. Wilmer makes a perceptive and sardonic Holmes, looking very like the Strand illustrations; while Stock is effective as the war-weary Watson. Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson rise unusually early one morning to meet Helen Stoner, a young woman who fears that her life is being threatened by her stepfather, Sir Grimesby Roylott, a doctor who practiced in India and who was married to Tinged with Gothic elements, it is considered by many to be one of Doyle's finest works, with the author himself calling it his best story. [1] In the article, a captain tells how he was dispatched to a remote camp in West Africa to stay in a tumbledown cabin that belonged to a Portuguese trader. The Adventure of the Speckled Band Vocabulary Words affected showed a liking for aperture opening averted turned away bile-shot eyes eyes whose whites are colored brownish-yellow or greenish-yellow blandly showing no concern or worry bramble-covered covered with prickly shrubs or bushes camp-bed folding bed clinched fists clenched fists Unable to cry out for help, the captain spots an old bell that hung from a projecting beam above one of the windows. “The Adventure of the Speckled Band” by Doyle is a classic Gothic tale with a twist. It was originally published in Strand Magazine in February 1892, with illustrations by Sidney Paget, and later as the eighth story in the collection The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. The story is written as if it was one of the earliest cases undertaken by Holmes and Watson as a duo, with the case being brought to the consulting detective by a scared young lady, Helen Stoner. The Adventure of the Speckled Band Arthur Conan Doyle. [1] The story, alongside the rest of the Sherlock Holmes canon, has become a defining part of detective fiction. Rare Sherlock Holmes film starring Raymond Massey as SHerlock Holmes. Written by Instant downloads of all 1434 LitChart PDFs (including The Adventure of the Speckled Band). In this story, the principle animals were a baboon, a cheetah, and . Add the first question. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's 'The Adventure of the Speckled Band' introduces a new set of characters to the Sherlock Holmes universe. well, just in case you haven't read the story yet we're not going to give anything important away right in … From Wings to Parasite, here's a look back at all of the Best Picture Oscar winners in the history of the ceremony. A West African Adventure" in Cassell's Saturday Journal, published in February 1891. Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Sherlock Holmes wakes Dr. John Watson up early one morning, telling him that the housekeeper, Mrs. Hudson, roused him because a client has arrived, a young woman. British Edition -- The Strand Magazine, February 1892 . This text is provided to you “as-is” without any warranty. Baring-Gould Chronology Beginning of Story -- Friday, April 6, 1883 Originally published in 1892, “The Speckled Band” by the Scottish author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is one of fifty-six short stories featuring the detective Sherlock Holmes. However, each detective story has its own antagonist. She explains that he… In The Speckled Band by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, a young woman named Julia Stoner dies in the middle of the night of apparent poisoning. Undaunted, Holmes proceeds to the courthouse, where he examines Helen's late mother's will, and then to the countryside. She lives in a country mansion with her flamboyant and sinister guardian Grimesby Raylott, who has travelled abroad and brought home some souvenir ... 11 of 11 people found this review helpful. Doyle’s use of damsels in distress, villains, old mansions, and dark plots all contribute to making “The Adventure of the Speckled Band” a suspenseful and sensational short story. View production, box office, & company info. Guest stars bring to life the minor characters, and despite the aged print, this was absorbing viewing. the speckled band!” whispered Holmes. (18 May 1964). Her final words referred to a "speckled band." The speckled band!" Title: The role of Sherlock Holmes was played by H. A. Saintsbury. "The Speckled Band" is a classic locked-room mystery that deals with the themes of parental greed, inheritance and freedom. It has been adapted for television, film, theatre, radio, and a video game. “It is a swamp adder!” cried Holmes; “the deadliest snake in … “The band! The Speckled Band in particular and his use of it to murder his stepdaughter Julia endow his already imposing figure with a terrifying aspect. 