The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Tags: good versus evil, murder

Plot synopsis:
The second, and last, of the Twentieth Century-Fox Rathbone/Bruce Sherlock Holmes movies opens with the 20th Century Fox logo and theme, followed by title and credits shown over a pipe-smoking Basil Rathbone in silhouette. A hand opens a book, signed by Sherlock Holmes, and dated 9 May, 1894. It briefly explains that Professor Moriarty is a most dangerous criminal. The criminal case of Professor Moriarty (George Zucco) is completed, and due to a lack of evidence, he is found not guilty. The Justice of the Court (Holmes Herbert) is appalled and says, "It is undoubtedly a gross miscarriage of justice." Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) bursts into the packed courtroom with new evidence against Moriarty, but he is too late. Holmes exits the courthouse and the Professor is waiting for him. They share a cab to 221B Baker Street. Moriarty gloats and provides Holmes with a challenge. He boasts that he will commit the crime of the century and Holmes will be discredited.At the Professor's home, Moriarty tends to some flowers in the greenhouse. A South American musician plays what will later be determined to be an Inca Funeral dirge. The butler, Dawes (Frank Dawson) replies to summons and tells his boss that Mr. Bassick has arrived. Bassick (Arthur Hohl) enters the study and is handed a letter to post. Curiosity, on the part of Bassick, provides a few more clues to the crime of the century, one of which, involves Sir Ronald Ramsgate, Constable of the Tower of London. After Bassick leaves, Moriarty turns his wrath on Dawes for not watering his plants.In Sherlock Holmes' room at Baker Street, he is plucking at a violin trying to find the note that will act as a fly repellant. Mrs. Hudson (Mary Gordon) removes the tea service. She gives Billy (Terry Kilburn) his cleaning instructions. He sweeps the dirt under the rug and then peers over the banister to see who's at the door. Dr. Watson (Nigel Bruce) has arrived. He walks upstairs to see Holmes. Holmes briefs Watson on a letter he got from a young lady by the name of Miss Brandon. Sir Ronald Ramsgate (Henry Stephenson) pays a call on the detective to ask his help on securing the delivery of the Star of Delhi to the tower's crown jewel collection. Ramsgate received a letter warning that it would not reach its destination. A knock at the door sends Watson over to answer it. A young lady, Ann Brandon (Ida Lupino) enters quickly. She slams the door shut and runs to the window. She tells Holmes that she was followed. Sir Ronald exits the room. Ann tells Holmes her story and her fear of murder. She shows Holmes a picture her brother received of a man with a bird hung around his neck, dated May 11. She explains that her father was murdered ten years earlier to the day. Watson answers another knock at the door. It is Ann's lawyer and fiancé, Jerrold Hunter (Alan Marshal). He is upset that she consulted with Sherlock Holmes. Holmes agrees to take her case. Holmes examines the picture again and notes, "I think it belongs to the Procellariiformes family." He proposes to go to the Kensington Museum for more research. Holmes asks Watson to check on Hunter. At the Kensington Museum, Holmes discovers the bird is an albatross and is reminded of the Samuel Taylor Coleridge poem from 1798, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.Watson discovers Moriarty consulting with Hunter and follows the professor outside. Ann's brother, Lloyd Brandon (Peter Willes) enters Hunter's office and complains the note is causing him great anxiety. Lloyd walks home. Hunter arms himself and follows Lloyd at a discreet distance. Watson finds Holmes and Miss Brandon at the Museum and they quickly depart to save Lloyd. They take a cab to the Brandon residence. Lloyd passes through a park. Hunter follows closely, but too late as Lloyd screams. The cab pulls up and Ann sees her brother's body. Ann is carried home by Holmes. The house is across the street from the park.Holmes walks into a large room where Inspector Bristol (E.E. Clive) is questioning Hunter about Lloyd's murder. Bristol is convinced that Hunter is the culprit and intends to arrest him. Holmes convinces Bristol to delay any action as Lloyd died of strangulation, not having the back of his skull