Customer Reviews

Sherlock Holmes Faces Death

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This was the first of the Universal Sherlock Holmes movies that returned the detective to traditional mystery plots, after three wartime anti-Nazi adventures. It's also one of the best... and in fact it was voted the 2nd-best Holmes movie of all time in one poll (after Rathbone's "Adventures" or "Hound," I forget which). The entertaining opening has Nigel Bruce's Dr. Watson, who has a bit more on the ball than usual, bringing Holmes into the case-which itself is a clever improvement on Conan Doyle's rather dull short story "The Musgrave Ritual." The cast features almost all of the usual stock company featured in this series (Dennis Hoey, Gerald Hamer, Vernon Dowling, Frederic Worlock, Gavin Muir), playing assorted cretins, rotters, weaklings, and twitching neurotics. Various sets from "Frankenstein" and "Dracula" turn up as well, and the plot abounds with bloodthirsty ravens, bolts of lightning, mysterious passageways, and a clock that strikes thirteen on the nights that evil is afoot. Rathbone strikes a nice balance between his earlier, more wired Sherlock and his later jaded style, but the excellent UCLA restoration also reveals him as a bit older and more ravaged than I recall. Maybe there's something to be said for a "soft" transfer after all.

I am writing this pre-review to express my Great Expectations and excitement over the upcoming DVD release of the 14 Sherlock Holmes movies made by Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce.
For those of us who have loved and worn out our VHS versions of these films, I am sure that I speak for many of us in expressing incredible anticipation and near shock that someone has finally recognized the need to release a "restored version" of these timeless classics.
We are told that they have been "Preserved and restored in 35mm by the UCLA Film and Television Archive." This is marvelous and I have already pre-ordered Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 from MPI Home Video.
I so hope that the entire 14 movies, are ultimately released in restored condition. Especially the rarest of them, "The Scarlet Claw" which has rarely been shown on televison and only been available on VHS sporadically.
To me and many others I know, Basil Rathbone is the definative Holmes. Not just because he looks alarmingly similar -as much as is humanly possible- to Sidney Pagets drawings of Holmes from the Strand Magazine illustrations, but mostly we love Rathbone because he portrayed the same Holmes that we as readers get through the buffer of Dr. Watson explaining away not magnifying Holmes' shortcomings.
Jeremy Brett chose to amplify every negative aspect of Holmes' personality that in the written versions Watson explained away. Rathbone's Holmes has been demeaned visciously over the past years and hopefully the respect and dignity that he gave his portrayals will be seen in all their accuracy and glory with these new digitally restored releases. ... these will have to be the best quality versions of these classics ever released...so for all of us who have cursed the incomprehensibly awful releases of these films over the years...our time has almost come. Show your support for this effort by ordering a restored version of American Film Histroy.
Much Thanks to UCLA, MPI, and Whoever was ultimately responsible for the idea of doing this!!!!

After three films in which Sherlock Holmes battled the Nazis, even Universal must have grown tired of their gimmicky attempt to "modernize" the Great Detective. With "Sherlock Holmes Faces Death," Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce are back on more familiar turf and solve a mystery having absolutely no connection to World War II.

For the first time in the series, a film doesn't merely credit a story by Arthur Conan Doyle, screenwriter Bertram Millhauser actually makes use of one, "The Musgrave Ritual," a traditional murder mystery involving an old family curse. The story gives director Roy William Neill plenty of opportunities to pour on the atmosphere that is the series' best attribute, aside from stars Rathbone and Bruce, of course.

With this entry, the series greatly improved, and greater adventures were still to come for the famous detective from Baker Street.

Brian W. Fairbanks

The ever-appealing acting pair of Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce teamed up once again for "Sherlock Holmes Faces Death", which premiered on U.S. theater screens on September 17th, 1943.

