‘SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE SECRET WEAPON’
Please feel free to comment on my review.
Dr. Franz Tobel and Moriarty with Basil Rathbone’s Sherlock and Nigel Bruce’s Dr. Watson
‘Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon’ is the fourth film in the Basil Rathbone ‘Sherlock Holmes’ series. It’s also the second Basil Rathbone ‘Sherlock Holmes’ movie produced by Universal Pictures. 🙂
It’s amazing how these ‘Sherlock Holmes’ films were made in the 1940s during the Second World War. I suppose films can be made even in tough times like World War II and the Covid-19 pandemic.
In the film, still in contemporary times of the 1940s, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are called to protect an inventor named Dr. Franz Tobel from the Nazis and Holmes’ nemesis, Professor Moriarty.
Tobel’s invention happens to be a superior bomb-sight which could provide a significant advantage in the Second World War. As Holmes and Watson discover, things aren’t what they seem with Tobel.
This fourth ‘Sherlock Holmes’ film with Basil Rathbone is based on the 1903 short story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle called ‘The Adventure of the Dancing Men’. Only one element of the story is in the film.
It involves a dancing men code that Holmes and Watson decipher, which is written by the Swiss scientist Tobel. The code does seem complicated, but thankfully Homes and Watson crack the code.
Once again, Basil Rathbone’s Sherlock Holmes puts on many disguises, including an old Nazi spy and one of Moriarty’s henchmen! I will give the film series credit: Basil Rathbone is a master of disguise. 🙂
I don’t think it’s something that’s done very often in the Benedict Cumberbatch TV series of ‘Sherlock’. At least not in the way Basil Rathbone does it. Perhaps Benedict Cumberbatch needs tips.
Here are some interesting fun facts. Holmes disguising himself as an elderly German bookseller was taken from the Arthur Conan Doyle story ‘The Adventure of the Empty House’. Intriguing fact that. 🙂
The old man disguise was parodied in ‘The Pink Panther’ film. The disguise Holmes takes as one of Moriarty’s henchmen is a lascar sailor called Ram Singh. He also disguises as a Swiss scientist here. 🙂
I really like how Basil Rathbone’s Sherlock and Nigel Bruce’s Dr. Watson work as a crime-solving duo. Watson is quite intelligent, despite his bumbling, and the two do often complement each other here.
It also helps that the stories are clearer in the Basil Rathbone ‘Sherlock Holmes’ film series compared to the Benedict Cumberbatch ‘Sherlock’ series. At least I can follow what is happening in the stories.
Like ‘Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror’, the film is about 68 minutes in length as opposed to being an 80/81 minute film. My parents and I watched this ‘Sherlock Holmes’ film without a break. 🙂
Lionel Atwill stars as Professor Moriarty. Wow! Professor Moriarty has changed significantly since the last time we saw him as he was played by George Zucco in ‘The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes’.
I know the films made by Universal take place in another time period, but I wonder if Professor Moriarty is a Time Lord. I wonder why George Zucco didn’t return to play Professor Moriarty in this!
Incidentally, Lionel Atwill previously appeared in ‘The Hound of the Baskervilles’ 1939 film as Dr. Mortimer. I’m surprised Dr. Mortimer wasn’t Professor Moriarty in disguise appearing in that film. 😀
Apparently Moriarty died in ‘The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes’ as he was thrown to his death from the top of the Tower of London by Holmes. Moriarty must be a Time Lord if he regenerated. 😀
The film also features the debut appearance of Dennis Hoey as Inspector Lestrade. Inspector Lestrade is the Scotland Yard detective who provides help as well as comic relief in six of these films.
William Post Jr. stars as Dr. Franz Tobel, the inventor whom Holmes and Watson try to protect. There’s also Kaaren Verne as Charlotte Eberli, who I believe is Tobel’s lover when coming to London.
There’s also Holmes Herbert as Sir Reginald Bailey, Henry Victor as Dr. Frederick Hoffner and Mary Gordon as Mrs. Hudson. I think Mrs. Hudson has more to say in the fourth ‘Sherlock Holmes’ film. 😀
‘Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon’ is a fun film to watch in this particular film series. It was fun to see Basil’s Sherlock put on many disguises and tackle a Moriarty played by a different actor. 😀
The DVD special features are as follows. There’s the ‘Restoring Sherlock Holmes’ featurette, production notes by Richard Valley and a photo gallery.
‘Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon’ rating – 8/10
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