broken. Watson and Ann enter the room, and she grows more suspicious of Hunter's involvement. Holmes and Watson go to the park to look for clues. Watson lays in the street, as directed by Holmes, on an "x" to mark the spot where Lloyd died. An inquisitive stranger (William Austin) happens along and sees Watson in the gutter. He is concerned Watson needs a doctor and is sent packing by an annoyed Watson. Holmes calls and shows Watson a club footed man's footprints, a broken branch, and a chinchilla's foot charm or watch fob. Ann enters the room that contains her brother's body. She hears the weird music coming from the street below her window. She screams and the man playing rushes away in a cab. Holmes and Watson run from the park to the Brandon residence. She is able to play the tune for Holmes. She heard the tune once before in South America when her father was killed.At Baker Street, Holmes transcribes the tune. Billy expresses interest in the chinchilla's foot. He tells Holmes that it must be a good luck charm in Chile or Bolivia. Holmes identifies the tune. Sir Ronald drops by again. He asks about the note and the emerald's arrival the next day. He asks Holmes to be there personally. Ann drops by to show Holmes another drawing like the one her brother received, except the date is May 13 on her drawing. Holmes advises Ann to go to the Conyngham's party. Watson reminds Holmes he has two appointments for the next day, so Holmes delegates the jewel transfer case to Watson.Dawes shaves his boss, providing the professor with a disguise of sorts. Moriarty takes the cab driven by Bassick. Bassick confirms the jewel is being delivered. Ann arrives at the party and is greet by Lady Conyngham (Mary Forbes). Lady Conyngham insists Ann spend the weekend. Tony Conyngham (Anthony Kemble-Cooper) escorts Ann out onto the terrace. They watch a music hall entertainer (Holmes in disguise) singing a ditty about a sea shore holiday. Holmes/Singer approaches Ann. She doesn't recognize the detective at first, but then she does. Holmes warns her to be vigilant. One of the gaucho players in the band, Mateo (George Regas), plays his flute and eyes Ann.At the tower, Sir Ronald is annoyed that Holmes sent Watson. Three policemen arrive. Sgt. Bullfinch, Moriarty in disguise, demands to see Watson's identification. The Royal Navy delegation delivers the Star of Delhi emerald to Sir Ronald. Sir Ronald returns to the Tower and goes to place the jewel in the locked case. The lights go out and a search is made for the crooks and the stolen jewel. The emerald is quickly located and is placed in the case. What Sir Ronald and Watson fail to notice is that Moriarty is in the case with the Crown Jewels. Moriarty fixed the lock to allow himself escape from the locked case. The party has ended and Lady Conyngham escorts Ann up to her room. She hears the weird tune from under her window. She goes out to investigate. Ann runs outside to find Hunter waiting. She recoils from Hunter's approach. She runs away through the garden. She is followed by Hunter who encounters Mateo. Mateo dispatches Hunter with a club to the head. Mateo plays his tune and chases Ann. He pulls out a deadly set of bolos, but Holmes pulls her to safety before the weapon can kill her. Holmes shoots Mateo as Watson arrives on the scene. Mateo confesses his part in the crime, but he names Moriarty as assisting.Holmes and Watson break into the professor's house. There they find the clues to the Tower and drive a cab to the Tower to stop the theft of the Crown Jewels. Rolling the cab causes the guard to exit the Tower to assist after the accident. This allows Holmes entrance to the Tower. Moriarty is distracted by the noise and he stops his theft of the jewels to kill Holmes. They run about the place shooting at each other. Holmes leads his quarry upstairs to the roof. They struggle and Moriarty is struck repeatedly and falls over the battlement wall to his death below.At a pub, Watson reads the wedding announcement of Ann and Hunter to Sherlock Holmes. They are celebrating the end of another case. Holmes asks to borrow a violin to rid himself of a pesky fly. Watson picks up the newspaper, folds it a few times and swats the fly. Holmes exclaims, "Very effective my dear Watson." Watson replies, "Elementary, my dear Holmes, elementary." We close with the Cast Credits.

