I enjoy films from a series in which casual references are made to stories that went before. The Charlie Chan flicks of the same era used to do it all the time. In this one, Dr. Watson compares the current mystery to the one encountered in "The Hound of the Baskervilles", all the more interesting because that film was made at competing studio Twentieth Century Fox. There was also that reference to author G.K. Chesterton's mystery stories and his fascination with the occult.
Of the post-Fox movies (there were only two), this is by far the best I've encountered, certainly more entertaining than the first three Universal films which had Holmes (Basil Rathbone) dealing with Nazi agents. The atmosphere is established right from the beginning with a great image of a fog enshrouded landscape, the location of the drama taking place in the small Canadian town of La Morte Rouge, ominously translated as 'The Red Death'. Holmes and his assistant Watson (Nigel Bruce) are drawn into a murder investigation by virtue of a letter he receives from a woman who's found dead after it was posted.
The plot intriguingly involves the use of disguises not only by Holmes, but the resourceful murderer who is revealed via some clever writing and the film director's sleight of hand. On the way to solving the mystery, Watson's role as an 'inconspicuous' guest at the Journet Café Hotel adds just the right comedic counterbalance to the story, but it's probably best not to try to follow that whole 'hoots and honks' conversation with butler Drake (Ian Wolfe). Once was enough for me.
There's one scene I did question though. Why would Holmes immediately begin shooting at the phosphorescent 'ghost' on his midnight stroll through the swamp? Granted, there was a logical connection to be made regarding similar sightings preceding the murders of livestock and Lady Penrose, but what if there was some other explanation? Holmes could have shot an innocent person. I thought he quite literally jumped the gun on that one.
Otherwise, Holmes' brilliant deductive reasoning is played out quite credibly in a fairly tense finale. The picture closes in similar fashion to those I've seen from the earlier Universal stories, whereby Holmes invokes Winston Churchill's admiration of the bond between Canada, America and the British Empire. A half century later some may find it a bit heavy handed, but at the same time it's a constructive reminder that tradition has some value in a current world turned upside down.
Of the post-Fox movies (there were only two), this is by far the best I've encountered, certainly more entertaining than the first three Universal films which had Holmes (Basil Rathbone) dealing with Nazi agents. The atmosphere is established right from the beginning with a great image of a fog enshrouded landscape, the location of the drama taking place in the small Canadian town of La Morte Rouge, ominously translated as 'The Red Death'. Holmes and his assistant Watson (Nigel Bruce) are drawn into a murder investigation by virtue of a letter he receives from a woman who's found dead after it was posted.
The plot intriguingly involves the use of disguises not only by Holmes, but the resourceful murderer who is revealed via some clever writing and the film director's sleight of hand. On the way to solving the mystery, Watson's role as an 'inconspicuous' guest at the Journet Café Hotel adds just the right comedic counterbalance to the story, but it's probably best not to try to follow that whole 'hoots and honks' conversation with butler Drake (Ian Wolfe). Once was enough for me.
There's one scene I did question though. Why would Holmes immediately begin shooting at the phosphorescent 'ghost' on his midnight stroll through the swamp? Granted, there was a logical connection to be made regarding similar sightings preceding the murders of livestock and Lady Penrose, but what if there was some other explanation? Holmes could have shot an innocent person. I thought he quite literally jumped the gun on that one.
Otherwise, Holmes' brilliant deductive reasoning is played out quite credibly in a fairly tense finale. The picture closes in similar fashion to those I've seen from the earlier Universal stories, whereby Holmes invokes Winston Churchill's admiration of the bond between Canada, America and the British Empire. A half century later some may find it a bit heavy handed, but at the same time it's a constructive reminder that tradition has some value in a current world turned upside down.