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The Woman in Green
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| The Woman in Green LATEST SHERLOCK HOLMES ADVENTURE IS AN ACCEPTABLE SWIFT-MOVING MELODRAMA Lovers of melodrama will derive much enjoyment from "The Woman in Green," a further chapter in the adventures of Sherlock Holmes As directed by Roy William Neill, the picture, which has been satisfactorily turned out by him in his added capacity of producer, moves swiftly to the solution of the plot. The Sir Arthur Conan Doyle characters have inspired Bertram Millhauser to pen a skillful script. Holmes is called upon to solve a series of murders in which the victims are young woman, each of whom has a finger removed by the slayer. Responsible is a gang which blackmails wealthy men by hypnotizing them and the planting on them the severed fingers of the murdered girls. Afraid they may have committed murder while in a state of hypnosis, the blackmail victims kick in readily. The plot brings back Moriarty as the head villain. Once more Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce are an effective team as Holmes and Dr. Watson, respectively. Hillary Brooke makes an attractive villainess as one of the confederates of Henry Daniell, who is black indeed as Moriarty. Paul Cavanagh is good as one of the gang's victims. DIRECTION, Good. PHOTOGRAPHY, Good. —The Film Daily, June 19, 1945 |
"Universal has made an absorbing mystery of the latest exploits of that master sleuth, Sherlock Holmes. The result is a film that should find ready acceptance on virtually any double feature program. Bertram Milhauser, in an original screenplay, has dreamed up some exciting incidents involving Holmes. It all adds up to good entertainment." —Box Office, June 23, 1945
"The Woman in Green is sheer escapist fun. Rathbone, one of the more distinguished actors of his time, relishes the Holmes role as if he was born to play him. ... Every instance that Rathbone appears on screen, you can't wait to see what he says or does next." —Jerry Saravia, Jerry Saravia on Classic, Cult Films (1895-1969)
"Rathbone and Watson are their usual wonderful selves – no matter what you think of Bruce’s portrayal of Watson, he’s always fun to watch and Rathbone had fine tuned his Holmes to perfection by this stage." —Kevin Lyons, The EOFFTV Review
"Acting by entire cast is fairly substantial. Production and direction by Roy William Neill is in the familiar light-budget whodunit groove." —Variety, June 20, 1945
 Holmes has spotted the "Woman in Green" at the Mesmer Club. |
 Holmes and Lydia at Pembroke House |
"This film is best enjoyed for Basil Rathbone’s iconic portrayal of the great detective. There are good reasons why he remained the King of Sherlock Holmes actors for decades." —Silver in a Haystack
"Basil Rathbone characterizes Sherlock Holmes in his usual satisfying and pleasing manner." —Motion Picture Herald, June 23, 1945
"The movie doesn’t play up its horror elements, and remains very much a mystery. It’s efficient and highly entertaining, with Henry Daniell well cast as Moriarty, and Rathbone and Bruce up to their usual level." —Dave Sindelar, Fantastic Movie Musings and Ramblings
"The Woman in Green is one of those rare murder movies in which the mystery is the motivation rather than who's actually doing it." —Tom Weaver, Michael Brunas, and John Brunas, Universal Horrors
| "The Woman in Green" . Up to Sherlock Standard Roy William Neill has that deft combination of picture knowledge and intelligent taste that has lifted Universal's Sherlock Holmes pictures into the better category of series offerings. The thought now occurs that his consistent success with the series may work to his personal disadvantage if Universal feels that Sherlock is so safe in his hands as to preclude giving Neill the bigger opportunities his long experience and top ability deserve. "The Woman in Green" is up to the Sherlock standard, well-handled from script to direction and to playing. It is not above standard, and it would seem that the writers are getting just a bit worn out at their task of devising new adventures. Even Conan Doyle took a rest for a few years. Sherlock Basil Rathbone and Dr. Watson Nigel Bruce this time come to grips with the legendary enemy, Moriarty, master crook of the world in the opinion of Holmes. Bert Millhauser gives him a female hypnotist assistant, and the plot is off to the races in the best speed and tradition of the old-time class Pathe serials. The star duo is comfortably at home, Miss Hillary Brooke, as Moriarty's aide, a personable asset to any picture. —Box Office Digest, June 23, 1945 |
"While this holds interest throughout, and will appeal to fans of the series, this is not the best of the Sherlock Holmes series. Production, performances, and plot are average." —The Exhibitor, June 27, 1945
"Starting with a particularly vile series of murders that mask an even more detestable scheme and genuine peril for our hero, I can imagine some fans would find The Woman in Green to be too big a step outside the Rathbone Holmes comfort zone. For me, however, these elements mark it out as one of the series' best installments." —Richard Nelson, 100 Films in a Year
"Rathbone is as dependable as ever as Holmes, but it’s Nigel Bruce as the hapless Dr. Watson who provides the most memorable moments." —Richard Cross, 20/20 Movie Reviews
"The Woman in Green is another interesting melodrama in Universals' Sherlock Holmes series ... with Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce again portraying the featured roles of Holmes and Dr. Watson. Roy William Neill produced and directed, providing a fast-moving and suspenseful 68 minutes." —Motion Picture Daily, June 21, 1945
 Moriarty forces Holmes to walk on the ledge. |
 Moriarty is handcuffed. |
"It's not as solid a script as most of the Universal features, but it's never dull and projects a haunting quality throughout." —Gene Phillips, Naturalistic! Uncanny! Marvelous!
"Sir Arthur never perpetrated a disappointment such as The Woman in Green. Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce as Holmes and Watson; Henry Daniell as Moriarity and Matthew Boulton as the Inspector play their respective roles in a manner now best described as 'familiar.'" —Bosley Crowther, The New York Times, June 16, 1945
"This is a routine 'Sherlock Holmes' program murder-mystery melodrama, no better and no worse than the previous pictures in the series. ... The story's development follows a pattern familiar to the series; that is, Scotland Yard finds itself stumped by the crimes, 'Holmes' is called in on the case and, through his amazing but far-fetched powers of deduction, solves the murders and captures the criminals. It has a fair share of suspense, and there is the usual comedy provoked by the blustering antics of Nigel Bruce, as 'Dr. Watson.' Basil Rathbone, as 'Holmes,' gives his usual competent performance." —Harrison's Reports, June 23, 1945
"This entry features the unflappable Basil Rathbone matching wits with Henry Daniell, perhaps his only equal in unflappable Hollywood cool. You can cut the chill between these adversaries with a knife this time around and not even the bumbling Dr. Watson (Nigel Bruce) is able to ruin the built-up tension." —Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie
The L. A. Connection Comedy Group took The Woman in Green and turned it into a farce called Movie Madness Mystery for A&E. In the revised plotline, Holmes and Watson are looking for the perfect barbecue sauce and Professor Moriarty is using a support group call Smokestoppers as a front for his own private Murder Inc. You can watch it here:
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