Rating: 
Summary: It falls a bit short of the book...
Review: The Rathbone/Bruce take on Holmes and Watson were a bit removed from the books. This movie a bit less so as Watson plays a more big part in the story and Holmes is not always in every scene. Made in the 1940's, this movie toned down the horror aspects of the book and made it more of a kid's friendly picture, but it can have it's moody points. The movie is set in the 19th Century, but even here you can see that they were already playing it up for a 20th Century movie audience and Bruce was already showing Watson has some what of a comedey relief, the movie in the end is more of a story in it's own right, faithful to the books in name, if not in actual screenplay terms.
Rating: 
Summary: It's Elementary: this is a Howling Good Mystery!!
Review: +++++
(Note: this review is for the DVD "The Hound of the Baskervilles" released by "Mpi Media Group" in 2004.)
I watched this movie without reading the 1902 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle novel of the same name that it was based on. I'm glad I did this! Why? Because it forced me to really watch the movie in order to try and deduce who the murderer was.
This was the first movie that had Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes and Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson. They would go on together to make thirteen more popular Sherlock Holmes movie mysteries. It's difficult to believe, but in this movie they were not given top
billing!
The movie begins with printed text:
"1889: In all England there is no district more dismal than the vast expanse of primitive wasteland, the moors of Dartmoore in Devonshire."
Then we are shown a death of a man. The deceased turns out to be Sir Charles Baskerville of the estate called "Baskerville Hall." Was his death of natural causes or was it a murder?
Because of his death, the estates now falls to Sir Henry Baskerville (Richard Greene). He soon receives an anonymous note that reads:
"As you value your life or your reason, keep away from the moor."
At this point, Sherlock Holmes is called in to investigate. He learns of the Baskervilles and the "curse of the hound" that has been bestowed on this family for the last two hundred years. Holmes dismisses the idea of a killer hound as a myth but decides to further investigate so as to get to the real truth. Dr. Watson aids him in his investigation.
Be sure to listen for the last line spoken by Holmes in this movie. It alludes to the cocaine habit that Sherlock Holmes had acquired. (Holmes' cocaine habit is a feature of Conan Doyle's novel.)
Rathbone catches the essence of the famous gumshoe in his performance. Bruce also gives an excellent performance. You will notice that Dr. Watson has an expanded role in this movie. All supporting actors do a good job in their roles.
The eerie atmosphere of this movie is superb. The background music adds to each scene.
Finally DVD extras include an interesting audio commentary, selected theatrical trailers, production notes, and photo gallery.
In conclusion, this is an exciting, suspenseful movie that is worthwhile watching even if you have read the novel it is based on!!
(1939; 80 min; black and white; full screen)
+++++
Rating: 
Summary: Landmark thriller
Review: 20th Century Fox's 1939 production of "The Hound of the Baskervilles" wasn't the first film based on Arthur Conan Doyle's classic novel, but as the first Sherlock Holmes film set in the Victorian Era in which the master sleuth was so perfectly at home, it is a landmark. More importantly, it also marked the first appearance of Basil Rathbone as Holmes and Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson. Previous screen versions of the Conan Doyle tales brought Holmes into the 20th century, but without emphasizing the modern trappings as much as Universal would in their series of films beginning in 1942. There is much to admire in this version, particulary Rathbone, the actor so perfectly cast that he would never succeed in distancing himself from the Great Detective of 221 B Baker Street. The screenplay by Ernest Pascal is generally faithful to the novel, and the cast is superb with such masters of menace as Lionel Atwill and John Carradine offering excellent support. The fog-shrouded moors are impressive (though less so when compared to the moors of Universal's "The Scarlet Claw"), but the producers made one misstep by assigning Sidney Lanfield to direct. Better known for musicals and comedies, genres to which he would return in the future (including several Bob Hope comedies), Lanfield