MovieChat Forums > Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon (1943) Discussion > Did Moriarty...?

Did Moriarty...?

posted 15 years ago by jessicahjoy87
7 replies | jump to latest

Was that line "The needle to the end, eh, Holmes?" a reference to Sherlock's drug addiction or am I just imagining things?? If it was, wow! I totally wasn't expecting that of the Rathbone stuff; I don't believe I've heard a single reference to it, not in all of his versions of the Sherlock films I've watched, not until this one. The Jeremy Brett series from the eighties, sure; it's actually mentioned and referenced quite a lot...but I always thought the junkie aspect of Holmes was one of the things that the Rathbone portrayal was never really supposed to do justice (much like how the Bruce version of Watson was never really supposed to do the real Watson justice), until that one line from Moriarty surprised me. Not that one line does the depth of Sherlock's character justice or anything. Hardly. But it still really took me off guard, seeing as (to me) it came a little out of nowhere. Nothing about it in the other films and suddenly a reference?? Weird. Or maybe I totally missed some point in the movie that Moriarty was referring to and mistook the line.

Well, if it is a reference to the drug addiction, now I'm paranoid that I've gone and missed other references to it. Does anybody know if this is the only one or are there hints dropped in the other films?

[–] drjohnhwatson 15 years ago

Ha, I just watched this film the other day. I don't know if it was some sort of slang or something that I'm not aware of. I just prefer to believe that it was indeed a nice reference to his drug use :D

[–] Haverchuck_Is_King 14 years ago

Yes, definitely a reference to Holmes' drug use. It's a pretty funny scene when you think about it... it's so grisly and out of character. Holmes describes his fantasy of how he would slowly murder Moriarty, and the professor shoots back a line about Holmes' penchant for using needles. Meow.

I'm pretty sure there is a reference in another movie as well. I don't remember the name of the movie, but I believe it was the last line of dialogue.... Holmes has solved the case and he tells Watson something along the lines of 'prepare the needle". One of the benefits of having a doctor for a sidekick I guess.

[–] gnome-5 14 years ago

I think you're talking about The Hound of the Baskervilles. A friend just described to me that at the end Holmes says, "Watson, the needle!" This was cut out of the US version and apparently only restored by The Movie Channel.

[–] Jason_Radley 13 years ago

It probably is such a reference, but there is an alternative: to needle can mean to goad, annoy or tease, which pretty much sums up Holmes's effect on Moriarty.

[–] Too313 13 years ago

Well Moriarty has to have something to retort Holmes winning on all fronts. I think the good professor knew about Holmes's drug use. Funny funny scene.

[–] jquirk-1 13 years ago

I think Jason two posts above is right. I never took Moriarty's comment as a reference to Holmes' drug use. Moriarty was merely stating that Holmes was goading Moriarty right up until the end. When you needle somebody, you are goading them. Of course "the end" did not happen for Holmes because, well, he's Sherlock Holmes, and Sherlock Holmes does not die in these movies.

[–] greenbudgie 9 years ago

I suppose we can never be really too sure if it is a drug reference. But the way that Moriarty smirks when he delivered that line must make us wonder. The idea of a junkie pushing a needle in to it's end must make us suspicious of that. But of course Holmes and Moriarty are opponents who continually 'needle' each other. Both are sharp and precise as a needle. But whatever, it is a very clever and witty line.