And the Secret Weapon

Rating:
Summary: Who will decipher a code first: Holmes or the evil Moriarty?
Review: +++++

This movie is based on the story "The Dancing Men" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859 to 1930).

In this movie, a Swiss physicist (William Post Jr.), who invented a secret military weapon, has been captured by none other than Professor Moriarty (Lionel Atwill), the archenemy of Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone). As well, Moriarty has also stolen an important "dancing men" code created by the physicist, a code that contains important information about the weapon and that Holmes was supposed to have received.

Holmes with his friend and associate Dr. Watson (Nigel Bruce) take on the task of trying to rescue the physicist from Moriarty. But before they do this they have to decipher the physicist's code before Moriarty does, a code they don't even possess! If they are not successful, Moriarity will sell the information revealed to the Nazis.

This was the first movie in this series to introduce Dennis Hoey as Scotland Yard detective Inspector Lestrade.

There are several things to look and listen for when watching this movie:

(1) The many disguises.
(2) Moriarty's line, "The needle to the last, eh, Holmes?" This refers to Holmes' cocaine habit.
(3) The many hidden passage ways of Moriarty's hideout.
(4) The last line spoken in the movie by Holmes: "This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England." This line appears in Shakespeare's history play "Richard the Second" in act two, scene one, lines 59 to 60.

Rathbone captures the essence of the famous gumshoe in his performance. Bruce as his comic aid also gives a good performance. As well, Atwill as Holmes' archenemy gives a convincing performance.

This movie is like a time capsule of 1940s London. As well, the background music adds to each scene.

Finally, extras include two original Sherlock Holmes radio broadcasts. I found these interesting.

In conclusion, this, I feel, is a definitive Sherlock Holmes movie that every fan of Basil Rathbone's Sherlock Holmes should own!!

(1942; 70 min; black and white; full screen)

+++++