A faithful adaptation of one of the best of the Holmes stories. It has to do with a butler who gets wind of a document that is actually a kind of treasure map. Unfortunately for him, he hooks up with an unstable maid who gets in the way of his realizing an end to all this. The butler is caught in Musgrave's study, rifling through important papers, and is summarily fired. Despite pleading for a couple days to prepare (and do whatever it is he is going to do), Musgrave give him till the next day. This sets up a series of events based on a set of statements that have come to be known as "The Musgrave Ritual." They have to do with locations and positions, but are also threatening in their own way. Holmes and Watson begin to sort out the craziness, involving the disappearance of the butler and the crazy chambermaid, and in the process begin to decipher the Ritual. Clothing has been found indicating that people may have drowned, but that makes no sense. It leads to a cellar and a series of discoveries. It is kind of like Poe's "The Gold Bug" in some ways. Holmes always has a great sense of spatial relationships and this is his top asset here. There is atmosphere and suspense and a wonderful conclusion to this. Brett and Hardwicke really do themselves proud here. One might compare this to one of the Basil Rathbone Holmes efforts.