Review: More than anything, however, the movie is a vehicle for Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, whose interpretations of Holmes and Watson are so engaging and larger than life that several decades later actors are still compared (usually unfavorably) to these two whenever they attempt to take on these roles.
THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES takes him into deadly conflict with Britain's most dangerous criminal mastermind, Professor Moriarty.20th Century Fox takes us back to the foggy London streets of 1894 in these exciting exploits of the world's most famous private consulting detective.
Basil Rathbone & Nigel Bruce return as Holmes and Watson, perfectly portraying that legendary literary partnership with good grace and cheerfulness, Rathbone allowing some traces of humanity to infuse Holmes' cerebral haughtiness, and Bruce, bumbling and big-hearted, enacting the embodiment of a staunch companion and friend.Unfairly relegated to 6th place billing is George Zucco, marvelous as Moriarty.
It is highly enjoyable watching him plot a dastardly crime while engaging in a masterful duel of wits with Holmes.The other roles are also very well cast and highlight some fine British character actors: lovely Ida Lupino as a young woman frantic over an unknown evil stalking her family; handsome Alan Marshal as her family's lawyer; dignified Henry Stephenson as the worried Constable of the Tower of London; E.E. Clive as the dogged Scotland Yard inspector; and Mary Forbes as a kindly noblewoman who befriends Miss Lupino.Some rather brief performances also enhance the whole: Mary Gordon as Holmes' grandmotherly landlady and young Terry Kilburn as his page boy; Peter Willes as Miss Lupino's terrified brother; elderly Frank Dawson as Moriarty's harassed butler; Holmes Herbert as a highly frustrated Law Court Justice; and William Austin as a stranger who has a peculiar encounter with Watson on a London sidewalk.Two lighthearted moments especially standout -- Rathbone delightfully in disguise, and, at the very conclusion of the film, Watson deftly turning the tables on Holmes.This was the second in a series of Holmes films starring Rathbone & Bruce which began at Fox Studios.
The follow-up to the the very successful The Hound of the Baskervilles,is even better than its predecessor.Basil Rathbone gives a marvelous performance as the super-sleuth.His performance in disguise as a singer at a party is fantastic.He was totally unrecognizable.Nigel Bruce was as always good as Holmes 's sidekick Dr.Watson.But what elevates this entry in the Holmes-series was the portrayal of George Zucco's Dr.Moriarty,Holmes's nemesis.
Moriarty's plot to break his enemy was rather clever.I enjoyed seeing Rathbone really getting in to the persona of Holmes in this one.The movie's short running-time was perhaps my only disappointment..
The story is very loosely based on a play that itself had freely adapted some of Doyle's characters and plot ideas, and thus the plot is essentially entirely new, yet the Victorian atmosphere and Basil Rathbone's portrayal of the great detective give it a pretty good "Holmes" feel.The basic story idea has Professor Moriarty scheming to exploit one of Holmes's few weaknesses, and although the plot in itself does not come from the novels, it is a perceptive way of using the characters.
There are some loose ends in the story that would have been tied together except for some studio-decreed cuts; the notes that accompany the DVD release are quite helpful in covering what was omitted.George Zucco makes fine use of his screen time as Moriarty, and Ida Lupino makes her character a demure and appealing heroine in distress, while showing some good spirit at the right times.
Nigel Bruce's Watson has a rather different feel from Doyle's character, but he gets some good moments of his own here, and Bruce does well with them.For a great many Sherlock Holmes fans, nothing can now rival the magnificent Jeremy Brett versions from the 1980s and 1990s, with their marvelous atmosphere, careful story adaptations, and Brett's penetrating portrayal of Holmes.
For Sherlock Holmes this nemesis is Professor Moriarty and the fact that he appears in this film first, moreover portrayed by the more-than-brilliant cult star George Zucco, makes "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" maybe the single best entry in the long-running Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce movie cycle!
