The Hound of the Baskervilles
(1939), 80 minutes b&w

The definitive Sherlock HolmesThis was the first of the 14 Sherlock Holmes movies made with Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. Dr. Mortimer, a friend of the recently murdered Sir Charles Baskerville seeks help from Sherlock Holmes to protect young Sir Henry Baskerville, who has just arrived on a ship from Canada. Mortimer tells Holmes and Watson of the legend of the Hound of the Baskervilles, which has cursed every member of the family since 1650. Holmes pretends to scoff at the supposed danger and he tells Sir Henry not to worry about an old legend. In reality he knows Sir Henry's life is in danger and he goes to the moor near the Baskerville estate in disguise, in order to investigate in anonymity.

Beryl Stapleton, Sir Henry and "the peddler"Holmes appears as a peddler before Watson, Sir Henry and Miss Stapleton, and completely fools them. When Holmes has almost figured out the mystery, he removes his disguise, revealing himself to Watson. Watson is indignant when he realizes that Holmes has been there all the time, and didn't trust him enough to tell him! (Of course Watson has made a fool of himself by claiming to be the great detective Sherlock Holmes!) Holmes returns with Watson to Baskerville Hall to fill in some missing pieces to the puzzle. Even when Holmes has figured out who the murderer is, he cannot arrest him without evidence. Holmes says, "The only way is to catch him red-handed, to catch him in such a way that there's no escape, no alibi. And that means gambling with Sir Henry's life."  Once again Holmes tells Sir Henry that he has nothing to fear, his troubles are over, and Holmes and Watson board a train headed for London. At the next stop, they disembark, take a train back and arrive at the moor just in the nick of time to save Sir Henry from being killed by the Hound. Holmes and Watson shoot the Hound dead. In the final scene, with nearly everyone present, Holmes explains how he figured out who the murderer and hound owner was. Feeling trapped, Stapleton pulls on gun on everyone, then runs out of the house. Holmes does not give chase, explaining that the police are out in force on the roads, and the only other means of escape is across the deadly Grimpen Mire.

Holmes shows Watson the teeth marks on the walking stick"The Hound of the Baskervilles" follows the original story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle pretty closely. There are, however, some small differences. The novel opens at 221B Baker Street with Holmes and Watson examining the walking stick left by Dr. Mortimer (Lionel Atwill), whom they haven't met yet. The film opens with the death of Sir Charles Baskerville and the neighbors discussing the circumstances of Sir Charles' death. In the novel, Mrs. Laura Lyons (Frankland's daughter) is a fairly important character, having arranged to meet Sir Charles on the night of his death. She is not mentioned in the film. In the novel Beryl Stapleton turns out to be married to Mr. Stapleton and only pretending to be his sister. There is no talk of an engagement to Sir Henry Baskerville. In the film Miss Stapleton (Wendy Barrie) really is the sister--step-sister, in fact, so there is a happy ending for Sir Henry (Richard Greene) and Beryl Stapleton. The seance scene with Mrs. Mortimer does not occur in the novel. In fact there is no Mrs. Mortimer in the novel. Mrs. Hudson isn't mentioned in the novel either. One difference that really bothers me is in the trap that Holmes lays to catch the Hound. In the novel Holmes, Watson and Lestrade are on the Holmes and Watson follow Sir Henry moor, waiting for Sir Henry to leave the Stapleton's house and walk home. They are ready and shoot the Hound before it has even scratched Sir Henry. In the film Holmes and Watson (minus Lestrade) are late getting to the moor because the carriage broke down and they don't reach Sir Henry and shoot the Hound before Sir Henry has been horribly mauled, almost to death. This is typical Hollywood: try to build up the suspense--"Will he get there in time to save Sir Henry?" It is out of character for Holmes to not have all the details worked out. Another dumb thing that Holmes does in the film which is not in the novel is allowing himself to get locked in the pit where the hound had been kept. It made me wonder how Holmes could be so stupid when he's supposed to be so brilliant. And at the end of the film Holmes says, "Oh, Watson -- the needle!" This line is not in the novel, but Holmes' use of morphine is documented in other stories. I just didn't see the purpose of this line. It added nothing to the story, and it's amazing that the censors allowed it.

Holmes and Watson hear the HoundIn spite of all the above complaints, "The Hound of the Baskervilles" remains one of my favorite Sherlock Holmes films, and it of course established Basil Rathbone as the definitive Sherlock Holmes. Rathbone states in his autobiography that "The Hound of the Baskervilles" was always his favorite Sherlock Holmes film. I especially like the first scene with Holmes and Watson in Baker Street. The dialogue is almost word for word the same as in the novel, and the chemistry between Rathbone and Nigel Bruce is perfect. I usually cringe at Nigel Bruce's interpretation of Watson as a bumbling idiot (apparent in the later Universal films), which is so different from the character appearing in Conan Doyle's stories, but in this film Bruce is much less bumbling, and actually appears to be a capable friend and physician. Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes

The liberal use of dry ice on the set created the eerie and ominous foggy atmosphere of the English moor and the ruins of a burial ground. The Hound (a 140-pound Great Dane named Chief) appeared suitably ferocious to frighten audiences. The story moved swiftly from one suspenseful moment to the next.

Morton Lowry (Stapleton) had previously appeared with Rathbone in The "Dawn Patrol," and Lionel Atwill (Dr. Mortimer) would later play Moriarty in "Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon."

Cast

Credits

Basil Rathbone...........Sherlock Holmes
Nigel Bruce..........................Dr. Watson
Richard Greene....Sir Henry Baskerville
Wendy Barrie................Beryl Stapleton
Lionel Atwill...........Dr. James Mortimer
John Carradine........................Barryman
Barlowe Borland.....................Frankland
Beryl Mercer...................Mrs. Mortimer
Morton Lowry...............John Stapleton
Ralph Forbes.........Sir Hugo Baskerville
E.E. Clive........................................Cabby
Eily Malyon.....................Mrs. Barryman
Nigel de Brulier...........................Convict
Mary Gordon.....................Mrs. Hudson
Peter Willis................................Roderick
Ivan Simpson..........................Shepherd
Ian MacLaren....Sir Charles Baskerville
John Burton....................................Bruce
Denis Green........................................Jon
Evan Thomas.................................Edwin
Chief......................................The Hound
Production Co. ..........20th Century Fox
Producer.............................Gene Markey
Director..........................Sidney Lanfield
Screenplay.........................Ernest Pascal
Cinematographer...........Peverell Marley 
Editor..............................Robert Simpson
Music Director..............Cyril Mockridge
Art Directors........................Richard Day
................................................Hans Peters
Costume Design............Gwen Wakeling

Images on this page and Page 2 are from "The Hound of the Baskervilles," copyright 20th Century Fox.

Go to Page 2 to see MORE pictures from
"The Hound of the Baskervilles"

Interesting online reviews of "The Hound of the Baskervilles" can be found here:

"Rathbone's Finest Hour" -- an article by Pat Ward, member of The Illustrious Clients of Indianapolis scion society

 

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All original content is © Marcia Jessen, 2007