IN THE MOSCOW SLUMS

The latest film from Karen Shakhnazarov (ZEROGRAD) is a tremendously entertaining historical detective mystery adapted from Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Sign of Four” and famed Russian journalist Vladimir Gilyarovsky -- but in place of Holmes and Dr. Watson, the film features two real-life figures from Russian history. In ancient Moscow, legendary actor Konstantin Stanislavski struggles to understand the life of slum dwellers for his latest production of Gorky's "The Lower Depths". He turns to journalist Gilyarovsky, who takes him on a guided tour through Moscow's version of Whitechapel circa Jack the Ripper. For fans of the Jeremy Brett version of "Sherlock Holmes" and Kenneth Branagh's recent "Hercule Poirot" mysteries, this is an irresistible treat.