Holmes (Basil Rathbone) is his usual deductive self and Dr. Watson (Nigel Bruce) elicits a few laughs along the way, not as many as he did in future films but more than he did in his first Holmes film, "The Hound Of The Baskervilles."There weren't as many suspects in this SH adventure as in most of them, but that was fine with me.
His mannerisms are also a treat, and the way that Holmes uses his spare time to do things such as play violin to houseflies, is absurdly funny and helps to build the character into the eccentric and intelligent man that he is.While a few people, such as Peter Cushing for example, have played Sherlock Holmes; it will always be Basil Rathbone that will be best remembered for it.
The rest of the casting is good too, with Nigel Bruce in the role of Watson making the best of it, and also cult favourite George Zucco, who brings class and sophistication to the role of Holmes' arch enemy Professor Moriarty.
This second movie of the film serial with Basil Rathbone starring as Sherlock Holmes is no less suspenseful than the first, "The Hound of the Baskervilles"; in this case, the creepy atmosphere of London's dark, foggy streets provides the adequate atmosphere.
So, Holmes and his 'sidekick' Watson share the jobs, very conveniently for Holmes: he protects pretty, frightened young Ann Brandon (Ida Lupino, who shows her great talent even from this early role on!), whose brother has just been murdered and now her own life is being threatened; while Watson carefully oversees the procedure of a new stone being added to the well guarded jewels collection - only something goes wrong there, and Holmes has got to step in himself, and even get somewhat violent in another breathtaking climax face to face with Moriarty...A VERY worthy sequel for the series, this movie (again being set in a wonderfully nostalgic recreation of London at the turn of the 20th century) again proves Basil Rathbone as a perfect choice for the title role, and gives him a chance to show ALL facets of his huge talent: he even does a very funny 'Gay Nineties' style vaudeville act!
Returning from his initial outing as Britain's greatest detective, in "The Hound of the Baskervilles" (also 1939), super-sleuthing Basil Rathbone (as Sherlock Holmes) witnesses the murderous acquittal afforded wickedly criminal George Zucco (as Professor Moriarty).
Zucco proceeds with plans to commit "the crime of the century," and steal the United Kingdom's Crown Jewels Meanwhile, Mr. Rathbone is visited by beautiful young Ida Lupino (as Ann Brandon), who fears her brother will be murdered, as her father was a decade earlier.
It's classic Rathbone, with ever-present sidekick Nigel Bruce (as Doctor Watson) herein receiving the line, "Elementary, my dear Watson." ******** The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (9/1/39) Alfred Werker ~ Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Ida Lupino, George Zucco.
Sherlock Holmes' arch-nemesis Professor Moriarty (George Zucco) orchestrates a plot to keep Holmes busy while he commits the crime of the century.
THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES (20th Century-Fox, 1939), directed by Alfred Werker, reunites the classic screen pairing of Basil Rathbone (Holmes) and Nigel Bruce (Watson) from THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES (1939).
He is the most dangerous criminal England has ever known." So begins "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes." The story opens in the courtroom where Professor Moriarty (George Zucco), on trial for murder, is found "not guilty" by the jury of his peers.
Later at his residence, Holmes and his loyal assistant, Doctor Watson (Nigel Bruce), are visited first by Sir Ronald Ramsgate (Henry Stephenson), Constable of the Crown Jewels, asking Holmes to assist him as security guards arrive to bring the Star of Dehli to the Tower of London; then by Ann Brandon (Ida Lupino), a damsel disturbed by some intense drawing addressed to her brother, Lloyd (Peter Willes).
Every great hero should have an arch-nemesis, an opponent capable of testing them to the limit; for Sherlock Holmes, this worthy antagonist is Professor Moriarty, an evil genius who, every bit as intelligent, obsessive and arrogant as the famous detective, has dedicated his life to becoming the world's most infamous criminal mastermind.In The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, the second film to star Basil Rathbone as Conan Doyle's iconic creation, Moriarty (George Zucco) narrowly escapes the gallows when Holmes arrives at court with damning evidence only minutes after the professor has been acquitted.