"Faces Death" marked the sixth Holmes entry in the Rathbone/Bruce series of fourteen black-and-white films featuring the famed fictional detective from London's 221B Baker Street (and this was the third Sherlock pic they made together in what was a busy calendar year of 1943, following their earlier '43 efforts, "The Secret Weapon" and "Sherlock Holmes In Washington").

"Faces Death" is one of my overall favorites amongst the 14 Basil Rathbone-as-Holmes movies, and it's a nice rebound effort for Universal right after a bit of a misfire with the "In Washington" Holmes entry.

Holmes and Dr. Watson (Bruce) investigate a series of bizarre goings-on (including murder) in "Sherlock Holmes Faces Death". These strange occurrences take place at the old and creepy "Musgrave Manor", which is a large, foreboding mansion that comes complete with secret passages and a checkered floor which comes in handy when playing a game of chess (utilizing human beings as chess "pieces").

The puzzling "Musgrave Ritual" is another of the things that makes this movie a lot of fun. But, luckily, it's not enough of a puzzler to keep Sherlock H. from figuring out its cryptic meaning. .....

"Who came then to slay him?
The bloodthirsty bishop.
Where shall he go?
Deep down below.
Away from the thunder.
Let him dig under."

Dennis Hoey shows up in this Holmes installment, too (as the always-inept "Inspector Lestrade"). Other co-stars include Hillary Brooke, Milburn Stone, Gerald Hamer, Frederick Worlock, Halliwell Hobbes, and Vernon Downing.

Downing is my favorite Musgrave Manor "patient" in this film. He plays "Lieutenant Clavering", a very odd-acting fellow who flinches and twitches a lot, enjoys "American cigarettes", and likes to eavesdrop on people by listening to conversations through the Manor's walls with his "sound detector" (which, actually, is a device that aids Mr. Holmes greatly in solving the case near the end of the picture).

Also watch out for a very young (19-year-old) Peter Lawford. He has a small bit part as a sailor at the beginning of the film. And Peter gets in a good thick-accented "Blimey!" too. ~grin~

"Faces Death" and "The House Of Fear" are two Holmes films that are very similar. Which is probably why they are two of my favorite titles in this 14-movie Holmes series. Both of those films feature eerie old houses, dark scenery, stormy nights, various murders, and a host of assorted strange characters (i.e., "suspects") roaming the hallways of these respective mysterious dwellings.

But with Basil and Nigel on the scene, can there be any doubt that the culprit(s) will be brought to justice? Nah. Not a shred of a doubt.

MPI Home Video released "Sherlock Holmes Faces Death" as a stand-alone DVD on October 28, 2003. On that same date, MPI also released a multi-movie "Sherlock Holmes Collection" (Volume 1), which includes "Faces Death" plus three other Sherlock titles.

The individual-disc version of "Faces Death" comes in a Keepcase box with a two-sided, one-sheet insert enclosed. A chapter list occupies one side of the insert (there are 12 total chapter breaks).

The video and audio look and sound pretty darn good for a film from this (1940s) era. Video is in the OAR of 1.33:1 (Full Frame); with a Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono soundtrack.

English Subtitles are available on this disc. The subtitles, though, lag a little behind the spoken words on screen; but it's a minimal delay. However, I have spotted a few blatant errors in the text of the subtitling that's been done for these MPI Sherlock Holmes DVDs (including this disc, plus some of the other DVDs in this Holmes series). On occasion, the printed words don't match the spoken dialogue at all. And sometimes the mis-match is quite (unintentionally) humorous. :)

DVD bonus features -- None.

Here's the DVD "Scene Selection" list for this 68-minute movie:

1.) Opening Titles
2.) Musgrave Manor
3.) Doctor In The House
4.) "A Killer Loose!"
5.) Extraordinary Patients
6.) "That Appalling Man From Scotland Yard"
7.) The Musgrave Ritual
8.) The Rat And The Raven
9.) The Butler Did It?
10.) The Ritual Solved
11.) Checkmate
12.) End Credits

-------------------

Invite Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce back into your living room for about an hour by way of this DVD, and watch Sherlock Holmes face death in ... um ... "SHERLOCK HOLMES FACES DEATH".

And if you ever play a game of 'Human Chess' with Mr. Holmes, just make sure you don't have a secret burial crypt underneath your 'chess board' that you want to keep hidden. Because that Sherlock guy is one smart cookie. :)

SHERLOCK HOLMES FACES DEATH was the movie in which Universal abandoned the idea of making Holmes a WWII spy-catcher and delivered him in a more traditional story of mystery, riddles and puzzles (albeit still set in the then-present day). Although I enjoyed watching the previous three movies, it is nice to see the characters of Holmes and Watson going back to their roots.

Based loosely upon Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Musgrave Ritual", the story is concerned with mysteries rather than war. Here, Watson is a genuine doctor with a practice of his own rather than merely a sidekick to the Great Detective. Holmes is the private detective worried about ancient secrets and unsolved mysteries. FACES DEATH itself is, I feel, more concerned with style than substance. The plot is no great piece of literature, but the presentation has good features.

There's a dark, gothic flavor to the film, which adds to its atmosphere, even if it doesn't quite fit together logically. A clock that chimes thirteen times, secret passages, a convenient lightning strike, etc. These things are all creepy, even if not all of them end up with rational explanations.

I watched this movie twice. Once normally, and the second time with commentary track that's available if you buy this as part of the 4-pack collection. I think it works a lot better if you allow yourself to be absorbed by the stylistic moments rather then looking too closely at the plot. Some parts of the story are obscure while others seem obvious. That said, there are a few good scenes of genuine detective work.

There are some funny moments in the film -- some unintentional. A patient asks Watson if he happens to have any cigarettes on him. Watson replies in the affirmative and drops a giant box of the cancer sticks onto the table. Try to find a doctor who will do that nowadays! But the deliberately funny scenes work too. Comic relief is provided by both Watson and Inspector Lestrade (the latter seems a bit dimmer than usual).

All of the films in the Rathbone/Bruce Holmes series have a certain mood to them, and if you like that flavor, then watching almost any of the movies will provide that fix. But SHERLOCK HOLMES FACES DEATH (generic title and all) is an above average entry and contains everything that makes this such an enjoyable series.

As I wrote an extensive build up of these movies, prior to their release. I am now pleased to say that about 98% of my anticipation was not misguided.
Overall, these are the clearest and sharpest versions I have seen in my lifetime.
In comparison to some of the non Key Video versions that were out on VHS these offerings from MPI are stunning.
My only letdown was, as others have mentioned, is that there could have easily been more additional material offered.
A short commentary was offered on the restoration of Orson Welles' "The Third Man" by Criterion and was fascinating.
Something similar to this would have been easy to produce and Holmes fans like myself who have put up with public domain trash copies for decades would have eaten up such a documentary.
I also have wondered for years if there are any out-takes from the films that still exist.
How fascinating that would have been, and would still be....hint....hint.
At the very least, Filmographies of Rathbone and Bruce, or trivia facts about the series or the actors, or the productions, or at least even the trailers should have been included.
Little things, such as pointing out the appearance of a young dark handsome Milburn Stone in "Faces Death" who later became "Doc" on Gunsmoke.
There are several instances where the Captioning is lazy. Such as in "Faces Death" when Holmes says "anno Domini" in a sentence and the caption writer just put "Domino."
Even with occasional lapses in the captioning, it was indeed nice to have them captioned.
Of all the films in this Volume, the one I found most curious was "Faces Death."
Even after reading the liner notes, I still wonder why some of the extreme deterioration marks on individual frames could not have been repaired by computer.
Much worse deterioration existed on the "Third Man" and it was restored flawlessly. And oddly, there are a few sections of the Key Video version of this Film that are clearer than this MPI restored version.....?....
Was this a real case of Wet vs. Dry printing or laziness on the part of those in the restoration process?
All that said, the other three films are near pristine, especially Holmes in "Washington". I think there will never be another version of these prints released that will surpass the quality of this offering.
Lastly, for the snobby Holmesian purest who nearly worship the Brett/Granada versions of the Holmes stories, I think this offering will go a long way in explaining to many why Rathbone is beyond doubt the nearest thing to Holmes incarnate that has or ever will exist.
The Granda versions are draining, dripping with overcharachterization and forced melodrama...did I mention contrived?
Brett often behaves like a neurotic narcissistic snot who sees and loves his own image off a distance in a mirror somewhere.
These films with Rathbone and Bruce are timelessly engaging, underplayed, entertaining, perfectly moody and just downright fun in every aspect. Rathbone and Bruce had a chemistry that so completely complimented each other.
Rathbone especially....you never catch him playing Sherlock Holmes...he just "is" Sherlock Holmes.
Now, if we can just get the first two Rathbone and Bruce films restored and captioned and in our libraries....well what's next...Peace in the MidEast?

