The Hound of the Baskervilles (Russian: Приключения Шерлока Холмса и доктора Ватсона: Собака Баскервилей) is a 1981 Soviet television film adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle's 1902 novel The Hound of the Baskervilles. It was the third instalment in the TV series about adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson.
Plot
In 1889, Dr. Mortimer approaches Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson with a disturbing case: the mysterious death of Sir Charles Baskerville, allegedly caused by a spectral hound that has plagued the Baskerville family for generations. Concerned for the safety of Sir Henry Baskerville, the estate's heir, Holmes sends Watson to accompany him to Baskerville Hall in Devonshire, where they encounter strange events, including a missing boot, ominous warnings, and suspicious neighbors like naturalist Jack Stapleton and his "sister" Beryl.
As Watson investigates, he discovers clues pointing to a sinister plot involving a real dog trained to terrorize the Baskervilles. Holmes, secretly observing from a distance, reveals Stapleton's true identity as a hidden heir to the Baskerville fortune, who used the family legend to drive Sir Charles to a fatal heart attack. In a climactic showdown, the giant hound attacks Sir Henry, but Holmes and Watson save him and expose Stapleton's plan. The villain escapes but ultimately perishes in the treacherous Grimpen Mire, leaving Holmes and Watson to ponder the unresolved mysteries surrounding the case.
Production
The film features an all-star cast: in addition to the famous Livanov-Solomin duo as Holmes and Watson, the film stars the internationally acclaimed actor/director Nikita Mikhalkov as Sir Henry Baskerville and the Russian movie legend Oleg Yankovsky as Jack Stapleton.[1] The hound uses the simple but effective device of painting a skull on the dog's face.[2]
Cast
- Vasily Livanov as Sherlock Holmes
- Vitaly Solomin as Dr. Watson
- Rina Zelyonaya as Mrs. Hudson
- Borislav Brondukov as Inspector Lestrade
- Irina Kupchenko as Beryl Stapleton
- Nikita Mikhalkov as Sir Henry Baskerville
- Alla Demidova as Laura Lyons
- Sergey Martinson as Mr. Frankland
- Oleg Yankovsky as Stapleton
- Aleksandr Adabashyan as Barrymore
- Svetlana Kryuchkova as Mrs. Barrymore
- Yevgeny Steblov as Dr. Mortimer
References
- ^ Приключения Шерлока Холмса и доктора Ватсона: Собака Баскервилей (ТВ)
- ^ Barnes, Alan (2011). Sherlock Holmes on Screen. Titan Books. p. 142. ISBN 9780857687760.