Ace detective Sherlock Holmes speaks for the first time in a film and utters his trademark line "Elementary, dear Watson, elementary," (interestingly, he never said that phrase in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's books). This time, Holmes and Watson must once again face down the nefarious Professor Moriarty after he begins investigating the murder of a ship's captain and the suspicious disappearance of the dead man's son who is accused of the crime. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide