I've never seen anything like it.
10:15I told you, Mr. Wilson, it's extraordinary.
10:18Beyond belief.
10:20Congratulations. It would be an injustice to hesitate.
10:24I've got the position?
10:25You have.
10:26You will, however, excuse me for taking an obvious precaution.
10:33There are tears in your eyes.
10:36I perceive all as it should be.
10:39But we have to be careful.
10:40For twice now we have been deceived by waves.
10:43And once by paint.
10:48I'm sorry the vacancy has been filled.
10:52But thank you one and all for coming.
10:54Oh, there are no coming.
10:58My name is Duncan Ross.
11:01I'm one of the trustees in charge of the fund
11:04left by your noble benefactor.
11:08When shall you be able to embark upon your new duties?
11:12Oh, well, almost any time, I suppose.
11:14Though I should mention that I have another business
11:17which will require some of my time.
11:20Oh, so long as you're free to be here between the hours of ten to two.
11:24There'll be no objections.
11:25Easy enough, Mr. Wilson.
11:27There's very little business during those hours.
11:29And what there is, I could take care of.
11:32Oh, thank you, Vincent. I appreciate that.
11:36And what is the work?
11:38Copying the Encyclopedia.
11:42The Encyclopedia Britannica.
11:44You will provide your own pen, ink and blotting paper.
11:47And copy it down word for word.
11:50Is that agreeable?
11:52Well, yes.
11:56Our only demand is that you remain in the office,
11:59or at least in building, during working hours.
12:02If you leave, you forfeit your position forever.
12:06The will is very clear from that point.
12:08Well, it's only four hours a day.
12:10I shouldn't think of leaving.
12:13No excuse will avail.
12:14Neither sickness nor business or anything else.
12:17Here you must stay or lose your minute.
12:20I quite understand.
12:21Then goodbye, Mr. Wilson.
12:23And again, let me congratulate you.
12:26Oh, thank you, sir. Thank you.
12:33The Encyclopedia Britannica.
12:36You'll do a wonderful job of it, Mr. Wilson. I'm sure you will.
12:54Ha ha ha!
12:56Ha ha ha!
13:03The first word was archon.
13:09At the end of eight weeks, I'd finished the A's and begun the B's.
13:14For this, Mr. Ross rewarded me every Saturday with four golden sovereigns.
13:20Yesterday morning, however, I got a staggering blow indeed.
13:41Come in.
13:43Mr. Milford?
13:44Yes, what can I do for you, officer?
13:47What's happened to Mr. Ross?
13:48Mr. who?
13:49Mr. Ross, Duncan Ross.
13:51In office number four. He's gone.
13:54What's happened to him?
13:55Mr. Milford, let me look him up in my files.
14:04Are you a customer of this Mr. Ross?
14:06I work for him. That is, I did up until this morning.
14:09What did you do of him?
14:11I copied the Encyclopedia.
14:14You copied...
14:15The Encyclopedia Britannica.
14:22Wouldn't it have been cheaper buying another encyclopedia
14:25rather than going to all the trouble of copying it?
14:27You don't understand. That's the work the red-headed league required me to do.
14:32Look here, my good man. If this is a joke, I fail to see the humor.
14:36If it isn't, it's my duty to inform you that office number four
14:39was rented temporarily to William Morris, an accountant.
14:42I never heard of Duncan Ross nor the red-headed league in all my life.
14:45And I'm certain they never existed.
14:49I got the home address of William Morris,
14:51but when I arrived there, it turned out to be a factory making ladies...
14:55unmentionables.
14:57No one had ever heard of William Morris or Duncan Ross.
15:00My word, you really were on a wild goose chase, weren't you?
15:03After that, I didn't know quite what to do.
15:06The whole experience was so embarrassing,
15:08I could hardly make myself tell it to Spalding.
15:11Then, quite naturally, you thought of me.
15:14Oh, as I said before, I'm not a rich man.
15:17If I don't locate the league or find out what happened to them,
15:20I stand to lose four pounds a week.
15:22You don't stand to lose anything, Mr. Wilson.
15:24You can't lose something you didn't possess in the first place.
15:27And the story is probably a pack of lies in any case.
15:30Holmes!
15:31And if it isn't, you've no reason to complain.
15:34You're 30 pounds richer by your experience,
15:36not to mention the invaluable knowledge you've gained
15:38on every subject under the letter A.
15:40If I were you, Mr. Wilson, I'd be quite grateful
15:43and forget about the whole affair.
