cimorene

'the man with the twisted lip' is sort of odd. in canon, the drama towards the end gets high but it's mostly a sort of weird story, full of a lot of exposition and blahblah. but this one contains many excellent exchanges. for instance, it begins with watson arriving home alone. he asks mrs. hudson where holmes is. holmes has left and been gone a whole day or something (watson has been out of town perhaps?). he's essentially disappeared without a trace.

watson: but we've had this date for supper at my club for weeks!
mrs hudson: he did mention that, sir. but then the lady called and he went out.

another lady calls for watson, and he undertakes to retriever her husband from an opium den for her.

lady: weren't you dining with mr. holmes?
watson: mr. holmes has vanished without a trace.
lady: then i shouldn't further burden you with my troubles.
watson: it's nothing to worry about--mr. holmes frequently vanishes without a trace. it's a habit. (<--paraphrase)

...

mrs hudson: but what shall i tell mr. holmes if he comes back?
watson: tell him i have vanished without a trace.

later he runs into holmes in disguise in the opium den, and together they visit mr. neville st. clair's house in kent. for the night. holmes is thinking aloud, and watson climbs wearily into bed in his nightshirt (which has attractive, billowing white sleeves). he's game for a while, but then he says, 'i have just one more question. ... can i go to sleep?' holmes seems surpised. 'of course.'

then we see holmes thinking, and he evidently reaches his solution before dawn, because he gets dressed and washed and then, when hatted and gloved, wakes watson. 'watson,' he whispers. then he gives a little laugh and sing-songs, 'waaatson?' then he reaches down and tickles watson's bare foot. watson wakes and asks the time. holmes says it is dawn. watson says he has slept two hours only. holmes asks him to 'do me the very great favor of getting up?', still in the same playful, endearing sing-song. watson asks if it is important. holmes says he has the solution. watson asks if it is life and death. holmes says no. watson asks whether they can't then postpone it a few hours. holmes says, 'i'll see you downstairs in five minutes.' watson groans and rolls over, but then we see him getting into the carriage with holmes.

in the carriage:
holmes: you have the gift of silence, watson! it makes you quite invaluable as a companion.
watson: [silence]
holmes: watson, you are in the presence of one of the most absolute fools in europe!
watson: [dully] you exaggerate, holmes--
holmes: [interrupting] i deserve to be kicked from here to charing cross.
watson: [tiredly] the moment you woke me up i would have been--
holmes: [interrupting] i've got the key, watson, here in this __ bag!
watson: [still talking despite having been interrupted] --been prepared to do it.

(that's not the end, but it's the last scene i care to summarize.)

high points: all the funny dialogue behind the cut.
low points: length of neville st. clair stuff. yawn! why go on and on about the actual case? geez.