The Final Problem

Perhaps this ought to have been entitled "The Final Solution" as it really just smacks of a writer attempting, for the moment at least, to rid himself of a character with whom he was no longer in love. "Holmes" (Eille Norwood) and "Watson" (Hubert Willis) have been drafted in by the Yard's finest "Insp. Taylor" (Tom Beaumont) on the ultimate challenge: to thwart the dastardly "Prof. Moriarty" (Percy Standing). The police have managed to apprehend most of his gang, but the elusive professor remains at large and, as "Holmes" suspects, is on his trail for a final reckoning. It looks like things are all going to come to an head amongst the sharp cliffs of Cheddar Gorge, but who will triumph in this battle of intellects that might just be about to become physical? The first half of this is fairly standard fayre, but as we build to the denouement it actually becomes more comedic than menacing and then all rather rushed, with the inter-titles simply unable to keep up with the pace of the obviously quite crucial dialogue. The outdoor photography does it's job fine, and it's always nice to see steam trains from the 1920s, but there simply isn't enough story to underpin this and though Norwood still continues to craft the mould for Sir Arthur's famous detective for generations to come, here he really is just going through some unremarkable motions.

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