15:45Good day to you, sir.
15:47Well, I hardly expected this kind of treatment.
15:50If you should discover a corpse at your second-hand shop
15:53in an old cello case, you're perfectly welcome to return.
15:56In the meantime, I have an experiment to conclude.
16:02I'm going to find out if firing a gun in a house is illegal.
16:06If it is, you can rely on me to report you.
16:12Holmes!
16:13What on earth persuaded you to behave like that?
16:16Oh, yes, yes.
16:17It was rather unseemly behavior, wasn't it, Watson?
16:19Well, absolutely necessary, I assure you.
16:21But why?
16:22Well, if I tell him I'm willing to take on his case,
16:24he'd have probably given it away to the wrong party.
16:26Why burden him with the necessity of having to keep a secret?
16:29Then you mean you're going to take the case?
16:33I wouldn't miss finding out about the red-headed league
16:35for all the tea in India.
16:37China, Holmes.
16:38Do you think you could be a prank,
16:40some sort of wild practical joke on Mr. Wilson?
16:42Well, at four pounds a week for eight weeks,
16:44the joke would be on someone else.
16:46It is a considerable sum, isn't it?
16:48The case as I see it breaks down into two whys.
16:50I think I know the first why, but the second why eludes me.
16:54Well, which is the why you know and which is the why you don't know?
16:57Well, why was the league formed?
16:58Now, that's obvious.
16:59To keep Wilson out of the shop a certain number of hours a day.
17:01But why is the why that I want to know?
17:03Well, why is the why that you want to...
17:05I see.
17:07You mean somebody tried to get Wilson out of your shop
17:09in order to steal something from you.
17:10No, no, no. The case is too elaborate to justify
17:12stealing from such a small shop as Wilson's.
17:14No, the reason is bigger than that.
17:16Bigger than any of us might imagine.
17:18Now, you're not going to start shooting again, Holmes.
17:20No, but I'm going to take this with us.
17:21Us?
17:22Yes, you're interested in the case, aren't you?
17:24I'm a doctor, Holmes.
17:26Well, all the better if someone should get hurt.
17:29This started out to be such a peaceful morning
17:31and an old friend of mine was coming from India
17:33and we were going to spend the day together.
17:35And now look what you've talked us into, the red-headed league.
17:38Yes, exciting, isn't it?
17:53Seems to be nobody here.
17:55I wonder where he could be.
17:58I'll be right with you, gentlemen.
18:05May I help?
18:07I'm sorry, I was occupied in the cellar.
18:09I hope I haven't kept you waiting.
18:11Not at all.
18:12My friend here is interested in making a purchase.
18:17Um, anything in particular?
18:20Anything in...
18:22Well, you never know what you might...
18:24Oh, what's that?
18:25That? That's, um...
18:29Ah, yes, this is fascinating.
18:31It's the essential part
18:33of the structure of a wild boar trap.
18:37No, really?
18:39By Jove, a wild boar trap, eh?
18:43How very interesting.
18:44And a very fine specimen as wild boar traps go.
18:47Oh, yes, very fine.
18:50It reminds me of my day...
18:52There we were!
18:53All lined out in a row, as far as the eye could see.
18:55Down the hill came the enemy, and the battle of Royal Burneth was on.
18:58Yes, sir, if you'll excuse me...
18:59There we were, outnumbered 112 to 1.
19:01That was from the count after the battle, as you understand.
19:04Charge, they shouted,
19:05as down the hill they came, the hordes of heathen, at 112 to 1.
19:09And from that moment, I became a collector,
19:11and I've been a collector ever since.
19:13You understand that, of course.
19:14Oh, yes, but that is a quite totally natural reaction.
19:16It's 1 o'clock.
19:17It's 1 o'clock, what?
19:18Yes, 1 o'clock, our engagement with the colonel.
19:21The colonel?
19:22The one who led you in the charge.
19:24Oh, of course, yes.
19:27Well, I hope you'll keep that for me, will you?
19:30Well, there's been a fearful run on wild boar traps lately,
19:33but I'll do my best.
19:34Thank you, sir.
19:38Good afternoon.
19:43Well, what did you discover?
19:44The knees of Spalding's trousers show considerable wear.
19:46What does that mean?
19:47Perhaps a great deal. Let me have your stick for a minute.
19:53What are you doing?
19:54Well, no time to explain now,
19:55but a considerable crime is in contemplation.