Determined to break Holmes' seemingly indomitable spirit, Moriarty devises an audacious robbery that will not only go down in history as the crime of the century, but which will also ruin his rival's reputation in the process.While subsequent Rathbone Holmes movies would settle for a 'contemporary' 1940s setting, the next few films being used as wartime propaganda, this tale takes place exactly where it should, Victorian London bound by fog, with high production values allowing for bags of cool period set design and plenty of Gothic atmosphere.
The screenplay isn't flawless, one or two plot contrivances taking quite some swallowing (a potential victim's decision to walk home through the fog being particularly daft), but it is a lot of fun, providing Holmes with lots of crafty clues to cogitate over as well as an extraordinary chance to show his lighter side (in disguise as a music-hall performer) and a rare opportunity to use brawn over brain in an exciting final showdown against his Machiavellian foil.Also serving to make this one of my favourite of all Holmes's adventures: a creepy, club-footed, flute-playing, bolas-flinging Chilean assassin (you just don't see enough of them in the movies), and the lovely Ida Lupino as fetching damsel in distress Miss Brandon..
This second entry in the Rathbone-Bruce Sherlock Holmes saga was the last for Fox before the series was picked up by Universal and moved in contemporary times where Holmes was called to battle the horrors of WWII.
Of course Moriarty has very conveniently explained his two-pronged plain to one of his henchmen early on so we're never misguided like poor Sherlock is.Bits of comic relief, mostly provided by Nigel Bruce in the role of Dr. Watson, are blended with a not entirely unpredictable yet consistently intriguing murder mystery, the whole film drenched in terrific atmosphere with the foggy streets of Victorian London adding their own unique charm.
The very cerebral Basil Rathbone does get in a real knock down drag out fight with George Zucco as his arch rival Professor Moriarty on top of the Tower of London.
It's an especially murderous scheme that costs the lives of several people including a Moriarty henchman.The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes was the second of two films that Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson did for 20th Century Fox. For reasons I don't understand Darryl Zanuck opted not to make any more films and Universal picked up the series.
Nigel Bruce is also not made an imbecile as Watson and does a bit more than comic relief.There's a real treat for film fans with this movie as Basil Rathbone disguised as a music hall entertainer does a nice turn at a song and dance while guarding Ida Lupino.
That is brought out in this film like in no others with Moriarty I've seen.The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes is Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce at their heights as Holmes and Watson.
Also, the fight at the end between Holmes and Moriarty on top ofthe Tower of London is very good.Best part: Rathbone wearing a straw hat and white suit, dancingand pelting out "Oh, I do like to be beside the seaside!" in acockney accent!
I'm surprised that none of those offering comments on this excellent picture have mentioned Rathbone's astonishing turn, in straw hat and blazer, as a "concert party" performer of the era, singing (and dancing) "Oh, I do like to be beside the seaside."   In the Conan Doyle stories, one tends to accept with a large ladle of salt the "impenetrable" disguises adopted by Holmes, which time and again deceive even Watson, but this scene makes it all plausible; without heavy makeup or tons of false hair, mainly by simply thinking his way into the role, Rathbone makes himself virtually unrecognisable; one may stare absorbedly trying to pick up signs of the familiar Rathbone persona -- a few moments alone worth the price of admission..
Of course Basil Rathbone makes a wonderful Sherlock Holmes, George Zucco is as good as any Moriarty and Ida Lupino is a great victim.
Reliable Holmes story with Basil Rathbone and Dr. Watson as usual his social, albeit bumbling self.Ida Lupino is the femme fatal, her brother is murdered and she must seek help from Holmes to find out why.George Zucco as Moriarty is menacing and fun, as when his faithful servant gives him a shave with a straight-edge, and Moriarty sneers that he should want to cut his throat.
The second pairing of Rathbone and Bruce as Holmes and Watson, released a few months after the success of "The Hound of the Baskervilles," is a good-looking film that has the venerable detective matching wits with Professor Moriarity, as the latter schemes a jewel heist.
