Hilary Brooks' finest film, playing a beautiful sinister baddie - who's supposed to be in green in a b&w movie and no-one actually tells you she's in green either. Henry Daniell plays Moriarty colder than a refrigerator; George Zucco was mad and Lionel Atwill was pervy but imho I think Daniell was maybe better fitted to play the part of Evil Personified, being cold as ice. But I've always had a soft spot for Zucco however - what a team they made a few years before in SH in Washington! Brooks' housekeeper (subbing Mrs Danvers) and the actual murderer (only briefly seen) complete the Gang of Four.
Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce as Holmes and Watson are as usual marvellously embroiled in solving a series of particularly gruesome crimes - apparently the censors had their say - of murder and mutilation of young women in London. Inspector Lestrade's comedic touches were considered out of place in this one, so we had the extra stolid and rather wimpish Inspector Gregson instead. My daughter pointed out that when Brooks is hypnotising her prey both the characters look into a lily pond with a decidedly wrong reflection looking back! Unless we were both hypnotised into believing it!
But even if it's slightly sub-par it's still another enjoyable entry, at this distance and after 10 viewings I'd have loved a 3 hour directors cut of this to be suddenly found, but alas it will never be! A great (Definitive edition) print works wonders though.
Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce as Holmes and Watson are as usual marvellously embroiled in solving a series of particularly gruesome crimes - apparently the censors had their say - of murder and mutilation of young women in London. Inspector Lestrade's comedic touches were considered out of place in this one, so we had the extra stolid and rather wimpish Inspector Gregson instead. My daughter pointed out that when Brooks is hypnotising her prey both the characters look into a lily pond with a decidedly wrong reflection looking back! Unless we were both hypnotised into believing it!
But even if it's slightly sub-par it's still another enjoyable entry, at this distance and after 10 viewings I'd have loved a 3 hour directors cut of this to be suddenly found, but alas it will never be! A great (Definitive edition) print works wonders though.