19:57And since the day is Saturday,
19:58we may have some difficulty in preventing it.
20:00What kind of a crime?
20:01A bank robbery.
20:02What?
20:03Shh, shh, shh.
20:04Meet me at the side entrance of the Westminster County Bank
20:06at 10 o'clock sharp.
20:07Yes, is that the bank that's going to be, sir?
20:09At 10 o'clock sharp, remember?
20:10Yes, sir.
20:15The basement vaults of the Royal Westminster Bank.
20:19As you can see, they are impregnable.
20:28Why are you so sure that the bank's going to be robbed, Holmes?
20:31Because the knees of a man's trousers were badly worn.
20:40I can't see how they can possibly get in here.
20:50Is that the gold?
20:52Yes.
20:53We had occasion some months ago to strengthen our reserves,
20:57and so we borrowed 30,000 Napoleons from the Bank of France.
21:03Word must have leaked out,
21:05if Mr. Holmes' deductions are correct.
21:08Gentlemen, we must prepare ourselves.
21:10As soon as Mr. Wilson goes to sleep,
21:11they will make attempts to get in.
21:13Who are they?
21:14Shh.
21:19Get back.
21:50It's all clear. It's all right.
21:52Hey, John!
21:55All right, Spalding.
21:57All right, Spalding.
21:58Your bank robbing days are over.
22:00So I see.
22:02I fancy my pal got away all right, though.
22:04There are three policemen waiting for him at the other end.
22:07You seem to have done things very, very, very neatly.
22:10I must compliment you.
22:12I feel obliged to reciprocate.
22:14You're ready.
22:15I must compliment you.
22:17I feel obliged to reciprocate.
22:19Your red-headed league was very inventive indeed.
22:22Here.
22:25You were the one who came into the shop this afternoon.
22:27You came with...
22:29With me.
22:32I thought there was something very, very queer.
22:34You don't look like a collector at all.
22:36They helped to collect you, didn't they?
22:38I think you'd better come along with me.
22:46I don't know how the bank can repay you, Mr. Holmes.
22:49I've been more than amply repaid, Mr. Merriweather,
22:52by having one of the most unique experiences of my career.
22:55However, there is one thing you could do for me.
22:58Name it.
22:59Well, it's...
23:00Anything, Mr. Holmes.
23:02I'm a regular depositor at your bank, Mr. Merriweather,
23:05and I should be eternally grateful
23:07if you could do something about your pens.
23:10I've yet to find one of them that works.
23:13Come along, Watson.
23:23What I shall never understand
23:25is how you suddenly knew there would be a bank robbery.
23:28Well, if you remember, when we visited the second-hand shop,
23:32Spalding was in the cellar.
23:34Mm-hm.
23:35I didn't pay much attention to it at the time,
23:37but later on I noticed that the knees of his trousers were badly worn,
23:41as if he'd spent some time kneeling,
23:43doing some sort of burrowing work.
23:45But burrowing where?
23:47Perhaps from the cellar to the next building.
23:49The moment the thought occurred to me,
23:51I whisked you outside
23:53and surprised you by tapping on the pavement with your stick.
23:56You certainly did.
23:59Oh, I'll just go and see who it is.
24:07Hello! Come on in, Inspector.
24:09Good evening, Dr. Watson.
24:11I hope it's not too late to make a call.
24:13Of course not. Come right on in.
24:15Oh, I saw the light was on, and I just thought I'd drop in.
24:17Ah, how are you, Inspector? Now, make yourself at home.
24:19Oh, thank you very much.
24:21Cup of tea?
24:22Yes, please.
24:24Well, by the time the newspapers come out
24:26with a report of your exploits tomorrow, Holmes, you'll be a hero.
24:30I shall try and remain humble through it all.
24:32Yes, the whole of London,
24:34except, of course, Mr. Wilson.
24:37Unless I miss my guess, he wants me still to arrest you.
24:42Arrest me?
24:44What for?
24:46Well, he didn't like the way you treated him last night, you know.
24:49And then, of course, he complains that...
24:53Oh, no, it's too ridiculous.
24:55Still, I think you'll enjoy hearing about it.
24:58He claims that you were firing a revolver in this house.
25:01You know it's against the law, don't you?
25:04But who in the sober senses would do such a thing?
25:10Yes, it does sound very implausible, doesn't it?
25:13Yes, that's exactly what I told him.
25:16I mean, people just don't do things like that, do they?
25:34Ha-ha-ha!
26:04THE END
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