Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce return to the show! I am
joined by Beth Morris and Troy Guinn to discuss the next in Universal’s long running
Sherlock Holmes series featuring the legendary detective in the 1940’s. This
entry uses one of Arthur Conan Doyle’s original short stories to provide the
basic plot – or does it? We look at the film’s very strong ties to a certain
American crime fiction writer’s famous story that the script seems to borrow
from. Is this a mash-up of two tales that taste great together?
THE PEARL OF DEATH (1944) is a movie that doesn’t spring to
mind as one of the best of the Universal Holmes films but perhaps it should.
The series’ regulars are in fine form and returning guest actor Evelyn Ankers
gets a lot to do as the main female baddie. She seems capable of getting any
job in London and can disguise herself effectively in the bargain. In fact,
this film has her character, Sherlock and the lead bad guy Giles Conover so
often pretending to be someone else that it plays like there is a contest between
them! And the film also sports the first screen appearances of Rondo Hatton as
The Creeper. We talk a good deal about the way the plot unfolds and take note
of how the screenplay seems to be digging into a Holmes character flaw to drive
the story. Of course, there are the usual odd asides including a Tolkien reference
that is quite out of place and a short debate about the correct size of a Yamaka
or skullcap. We try to use our meager deductive reasoning skills but we tend to
be more Watson than Holmes.
Thank you for listening to the show and thebloodypit@gmail.com is the place to send any thoughts. Stay warm and we’ll be back soon.
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