The Addition of Holmes Alter-Ego Professor Moriarty, Aided this follow up to The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939) and was so Well Done that it Guaranteed its Continuation.This Rathbone/Bruce Series was Extremely Popular and lasted for a Decade in many Entertaining Films.Basil Rathbone as Holmes was an Ingenious Casting Decision and a Faithful Interpretation.
This film and "The Hound of the Baskervilles" were done at Fox, and then the Rathbone-Bruce series was taken over by Universal in England, where they became propaganda films set during World War II.In this story, Holmes has two cases to deal with: threats against a young woman, Ann Brandon (Ida Lupino) and her brother; and the protection of a fabulous emerald being brought to join the crown jewels in the Tower of London.
The plot is rather good as well, and never loses its way over 85 minutes.The film marks Moriarty's first of three appearances in the Rathbone/Bruce series of Holmes films, although the character had already appeared in numerous earlier films.
Many people have played Holmes and Watson, but Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce will always be the best as far as I am concerned.
Werker directed this second Basil Rathbone & Nigel Bruce Sherlock Homes & Dr. Watson film, released the same year(1939) features the first use of arch-enemy Professor Moriarty(played by George Zucco) who here has a plan to steal the crown jewels of England, which Holmes is determined to prevent, though the cunning Moriarty ends up embarrassing him at one point!
Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The (1939) *** (out of 4) The second and final film in Fox's original Sherlock Holmes series once again sees Basil Rathbone playing the master detective and Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson.
This time out they're trying to determine the murderer of a woman's (Ida Lupino) brother but Holmes' number one enemy, Professor Moriarty (George Zucco) might be planning his next crime at the same time.
About the only major problem about the film, really, is that all too often in the Rathbone/Nigel Bruce films, they made Watson out to be a total idiot and not much help--whereas in the original stories, Watson was, from time to time, a lot of help--particularly when it came to shooting or subduing people.The direction, acting from all the cast (including supporting roles by Ida Lupino, Henry Stephenson and George Zucco), and cinematography were all excellent.
"The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" may be overplotted for some, but there's a significant reason that so much story is at play in this movie..the diabolical Professor Moriarty and cerebral sleuth will be at another battle of great minds with a labyrinthine scenario set up which will end in fine fashion atop the Tower of London.Again, we have a fantastic cast and dizzyingly complex plot concerning Moriarty's setting up one scheme to disguise another.
Holmes fans will find Basil Rathbone giving a definitive performance as the refined detective and I believe this to be his best turn in the role, equalling Cushing's steely determinism twenty years later.Also fantastic is Nigel Bruce, at his most lovable as the doltish, good-natured Watson, and a supporting cast that give assured and lively performances.
The team would have to keep together to the planned series that actually went to another studio.Very atmospherically done, this moves well and George Zucco does a nice turn as Professor Mortiary, falling to his death as he did in Conan Doyle's short stories.If you like classic cinema and this one is made in the banner year 1939, this is probably not the best Holmes movie but easily the best Rathbone/Holmes movie..
He cleverly diverts Holmes' attention, appealing to his ego and intellect by anonymously drawing him into a mysterious murder case with very unusual features as a cover for his real intentions - to steal the Crown Jewels !A follow-up to Twentieth Century Fox's original teaming of Rathbone and Bruce as Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson in The Hound Of The Baskervilles, this exciting caper is an equally impressive production and almost as exciting as its predecessor.
The second of the Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce Sherlock Holmes films and their last for 20th-Century Fox, 'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' contains all the elements that made the series so enjoyable, particularly the wonderful interaction and byplay of Holmes and Watson.
This is one of the very best Basil Rathbone-Nigel Bruce Sherlock Holmes movies.
To me, this is the finest of the Basil Rathbone & Nigel Bruce Sherlock Holmes films in terms of plot, editing and atmosphere.
Which is kind of cool because it all adds to the suspense relating to Professor Moriarty's (George Zucco) crime of the century.Moriarty's ruse was actually rather clever, a way to distract Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) from the Tower of London's Crown Jewels which the evil genius intended to steal.