fails to conjure the sense of mystery for which the later Universal films, directed by Roy William Neill, would so brilliantly achieve. But if this version of the tale just misses the mark as a masterpiece, it is still very good indeed. It was also daring at the time by acknowledging, in its final line of dialogue, one of the master detective's less admirable habits. Not surprisingly for its era, the film gives Richard Greene, the handsome Sir Henry Baskerville, top billing over the film's true star, and posters for the film's original release emphasized Greene and co-star Wendy Barrie at Basil Rathbone's expense. But it is Rathbone, more than anything else in "Hound," that makes it worthwhile. The cinema had found its greatest Sherlock Holmes, and no actor since has ever threatened Rathbone's claim to the role. Brian W. Fairbanks
Rating:
Summary: A Classic And A Thriller
Review: A giant hound has been rumored to roam the Moors for 200 years. But this hound isn't like others, its history is filled with death and horror. Why does this animal kill, and what is the reason behind its trail of terror? Sherlock Holmes has entered the picture to find out. And Sherlock Holmes isn't your ordinary detective. I've seen other detective characters run when confronted by certain entities, but not Sherlock Holmes! He doesn't run from them...he runs to them!!! Sherlock is a classic example of a man without fear. He has that quality found in rare men who don't take counsel of their fears. Much like what you read about in the book "The Power Of Positive Thinking" by Norman Vincent Peale (which by the way is available here at Amazon). If fear is something you have a lot of, you can read The Power Of Positive Thinking and learn how to overcome it and be as brave as the Sherlock Holmes character, or of certain men and women in nonfictional history. But Getting back to this film, for its age, it's a pretty suspenseful movie. The hound isn't a special effect, it's an actual hound, and a darn huge one at that!!! Basil Rathbone plays Sherlock and Nigel Bruce plays the delightful Dr. Watson. If you like a movie with lots of suspense, a helping of horror, and great dialogue, you'll love this movie.
I hope to buy several copies for friends and family.
Rating:
Summary: THE EXCELLENT ORIGINAL.
Review: A phantom hound roams the moors of Dartmoor near Baskerville Hall.........Putting its straightest face upon the matter and being so weird as all get-out, the film succeeds rather well in reproducing Sir Arthur's macabre detective story. Based upon the 1902 novel by Sir Conan Doyle, this was the first film in the Fox series featuring Sherlock Holmes. THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES was Rathbone's favourite of the series, and although it wasn't quite the best one (that honour would have to go to THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES - which was released later that year - 1939); it runs a close second. Rathbone had always felt himself a good, logical choice for the role of Holmes; indeed he became the character he played - an actor perfectly suited for his part - he played the role in 14 films as well as over 200 radio performances. Credit must also be given to Nigel Bruce, who was cast in the role of Watson primarily due to Rathbone's personal selection. Bruce's interpretation of Watson was actually far from the original character Doyle created, but many actors henceforth seemed to emulate Bruce's version of him. Be sure to catch the classic final line: "Oh, Watson, the needle!".
Rating:
Summary: THE ORIGINAL 1939 VERSION.
Review: According to legend, a vicious hound stalks the descendents fo Sir Hugo Baskerville in order to avenge the death of an abducted peasant girl. Latest to assume the heritage is young Sir Henry (the dimpled Richard Greene) who arrives from Canada after the mysterious death of his uncle...As a trivia note, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's novel was first serialised in THE STRAND magazine between August of 1901 & April of 1902. Anita Louise was originally to have played Beryl Stapleton but was later replaced with Wendy Barrie because it was decided - and probably quite rightfully - that British moviegoers wouldn't accept the picture unless it featured an all-English cast. The final line of the film is a dilly!
Rating:
Summary: Avoid the "moor," but don't miss this classic tale!
Review: Finally a pristine version of the 1939 Twentieth Century Fox classic, "The Hound of the Baskervilles," has been released on DVD -- fully restored, with unsurpassed audio and video quality.