This is my favorite Sherlock Holmes movie. It features a gloomy old English mansion, an ancient riddle, a locked shadowy crypt, lots of thunder and lightning, a puzzling series of murders, and plenty of suspects to keep you guessing. It also has Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. What more could you ask for-a perfect movie to watch on a dark and stormy night!

First, I want to advise potential purchasers that THIS is the copy of this title that you want. The DVD listed here is the high-quality UCLA film lab MPI BLACK AND WHITE original version! It's a nice clear print professionally digitized from 35 mm film and all the others are notably inferior in quality.

It's a 1943 film, running 68 minutes total. Unlike many of the other films in this series, it's more in keeping with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's original writings, thus, there's no active Nazi-chasing in this one.

As for the STORY, Watson is doctoring at a creepy old Manor House which is doing double-duty as a retired veterans home, attending to the residents who have various ailments and quirks. Holmes has to be called in to investigate ominous events when there is an attempt to murder the Laird of the Manor. Of course, murder DOES occur right away and, despite the bumblings of Scotland Yard's Inspector Lestrade, Holmes hones in on the clues. A drunken old butler seems to hold the key to the secret of "The Musgrave Ritual" (Doyle's original title), which will help to solve the murders -- but he's not talking. The suspense is further heightened when it's suspected that a valuable "treasure" is to be found somewhere inside Musgrave Manor.

This is an outstanding Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce entry -- I really love the segment where Holmes discovers that the main level of Musgrave Manor is actually a giant chessboard and he utilizes the old veterans and the domestic staff as "chessmen" to play a shrewd game, according to the Musgrave Ritual commentary, to ultimately solve the riddle of the prospective hidden treasure. No doubt about it, this is one of the top black and white cozy murder films of all time.

By the way, watch for a skinny, young (age 20) PETER LAWFORD in the pub scene in a very early, albeit brief, career entry for that fine young actor!

A final caution, don't waste money on colorized versions of this film -- the garish pastels detract from this film's original high quality.

SHERLOCK HOMES FACES DEATH(1942)---(Directed by Roy William Neill)---Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Dennis Hoey, Hillary Brooke, Arthur Margetson, Halliwell Hobbes, Minna Phillips, Milburn Stone, Gavin Muir, Gerald Hamer.
This is the sixth film in the Rathbone/Bruce cycle and it's one of my favorites. It has a liberal sprinkling of humor spread throughout the nefarious "goings-on". As the film opens, we find Dr. Watson at spooky Musgrave Manor, which has temporarily been turned into a convalescent home for officers serving in WWII. Watson has volunteered his services as a physician. A colorful assortment of patients are in residence, along with the three remaining members of the Musgrave clan---Geoffrey, Phillip, their sister, Sally---and a Dr. Sexton, who has also volunteered his medical services. The butler, Brunton, and his wife also reside in the manor, having served the Musgraves for decades. The story gets underway when Dr. Sexton staggers into the house with a wound in his neck. He says that he was assaulted by an unknown assailant as he was walking outside. Watson decides it's time to get Sherlock Holmes involved and, "the game is afoot". Shortly after Holmes' arrival, Geoffrey Musgrave is found dead, leaving Phillip the heir to the Musgrave lands. According to an ancient custom dating back centuries, when a new Musgrave assumes leadership of the clan, their successor must undergo the, "Musgrave Ritual", which involves reciting a cryptic poem in front of the new heir, the household staff, and any other witnesses available. When Phillip turns up murdered, Holmes must use all of his prowess to get to the bottom of things. Before the mystery is solved, Brunton is murdered, the rest of the household has to take part in a literal "human chess game" on the checkered floor of the "great hall" of the manor, and Sherlock Holmes finds himself trapped in an underground vault with the murderer and looking down the barrel of a pistol. Needless to say, Holmes outwits the culprit, Sally takes her place as the last of the Musgraves, and order is restored to the universe. As I noted, this is one of my favorite entries in the series---an interesting plot, humor, and a better than average cast. Watch closely for a young Peter Lawford in a bit part as a sailor.