'The Speckled Band' was one of the better Sherlock Holmes stories, and as such, it is not surprising that the BBC chose it as a pilot for their series pairing Douglas Wilmer as Holmes with Nigel Stock as Watson.Shot in black and white on a Baker Street set built at Ealing Studios, this series starts well and, in 50 minutes, the story is told in a compact and economic form which, nevertheless, leaves the viewer in some suspense about the outcome.This version of 'Speckled Band' was very interesting to compare with the Granada Brett version twenty years later. Convinced of her stepfather's intentions, she turns to Holmes for help. The Speckled Band by Jack Raymond. It is also part of the exhibit at the Sherlock Holmes Museum. The Speckled Band ran for 169 performances at the Adelphi Theatre before enjoying a successful tour in England and the continent. Try this amazing The Adventure Of The Speckled Band Quiz! Recently her sister Julia, about to be married and made by Raylott to sleep in a bed that was screwed to the floor, died in mysterious circumstances. The Adventure of the Speckled Band is one of the darker Sherlock Holmes stories dealing with murder by unusual means. Most people consider the snake to be a fictional creation; however, the identity of the snake has been a subject of much debate among Sherlockians. Recently her sister Julia, about to be married and made by Raylott to sleep in a bed that was screwed to the floor, died in mysterious circumstances. The assumption that the “speckled band” refers to the groups of gypsies, another exotic and vaguely-sinister presence at the manor, presents another kind of “lock” that must be opened to solve the case. At Stoke Moran, Holmes scrutinizes the premises inside and out. Watson gets dressed, and they find their client waiting in Holmes' waiting room. Top 200 of all time 150 Essential Comedies. Helen Stoner needs the great man's help. "The Adventure of the Speckled Band" is the eighth Sherlock Holmes short story, and the tenth Holmes story overall (following the novels A Study in Scarlet and The Sign of the Four), by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It was originally published in Strand Magazine in February 1892, with illustrations by Sidney Paget, and later as the eighth story in the collection The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Quickly lighting a candle, he discovers on the bell cord the "speckled band"—a venomous snake. The main protagonist is Sherlock Holmes. Doyle's play The Speckled Band opened at London's Adelphi Theatre on June 24, 1910. Helen is fearful for her own safety and Holmes and Watson investigate. Helen Stoner needs the great man's help. Animals play an important part in "The Adventure of the Speckled Band" as they do in many Sherlock Holmes stories. The speckled band!” Helen’s now deceased sister, Julia, had mentioned a low whistling she had heard the nights leading up to her death, something Julia has connected to the death itself. For other uses, see, Dr. Roylott (left) confronts Holmes and Watson The play ra… Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson rise unusually early one morning to meet a young woman named Helen Stoner who fears that her stepfather, Dr. Grimesby Roylott, is threatening her life. Movie & TV guides. 1892 illustration by, Shinjiro Okazaki and Kenichi Fujita (ed. She tells them that her name is Helen Stoner, and that she lives with her stepfather, Dr. Grimesby Roylott, the last survivor of the noble Roylott family of Stoke Moran. "The Adventure of the Speckled Band" is the eighth Sherlock Holmes short story, and the tenth Holmes story overall (following the novels A Study in Scarlet and The Sign of the Four), by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In an instant his strange headgear began to move, and there reared itself from among his hair the squat diamond-shaped head and puffed neck of a loathsome serpent. 1 | Page — The Adventure of the Speckled Band. She has begun to hear strange noises and observe strange activities around Stoke Moran, the impoverished and heavily mortgaged estate where she and her stepfather live. Last night she too was woken by the same whistling her sister had complained of that night just hours before her death. This FAQ is empty. Amazon has mistakenly attached this hardcover "Night Lights" version to the offer because they share the same name. Sainsbury as Holmes, Claude King as Watson and Lyn Harding as Grimesby Rylott (as the characterof Grimesby Roylott was renamed for the play). Use the HTML below. On the first night in the cabin, he is awoken by a creaking sound, and sees "a dark queer-looking thing hanging down through the ventilator above it". It was the third stage play that Doyle wrote and the second play about Sherlock Holmes. Richard Lancelyn Green, the editor of the 2000 Oxford paperback edition of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, surmises that Doyle's source for the story appears to have been the article named "Called on by a Boa Constrictor. (Guidebook to the show), The Classic Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, "From Holmes to Sherlock: The Story of the Men and Women Who Created an Icon", "The Adventure of the Speckled Band Full Text and Analysis - Owl Eyes", "Sherlock Holmes and the Speckled Band – review", "Sherlock Holmes OTR - Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce (January 9, 2014)", "Sherlock Holmes 1948-12-19 The Speckled Band", "The Classic Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: Broadcast Log", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Adventure_of_the_Speckled_Band&oldid=1019130129, Sherlock Holmes