An escaped killer is on the hunt for missing treasure, seeking vengeance upon the man that cheated him out of it. A trail of greed leads the convict to the door of Mary Morstan, who turns to Sherlock Holmes for protection. In order to piece together the motive behind the criminal's violence, Holmes and Watson must penetrate the carnival underworld of tattooed men and savage pygmies. When Mary is kidnapped, the detective must summon all of his cunning to save her. <i>The Sign of Four</i> was Arthur Wontner's third appearance as Holmes, joined by Ian Hunter as Dr. Watson. The adaptation remains one of the most faithful to Arthur Conan Doyle's vision and is notable for the director's decision to raise the level of action in the story, culminating in a violent showdown with the villains.