No contemporary film comes close to the suspense you will encounter in this Darryl Zanuck production. Life-long friends Basil Rathbone (Sherlock Holmes) and Nigel Bruce (Dr. Watson) play off each other to perfection in "Hound." What is amazing is that, in actuality, Bruce was three years younger than Rathbone!
There are myriad twists and turns in this thrilling tale. From the opening scene of Sir Charles Baskerville's death to the moment when Holmes reveals the name of Sir Charles' murderer, this classic film will not disappoint.
A stellar supporting cast, lead by horror villains Lionel Atwill (Dr. Mortimer) and John Carradine (Barryman), delights for the entire 80-minutes. In fact, Atwill's Dr. Mortimer is so innately menacing, that it is almost a disappointment that he is not found to be Sir Charles' murderer at film's end. Alas, Holmes' fans are well aware that Atwill returns in the 1942 Universal film, "The Secret Weapon," as Professor Moriarty. As a side note, Atwill was blacklisted by the major studios (Fox, Warners, MGM, and Paramount) after it was made public that he conducted an "orgy" at his Brentwood estate in 1941; thus only the studio known for horror films, Universal, would give him work in the 40s -- a waste of tremendous talent.
Do yourself a favor and purchase "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes," (also on MPI DVD) in addition to this classic tale of suspense.
Rating:
Summary: Avoid the "moor," but don't miss this classic tale!
Review: Finally a pristine version of the 1939 Twentieth Century Fox classic, "The Hound of the Baskervilles," has been released on DVD -- fully restored, with unsurpassed audio and video quality.
No contemporary film comes close to the suspense you will encounter in this Darryl Zanuck production. Life-long friends Basil Rathbone (Sherlock Holmes) and Nigel Bruce (Dr. Watson) play off each other to perfection in "Hound." What is amazing is that, in actuality, Bruce was three years younger than Rathbone!
There are myriad twists and turns in this thrilling tale. From the opening scene of Sir Charles Baskerville's death to the moment when Holmes reveals the name of Sir Charles' murderer, this classic film will not disappoint.
A stellar supporting cast, lead by horror villains Lionel Atwill (Dr. Mortimer) and John Carradine (Barryman), delights for the entire 80-minutes. In fact, Atwill's Dr. Mortimer is so innately menacing, that it is almost a disappointment that he is not found to be Sir Charles' murderer at film's end. Alas, Holmes' fans are well aware that Atwill returns in the 1942 Universal film, "The Secret Weapon," as Professor Moriarty. As a side note, Atwill was blacklisted by the major studios (Fox, Warners, MGM, and Paramount) after it was made public that he conducted an "orgy" at his Brentwood estate in 1941; thus only the studio known for horror films, Universal, would give him work in the 40s -- a waste of tremendous talent.
Do yourself a favor and purchase "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes," (also on MPI DVD) in addition to this classic tale of suspense.
Rating:
Summary: Only one question remains unanswered...
Review: I agree with everything thats been said about this amazing picture, so there's little left to add, save from asking the question no-one else seems to: Why on earth is this movie out of print on VHS, let alone not been released on DVD??? The later (inferior) Rathbone/Bruce pairings have all been released countless times on VHS and DVD, but this one, the original and best, still eludes anyone who would buy it now for posterity.
Rating:
Summary: HOUND: A Child's Memory
Review: I first saw this movie on TV when I was 9 or 10 in 1963-64. We lived in Los Angeles, and local channel 9 would run the SAME movie, Monday through Friday, for one week at 7:00 or 8:00 on its "Million Dollar Movie" program (a ridiculous title nowadays). Anyway, I watched it all five times in one week and adored it. I didn't see it again until its special, limited re-release to theaters in 1975; by then, I was a dyed-in-the-wool Sherlockian. Remarkably, my 10-year-old mind hadn't exaggerated the greatness of Rathbone or this film. It remained marvelous! Now it's available on DVD...and what a wonderful transfer. And the commentary is superb. I haven't yet watched it five nights in a row, but it certainly deserves that kind of attention. Highly recommended!
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