Sherlock Holmes, who was born January 6, 1854, came out of retirement in 1942 at the request of Universal Pictures to pursue WWII arch criminals threatening Britain and frightening aristocratic young women. Now 88, Holmes uses a substance much like Botox, hair dye and a high fiber diet to maintain that familiar appearance so many have commented on, to his intense irritation, as resembling the actor Basil Rathbone. He is, as always, aided by his companion, Dr. John Watson, now 90, and resembling Nigel Bruce, who over the years preferred to inject himself with monkey gland extracts from Switzerland to maintain an active but confused middle age.

In Sherlock Holmes Faces Death, Holmes will confront one of the most dastardly of plots, with murder employed as a careless tool to achieve unspeakably selfish ends. It concerns the Musgrave Manor, a hulking, ancient mansion of hidden passages and dark crypts, where the time is always night and the weather is always howling winds and rain. Now the manor, of course, is used as a convalescent center for shell-shocked British officers. Watson volunteered to supervise their care. "What is this Musgrave Manor? A blinkin' prison?" says a sailor near closing time at The Rat and The Raven Pub. It's 1942 in wartime England. "That ain't the worst it's been called, not that I'm one for speedin' stories, heh, heh, but we knows what we knows," says the publican."Where is this Musgrave Manor?" "Down the road apiece. You'll see it when you pass the old iron gates. Only don't loiter. You won't be welcome, not by the Musgraves. They've been sittin' there, lords of the manor, since time was. If those old walls could speak they'd tell you things that'd raise the hairs on yer head."

And there is The Musgrave Ritual, the recitation of ancient lines that must be spoken by the next heir of the Musgraves. How does it go? "..."Where shall he go? Deep down below. Away from the thunder, let him dig under..." Before long Sally Musgrave is reciting the ritual amidst dark shadows and lightening. Outside, the echoing trees are pulled by a howling wind...a wind that slams open shutters and wreaks havoc amongst the drapes.

Sally Musgrave's elder brother has just been murdered. Her other brother has become head of the Musgraves. And Dr. Watson has called on Holmes to come to the manor and solve what appears to be an unsolvable and deadly mystery. Who is the hand behind it all? One of the twitchy officers? The doctor assisting Watson? The irritable housekeeper? The tipsy butler? We know this is far too complex for Inspector Lestrade. And then Holmes discovers that the ritual disguises a chess game only the bravest would want to play, with death and riches as rewards.

It takes Holmes only 68 minutes in movie time, in this MPI release nicely restored by the UCLA Film and Television Archive, to remind ourselves that nostalgia is everything it is cracked up to be and that Sherlock Holmes, even at 88 but looking good, will always be The Great Detective. And so the ingeniously complex Musgrave Ritual is deciphered, the most ruthless murderer in England is unmasked, and young Sally Musgrave is saved from a terrible fate. "Amazing, Holmes!" says John Watson. "Elementary, my dear Watson," says Sherlock Holmes.