The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939)
The Hound of the Baskervilles is arguably the most iconic of Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes mysteries and Twentieth Century Fox’s 1939 film is just as deserving for the title of cinematic adaptations. The dark and foreboding moors and the murderous, supernatural beast that roams them is practically written for the early silver screen. Certain liberties are taken with the plot and characters but hardly any of which detract from the source or the film. In fact of the numerous versions written for the screen, this is possibly the closest and truest to capturing the novel’s sinister and spectral atmosphere.
Hound marks this first of a long partnership between actors Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce and it has become so definitive that their portrayals continue to resonate with audiences today. Rathbone’s Holmes is absolutely intoxicating to watch. From his first moments on screen it’s almost conceivable to believe that Conan Doyle’s creation has transcended from the pages of fiction to our flesh and blood reality. With every small gesture and every spoken syllable, Rathbone epitomizes the Great Detective effortlessly. Bruce’s Watson is at his best in Hound and, despite assuming the familiar bumbling caricature later on in the series, the friendship and chemistry shared between the two men is believable and undeniable. The supporting cast is outstanding and features Richard Greene as Henry Baskerville, Lionel Atwill as Dr. Mortimer, Wendy Barrie as Beryl Stapleton, and Morton Lowry as the suave and villainous Stapleton.
Regrettably Hound is the only adaptation of the 14 films featuring Rathbone and Bruce that is specifically based upon the canon and, along with The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, that features Holmes and Watson in their original Victorian atmosphere. Nevertheless it is a superb adaptation, a fantastic film, and definite Must-Watch for any Sherlockian.
