This episode is based on the Canonical story The Final Problem.
In the previous episode, The Master Blackmailer, Sherlock Holmes
(Sir Vasily Livanov) received a letter from Professor Moriarty (Viktor Yevgrafov). In a slight
deviation from the canon, Charles Augustus Milverton is shown as a pawn of
Moriarty. Milverton’s death causes Moriarty to focus his efforts to stop Holmes
once and for all.
The first meeting between Holmes and Moriarty does not take place
at 221 B Baker Street. Holmes and Watson visit a gentlemen’s club with the
specific intention of dropping in on Moriarty. Holmes is taken to meet Moriarty by the latter's henchmen. Moriarty warns Holmes to stay away but as expected
Holmes has no intentions of doing anything of that sort.
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| Holmes and Moriarty meet |
Back at the club, Watson witnesses a verbal confrontation between a
certain Ronald Adair and Colonel Sebastian Moran. Adair accuses Moran of cheating to win a game of cards. Readers familiar with the
Sherlock Holmes canon will recognize the significance of this encounter :)
The rest of the episode is a direct adaptation of the story.
Holmes gives clear instructions to Watson about boarding the train to leave
London the next day. The same night, 221 B is set on fire.
Holmes and Watson are soon engaged in a deadly cat-and-mouse game
with Moriarty and his henchmen. Despite Holmes’s best laid plans, Moriarty has
evaded arrest and is hell bent on avenging himself.
Holmes and Watson travel across Europe with the hopes of
outrunning Moriarty. But Moriarty is always on their heels, as Holmes deduces time and again.
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| Holmes and Watson on the run |
Soon the climax at Reichenbach Falls is upon us. An errand boy
arrives to take Watson back to the hotel on a false pretext. Holmes fully knows
the import of this occurrence and bids adieu to his longtime friend. Just as
Holmes expected, the ‘Napoleon of Crime’ makes his appearance…
As Holmes and Moriarty employ their Baritsu skills to best each
other, they are not alone. Sebastian Moran, Moriarty’s sharpshooter, is
watching the encounter to ensure that Moriarty is avenged should the latter
fail to off Holmes himself.
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| Colonel Sebastian Moran up to his old tricks again... |
The epic encounter between Holmes and Moriarty is done full
justice. This is one of the best shot episodes in the series and the
Reichenbach section is probably the most spectacular. The shooting was not done
at the actual falls but in Russia. I never felt the difference and full credits to director Igor Maslennikov and his team of cinematographers (Anatoli Lapshov
and Yuri Veksler) for their stunning work. Vladimir Dashkevich’s Moriarty theme
and background score for the Reichenbach scenes are outstanding.
Vasily Livanov is my all-time favorite actor to portray Holmes and he is
simply marvelous in this episode. As Holmes comes face-to-face with his
archenemy, Livanov does an excellent job in essaying Holmes at arguably his
lowest point in the canon.
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| Watson reacts to Holmes's disappearance |
Vitaly Solomin is always good in his role. From refusing to leave
Holmes alone to face his greatest threat to his discovery of Holmes’s fate at
Reichenbach Falls, Solomin gets to show a wide range of emotions. Dr Watson is
the common man we all identify with and Solomin’s Watson is one of the best.
Viktor
Yevgrafov's version of Moriarty is one of the most sinister looking ones.
Viktor’s tall stature and his spider-like movements make him a convincing
Moriarty.
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| Viktor Yevgrafov as Prof Moriarty |
There have been a few other adaptations of The Final Problem, which
include the Downey Jr movie Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, the Granada series adaptation and Sherlock.
In my humble opinion, a hero is only as good as his villain. If the villain does not appear to be genuinely intimidating, it is hard (at least for me) to take the hero seriously. Moriarty’s portrayal is very vital to the success of any adaptation of The Final Problem. From this perspective, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows and the Russian adaptation are clear winners. Eric Porter did an adequate but not exceptional job in the Granada series.
In my humble opinion, a hero is only as good as his villain. If the villain does not appear to be genuinely intimidating, it is hard (at least for me) to take the hero seriously. Moriarty’s portrayal is very vital to the success of any adaptation of The Final Problem. From this perspective, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows and the Russian adaptation are clear winners. Eric Porter did an adequate but not exceptional job in the Granada series.
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There are many fine touches in this episode that I liked very much
- The M files maintained by Holmes, Watson sketching a portrait of Holmes and
Holmes preparing himself for the physically challenging confrontation at
Reichenbach. Maslennikov’s love for the Sherlock Holmes canon has always been
evident in the series and this episode is yet another fine example.
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| My favorite parts in the episode |
This episode is one of the best in the Russian
series and will stand the test of time as one of the best adaptations of The
Final Problem.
Click here to read all my posts about the Russian adaptation of Sherlock Holmes.
Click here to read all my posts about the Russian adaptation of Sherlock Holmes.
Image Source: Lenfilm Films
Studio
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