First, I want to point out that the copy of this film (DVD) that you want, if you plan to buy it, is the re-worked UCLA film lab version that was digitized from a very pristine black-and-white 35 mm print. All other copies are inferior to this one. The aspect is full-screen.
The stars here are Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce as Holmes and Watson. We also get to see the great Henry Daniell (as Sir Anthony Lloyd) and Reginald Denny (as Sir Evan Barham). The film was directed by John Rawlins.
The story takes place during WW II as the Nazis have formulated a plan to terrorize all England. The Voice of Terror makes radio broadcasts, informing the public of real-time disasters which their secret operatives have initiated right in the English homeland, ranging from blowing up airplane factories to wrecking trains, usually demolishing secret plans of the British offensive. The 'Inner Council' of British Army and Navy Intelligence seem to be stymied in dealing with the strikes so Sherlock Holmes is called in by the head of the council... but some of the Inner Council members clearly oppose this decision.
One of Holmes' street informants is murdered on the doorstep of 221B Baker Street (Holmes' flat) so Holmes and Watson head for Limehouse to discover the secret of the victim's last word: "Christopher".
In Limehouse, the two fend off attacks before they end up in a sleazy pub where Holmes has to prevail upon the victim's girlfriend ("Kitty") for help in unearthing the Nazi's plans. Kitty, in turn, has to convey an extemporaneous patriotic speech to the Limehouse street criminals in order to engage their help in discovering what "Christopher" means.
At one point, the Limehouse boys save Holmes' bacon but the chief Nazi escapes. It falls to Kitty again to save the day. In the meantime, Holmes is also suspicious of the respective Inner Council members as he is certain that one of them is an enemy agent.
The end is, again, a patriotic salute to the intestinal fortitude of the English, and to the brain of Holmes, in facing down their Third Reich adversaries.
This is a good film, coherently directed, and with good cinematography. While it's not up to the standard of the other series entries, such as "The Hound of the Baskervilles," it's still certainly worth watching.
The stars here are Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce as Holmes and Watson. We also get to see the great Henry Daniell (as Sir Anthony Lloyd) and Reginald Denny (as Sir Evan Barham). The film was directed by John Rawlins.
The story takes place during WW II as the Nazis have formulated a plan to terrorize all England. The Voice of Terror makes radio broadcasts, informing the public of real-time disasters which their secret operatives have initiated right in the English homeland, ranging from blowing up airplane factories to wrecking trains, usually demolishing secret plans of the British offensive. The 'Inner Council' of British Army and Navy Intelligence seem to be stymied in dealing with the strikes so Sherlock Holmes is called in by the head of the council... but some of the Inner Council members clearly oppose this decision.
One of Holmes' street informants is murdered on the doorstep of 221B Baker Street (Holmes' flat) so Holmes and Watson head for Limehouse to discover the secret of the victim's last word: "Christopher".
In Limehouse, the two fend off attacks before they end up in a sleazy pub where Holmes has to prevail upon the victim's girlfriend ("Kitty") for help in unearthing the Nazi's plans. Kitty, in turn, has to convey an extemporaneous patriotic speech to the Limehouse street criminals in order to engage their help in discovering what "Christopher" means.
At one point, the Limehouse boys save Holmes' bacon but the chief Nazi escapes. It falls to Kitty again to save the day. In the meantime, Holmes is also suspicious of the respective Inner Council members as he is certain that one of them is an enemy agent.
The end is, again, a patriotic salute to the intestinal fortitude of the English, and to the brain of Holmes, in facing down their Third Reich adversaries.
This is a good film, coherently directed, and with good cinematography. While it's not up to the standard of the other series entries, such as "The Hound of the Baskervilles," it's still certainly worth watching.