Another Arthur Wontner vehicle as Sherlock Holmes (with someone named Ian Fleming as Dr. Watson, no relation to the person who created another legendary super hero), this one initially focuses on the very evil Dr. Moriarty (played with a very openly sinister nature by actor Lyn Harding), obviously seeking revenge against Holmes. With Moriarty temporarily sidelined in the plot, Holmes aides the pretty Jane Carr in dealing with a group of sinister criminals, with Moriarty apparently uninvolved. But being a Holmes mystery, you never know what twists and turns are going to occur, and his name does pop up as a possible member of that gang as well, perhaps the mastermind.
In spite of the somewhat convoluted mixture of two sets of criminal organizations, this remains fascinating because it keeps you guessing as to where it is going to go. The white haired Fleming is a delight as Watson, certainly nothing like Ian Hunter from a few years earlier, and a complete contrast to Nigel Bruce in the American series from a few years later. One thing this has over the earlier Wontner vehicles as Holmes is that it is far less creaky and thus easier to watch, but that's because technical achievements over the past few years in films had allowed them to stop being so static and have a lot more action while moving the camera around. For a low budget picture, this looks very lavish, and it is on par with the best of the Rathbone and Bruce films.
In spite of the somewhat convoluted mixture of two sets of criminal organizations, this remains fascinating because it keeps you guessing as to where it is going to go. The white haired Fleming is a delight as Watson, certainly nothing like Ian Hunter from a few years earlier, and a complete contrast to Nigel Bruce in the American series from a few years later. One thing this has over the earlier Wontner vehicles as Holmes is that it is far less creaky and thus easier to watch, but that's because technical achievements over the past few years in films had allowed them to stop being so static and have a lot more action while moving the camera around. For a low budget picture, this looks very lavish, and it is on par with the best of the Rathbone and Bruce films.