The Films of Basil Rathbone

This is a complete list of the films in which Basil Rathbone played a part. Some of them I have never seen and therefore cannot comment on them. For those movies I have seen, I offer my humble opinion. I will be adding more "opinions" as I view more films and find time to write reviews.

I've tried to indicate which films are available on VHS videotape and DVD. After the name of a film, I have put the symbols and where applicable to indicate that you may order the film from one of the internet suppliers listed below.  Please make sure you are ordering the right format for your region.   DVD Region 1 is North America; Region 2 is Europe and Japan. Australia is Region 4. PAL is the television standard in the Pacific Rim (incl. China) and Europe (except France). NTSC is the standard for North America, Mexico, most of Latin America, Taiwan, S. Korea and Japan. SECAM is the standard in France.  Many of the new VCRs and televisions being sold in Europe have the capability of playing NTSC videos as well as PAL.

I have divided the list of films into six parts:

The first two Sherlock Holmes films with the team of Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce were produced by Fox; "The Hound of the Baskervilles" was based on a Conan Doyle novel, but "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" was not. According to the TV Guide Motion Picture Database, Fox executives did not think the public would continue to have an interest in Sherlock Holmes and decided to not make any more Holmes films. Fortunately, in 1942 Universal chose to make another Sherlock Holmes film and eventually made 12 films with Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. Universal decided to make Holmes a contemporary character (i.e. living in 1942 London) and portrayed Holmes fighting Nazi spies and driving a car! This was explained by the following words which appear after the opening credits at the beginning of the first few films:

"The character of Sherlock Holmes, created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is ageless, invincible, and unchanging. In solving significant problems of the present day, he remains, as ever, the supreme master of deductive reasoning."

Few of the films are based on a Conan Doyle story, and Dr. Watson is portrayed as a bumbling idiot, which is so uncharacteristic, and nothing like the solid, competent war veteran of the books. In "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" Holmes even says to Watson, "I'm afraid you're an incorrigible bungler." Then he pats Watson on the back to show that they are still pals anyway. Conan Doyle's character Watson is a doctor and a writer (just like Conan Doyle himself), an intelligent person whose intelligence nevertheless pales in comparison to the mind of Sherlock Holmes. The film producers seem to think Holmes won't appear intelligent unless he's next to an idiot. Lestrade (Scotland Yard inspector) is also portrayed as an idiot in several films. That a Scotland Yard inspector could be so stupid and arrogant is totally unbelievable. Also, in many of the films Holmes is fooled by his nemesis, captured, and narrowly escapes death. This never happens in any of Conan Doyle's stories. Holmes is too clever to be captured. But the fault lies with the script writers, rather than the actors. Basil Rathbone portrays the character of Sherlock Holmes so well that he's a joy to watch, even if the time period is "wrong" and the plots are ridiculous. And even though Watson is absent-minded, and frequently silly, he is charming. The chemistry between Rathbone and Bruce is superb.

In spite of the above-mentioned flaws some of the films are quite good, such as "The Scarlet Claw," "Sherlock Holmes Faces Death" and "The House of Fear."

Every actor who has played Sherlock Holmes since Basil Rathbone is compared to Rathbone. I don't wish to get into an argument with the Jeremy Brett fans about who is the greatest Sherlock Holmes ever. In fact, I think Jeremy Brett was a terrific Holmes, and Edward Hardwick was an excellent Watson. But of course Jeremy Brett didn't play the role until the 1980s, and until then Basil Rathbone defined the role of Sherlock Holmes. What I like best about the Sherlock Holmes series that Brett and Hardwick made is that they were faithful dramatizations of Conan Doyle's stories and Hardwick's Watson was NOT a bumbling idiot.

Another excellent portrayal of Holmes and Watson is in the movie "Murder by Decree" with Christopher Plummer as Holmes and James Mason as Watson. But the story is not one of Conan Doyle's.

• The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939), 80 minutes b&w
  --- A, C, MU, S

• The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1939), 82 minutes b&w 
  --- A, MU, S

• Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror (1942), 65 minutes b&w 
  --- A.UK, MU  
  --- A, A.UK, C, MU, S

• Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon (1942), 68 minutes b&w
  --- A.UK
  --- A, A.UK, C, MU, S

• Sherlock Holmes in Washington (1943), 71 minutes b&w 
  ---  A.UK 
  --- A, A.UK, C, MU, S

• Sherlock Holmes Faces Death (1943), 68 minutes b&w 
  --- A, A.UK, C, MU, S

• The Spider Woman (1944), 62 minutes b&w 
  --- A, A.UK, C, MU, S

• The Scarlet Claw (1944), 74 minutes b&w 
  --- A.UK
  --- A, A.UK, C, MU, S

• The Pearl of Death (1944), 69 minutes b&w 
  --- A.UK
  --- A, A.UK, MU, S

• The House of Fear (1945), 68 minutes b&w
  --- A, A.UK, C, MU, S

• The Woman in Green (1945), 68 minutes b&w
  * --- A, A.UK, C, MU, S

• Pursuit to Algiers (1945), 65 minutes b&w 
  --- A.UK
  --- A, A.UK, C, MU, S

• Terror by Night (1946), 60 minutes b&w
  --- A.UK
  * --- A, A.UK, C, MU, P, S  

• Dressed to Kill (1946), 72 minutes b&w (released in Britain as "Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Code")
  --- A.UK
  * --- A, A.UK, C, MU, P, S  

