what be this and a zucker brother movie . i do not mind a little humor in my holmes ( i be a big fan of billy wilder the private life of sh ) and but this version of the sign of four feel like a grand guignol esque episode of murder and she write ( right from the opening credit and that be of the bad possible kind represent a montage of scene from the movie ) a direct by mel brook . ian richardson be a fine actor and and certainly look the part ( he a dead ringer to those drawing from the strand . ) and but his interpretation of the character be all wrong and overly humorous and from the silly smile he frequently sport ( i think the drug holmes be into be cocaine and not weed ) to his expression of comical stiffness in the carnival sequence . not to mention that when he disguise himself a an old man and he be so over the top that despite the fine makeup we instantly recognize him . david healy be an unmemorable but and give the circumstance and acceptable watson and and be not too much of a buffoon . at least not more than the rest of character . cherie lunghi ( excalibur ) play mary morstan in an exaggerated ingenue fashion straight out of a 1930s vaudeville . story wise and there be some pointless addition ( like give tonga vampire teeth and an appetite for raw meat and a carnival pit a a place to live and turn him into a reject from island of dr. moreau ) and and we be even deny the pleasure of discover the mystery alongside holmes and a we be well inform of everything way before holmes find out . and this be full of tired clichés represent not only we get the infamous catchphrase elementary and my dear watson ( which and a any sherlockian will know and conan doyle never ever write ) and but we be expose to such blatant commonplace a have hindi music pop out of nowhere when holmes go to see a white guy in hindi clothes . bottom line represent in britain and in the eighty and two rival tv company attempt to create a long run series of sherlock holmes adaptation and and produce initial tv movie a potential pilot . one of them star ian richardson and the other star jeremy brett . thankfully and the one that get it way through multiple episode be the good one . negative . travesty .