short stories by Arthur Conan Doyle, Works originally published in The Strand Magazine, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz work identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Catalogue of The 1951 Sherlock Holmes Exhibition, Specially bred by Roylott to obtain rapid-acting venom and desired behaviour, The Truth About the Speckled Band by Lawrence M Klauber, Leapin' lizards: An irregular and Unnatural History of the Speckled band by Warren Randall, "A Fresh Bite at The Speckled Band" by Philip Cornell, A fast-acting neurotoxic venom, as opposed to the common haemotoxic venom of most snakes, Appearance described as a "yellow band with brownish speckles", a "squat, diamond-shaped" head, and a "puffed" neck, Physical Appearance unlike the swamp adder, appropriately shaped head, but lacks "speckled" markings, appropriately shaped head and "speckled" markings, common varieties with brown speckles on yellow, diamond-shaped head and puffed neck, creamy yellow belly, freely speckled, diamond-shaped head, puffed neck. Holmes identifies the snake as an Indian swamp adder and reveals to Watson the motive: the late wife's will had provided an annual income of £750 sterling, of which each daughter could claim one third upon marriage. He is friendly with a band of gypsies on the property and has a cheetah and a baboon as pets. American Edition -- The Strand Magazine, March 1892 . Helen is fearful for her own safety and Holmes and Watson investigate. "It is a swamp adder!" She lives in a country mansion with her flamboyant and sinister guardian Grimesby Raylott, who has travelled abroad and brought home some souvenir livestock. The speckled band is really a poisonous snake. Helen is fearful for her own safety and Holmes and Watson investigate. First published in 1892, “The Adventure of the Speckled Band” is a classic entry in Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes series. He plans a visit to the manor later in the day. I took a step forward. Written by don @ minifie-1 It was responsible for the death of Julia Stoner, but no one realized at the time that Julia had been … The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Speckled Band. In darkness, they wait until about three in the morning; suddenly, a slight metallic noise and a dim light through the ventilator prompt Holmes to action. 46-48, p. 53 and pp. Her final words referred to a "speckled band." He has died within ten seconds of being bitten.". Animals. The Speckled Band The eighth story in The Adventures of Sherlock … He is also the impoverished last survivor of what was once a wealthy but violent, ill-tempered and amoral Anglo-Saxon aristocratic family of Surrey, and has already served a jail sentence for killing his Indian butler in a rage. Best Horror Movies. LitCharts Teacher Editions. Agitated, it fatally attacks Roylott, who had been waiting for it to return after killing Helen. Helen had heard her sister's dying words, "The speckled band!" Among the strange features that he discovers are a bed anchored to the floor, a bell cord that is not attached to any bell, and a ventilator hole between Helen's temporary room and that of Dr. Roylott. The story tells of Helen Stoner, a soon-to-be married young woman who suspects her stepfather may be trying to kill her i… Roylott is a doctor who practiced in Calcutta, India, and was married to Helen's late mother when she was a widow living there. but could not decode their meaning. Doyle famously clashed with Harding over several details of the script, but later reconciled with him after the universal success of the play.[2]. Her final words referred to a "speckled band." 82-83. [7], This article is about the short story. [5] The story was published with nine illustrations by Sidney Paget in The Strand Magazine. Holmes admits his attack on the snake may make him indirectly responsible for Roylott's demise, but he doesn't foresee it troubling him since his action saved Helen's life. The Speckled Band Quotes. Recently her sister Julia, about to be married and made by Raylott to sleep in a bed that was screwed to the floor, died in mysterious circumstances. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. The bell cord had rotted away, but by means of a stick he manages to ring it and raise the alarm. Here's our roundup of the best new series of the year so far, and where to watch them. don @ minifie-1. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. The story tells of Helen Stoner, a soon-to-be married young woman who suspects her stepfather may be trying to kill her in order to retain control of her inheritance. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Thus, Dr. Roylott plotted to remove both of his stepdaughters before they married to avoid losing most of the fortune he controlled when the daughters took with them their share of money left for them by their mother. Holmes listens carefully to Helen's story and agrees to take the case. The key characteristics to be considered in identification of the snake are: The following table consists of the considered candidates, Source: The New annotated Sherlock Holmes by Leslie S Klinger, "The Adventure of the Speckled Band" was first published in the UK in The Strand Magazine in February 1892, and in the United States in the US edition of the Strand in March 1892. It turns out to be the largest Boa constrictor he has seen (more likely a python because there are no boas in Africa). For some time, he has been making changes to the house. Doyle adds the sudden quickness of events to create an exciting scene and to make the readers even more anticipated to find out what the speckled band is. The popular commemorative edition of The Speckled Band is only sold in paperback format. No warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, are made to you as to the text or any medium it may be on, including but not limited to warranties of merchantablity or fitness for a particular purpose. Also explore over 3 similar quizzes in this category. [6] It was included in the short story collection The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes,[6] which was published in October 1892. She lives in a country mansion with her flamboyant and sinister guardian Grimesby Raylott, who has travelled abroad and brought home some souvenir livestock. The speckled band!” Recently, just after her engagement, due to construction, Helen was moved into her sister’s bedroom which sits adjacent to her step-father’s. What Is The Speckled Band. ), "シャーロックホームズ冒険ファンブック Shârokku Hômuzu Boken Fan Bukku", Tokyo: Shogakukan, 2014, pp. one of the most famous literary characters. Holmes behaves very calmly and cautiously when faced with a client, also when he comes under threats from Dr Grimesby Roylott makes an unexpected entry to Holmes office. It starred H.A. He is paralysed with fear as the serpent comes down into the room. The speckled band!’ There was something else which she would fain have said, and she stabbed with her finger into the air in the direction of the doctor's room, but a fresh convulsion seized her and choked her words. Publication date 1931 Usage Public Domain Mark 1.0 Topics Sherlock Holmes, Raymond Massey Publisher First Division Pictures Language English. For example, in “The Adventure of the Speckled Band… Before he can leave, he is visited by Dr. Roylott himself, who threatens him should he interfere. He strikes at the snake with his walking stick, driving it back through the ventilator. Helen's twin sister died almost two years earlier, shortly before she was to be married. Trivia quiz which has been attempted 5178 times by avid quiz takers. There are no approved quotes yet for this movie. Helen Stoner needs the great man's help. I rushed out, calling loudly for my stepfather, and I … The part of the "speckled band" was played by a live boa. Dr. Roylott also keeps strange company at the estate. Helen herself, troubled by the perplexing death of her sister,[3] is now engaged. The Adventure of the Speckled Band . The case begins when Sherlock Holmes is approached by a young woman named Helen Stoner. ‘ The Adventure of the Speckled Band ’ is one of the most popular Sherlock Holmes story written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Doyle himself recognised that many readers would include ‘The Speckled Band’ among their list of favourite Holmes outings. . Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2005 These were the strange last words spoken by Helen Stoner's twin sister Julia as she lay, collapsed … Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. Was this review helpful to you? [1] Autumn of 1910 brought the production to Boston , Massachusetts [8] and later New York City , New York with Harding continuing in as Rylott but Holmes recast with Charles Millward taking the role. cried Holmes; "the deadliest snake in India. The Speckled Band:. Before Helen's sister's death, he had modifications made inside the house and is now having the outside wall repaired, forcing Helen to move into the room where her sister died. "The Adventure of the Speckled Band" is the eighth story in the The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes story collection, the third publication in the Sherlock Holmes series (after the first two novels, so the first story collection). Conan Doyle wrote an adaptation for the stage in 1910, The short story was also adapted for the now-, A 1923 silent short film was adapted in the, A 1948 radio adaptation on the Home Service, also adapted by John Dickson Carr, featured, A half-hour BBC radio adaptation was broadcast in July 1962 on the, In 1970, an audio drama based on the story was released on, A one-hour radio adaptation was broadcast as an episode of the series, The story was adapted as a 2015 episode of the radio series, A half-hour television adaptation starring, The pilot episode of the BBC's 1964–1965 series, "The Speckled Band" was the sixth episode of the first series of, "The Speckled Band" was adapted as part of the 1984–85 anime series, This page was last edited on 21 April 2021, at 17:47. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle adapted his short story "The Adventure of the Speckled Band" for the stage himself. 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