Special Alert concerning DVDs of Sherlock Holmes films: All 14 films in the series were released on REGION 1 DVDs late in 2003 and early in 2004. The films have been digitally remastered, so the quality is better than ANY of the tapes or DVDs previously available. The digitally restored films are released by MPI Home Video. If you are looking at a cheap DVD produced by another company, don't waste your money! The films are available individually and in box sets. Order from Amazon.com or Movies Unlimited : Sherlock Holmes Collection Vol. 1 (release date: October 28, 2003): Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon Sherlock Holmes in Washington Sherlock Holmes Faces Death Bonus features: commentary by David Stuart Davies, original movie posters, photo gallery Click to order Sherlock Holmes Collection Vol. 2 (release date: November 25, 2003): Sherlock Holmes and the Spider Woman The Scarlet Claw The Pearl of Death The House of  Fear Order at Amazon.com or Movies Unlimited. Click to order Sherlock Holmes Collection Vol. 3 (release date: January 27, 2004): The Woman in Green Pursuit to Algiers Terror By Night Dressed to Kill Order at Amazon.com or Movies Unlimited. Click to order The Hound of the Baskervilles (release date: April 27, 2004) Click to order The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (release date: April 27, 2004) Click to order  AND The Complete Sherlock Holmes Collection: all 14 films on five discs (release date: June 27, 2006) This collection contains 6 audio commentaries: the same ones that are on the above collections, plus a new one on "Dressed to Kill" by actress Patricia Morison. Order at Amazon or Movies Unlimited. Buy a DVD player (if you haven't already), and then buy the MPI DVDs!

* Amazon, Critics Choice Video and Movies Unlimited sell four Sherlock Holmes films (DVD Region 1) individually and as part of boxed set called "An Evening with Sherlock Holmes"-- "Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon," "Dressed to Kill," "Woman in Green," and "Terror by Night." These four films are in the public domain and have NOT been restored for this DVD release. If you want excellent quality, get the MPI Home Video DVDs (see blue box above).  However, each DVD within the boxed set ("An Evening with Sherlock Holmes") also contains several of the "New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" radio shows and a rare interview with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It may be worth buying just for those. 

What about Region 2 DVDs of Sherlock Holmes films? Are they available? YES! Sherlock Holmes fans in Region 2 (Europe, South Africa, Japan, and the Middle East) can purchase "Sherlock Holmes: The Definitive Collection," a 7-disc box set released by Optimum Home Entertainment in January, 2005. The films for this DVD release have been digitally remastered and include these special features: Featurette with Robert Gitt, Head Preservation Officer at the UCLA Film and Television Archive. Discusses the multi-million dollar film restoration project for the series. (5 minutes) Audio Commentaries by David Stuart Davies (author, publisher of numerous books on Holmes and Rathbone) on the following films: -The Scarlet Claw -The Woman In Green -Sherlock Holmes Faces Death -The Hound of the Baskervilles Audio Commentary by Richard Valley (Acclaimed author and publisher of Scarlet Street Mystery Magazine, currently penning a book on Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes). -The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes Extensive Production Notes by Richard Valley for all 14 films. Photo Gallery/Original Movie Posters These are exactly the same as features as appear on the Region 1 MPI releases. I'll make a Holmesian deduction and say that the Region 2 DVDs are of the same high quality as the Region 1 MPI DVDs.

Don't have a DVD player? MPI Home Video released the Sherlock Holmes films on NTSC videotapes (individually and in box sets) as well. Visit Movies Unlimited to order.

• Sherlock Holmes Collection Vol. 1
• Sherlock Holmes Collection Vol. 2
• Sherlock Holmes Collection Vol. 3

* One U.S. supplier who has master tapes (or 16 mm film) will make videotapes of the films for customers is www.torysmysterymovies.com (TMM).  Another option is to try EBAY, an internet auction. I've seen ALL of the Sherlock Holmes films offered for sale there. At the main page, click on "Search" and type "Basil Rathbone" next to "Title Search." (Be sure to check the box that says "Search Title and Description." That way, if Rathbone's name appears in the description of an item, but not in the title, that item will be included in the search results.) All the guidelines for bidding and selling are explained at EBAY.

 

 

 

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• Innocent (1921), b&w silent

• The Fruitful Vine (1921), b&w silent

• The Loves of Mary, Queen of Scots (1923), b&w silent

• The School for Scandal (1923), b&w silent

• Trouping with Ellen (1924), b&w silent

• The Masked Bride (1925), b&w silent

• The Great Deception (1926), 61 minutes, b&w silent

• The Last of Mrs. Cheyney (1929), 94 minutes b&w (first Rathbone "talkie")
  --- TMM , SB

 

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The Bishop Murder Case (1930), 91 min. b&w --- TMM , SB A Notorious Affair (1930) --- SB A Lady Surrenders (1930) The Lady of Scandal (1930), 76 min. b&w --- title in the U.K.: The High Road --- SB This Mad World (1930) The Flirting Widow (1930), 74 min. b&w --- SB Sin Takes a Holiday (1930), 81 min. b&w --- MU, SB --- A, MU A Woman Commands (1932), 85 min. b&w --- SB One Precious Year (1933) After the Ball (1933) Loyalties (1933)

Click here to order!

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All original content is © Marcia Jessen, 2007