‘SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE VOICE OF TERROR’
Please feel free to comment on my review.
Nazis, Propaganda and Basil Rathbone’s Sherlock and Nigel Bruce’s Dr. Watson
‘Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror’ is the third film made in the Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce series of ‘Sherlock Holmes’ movies. This was also the very first film produced by Universal Pictures. 🙂
The first two ‘Sherlock Holmes’ movies with Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce were produced by 20th Century Fox! A shame really! I hoped for these ‘Sherlock Holmes’ films to be released on Disney+. 😀
This third ‘Sherlock Holmes’ film with Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce is very different compared to the first two films. Instead of being set in Victorian England, the films now move to a modern setting.
We see Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson fighting the menaces of World War II and the Nazis in ‘Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror’. This is something I’m sure wasn’t in the original books. 😀
I believe this is where Steven Moffat got his inspiration from in setting his ‘Sherlock’ TV series in modern times. I’d like to think Basil Rathbone’s Sherlock is better at doing that than Benedict Cumberbatch’s.
The film is based on the 1917 Arthur Conan Doyle story called ‘His Last Bow’. It also loosely parallels the real-life activities of Lord Haw-haw, who broadcasted Nazi propaganda to the UK from Germany.
In the film, Sherlock Holmes is called to investigate a series of mysterious broadcasts that warns of acts of sabotage in World War II just before they occur. Will Holmes and Watson solve the mystery?
Incidentally, I did find it funny hearing ‘the voice of terror’ that did those messages of Nazi propaganda to broadcast to the UK. One Dalek can easily utter those Nazi propaganda messages! 😀
The film also features Evelyn Ankers as Kitty. Evelyn Ankers is a horror film ‘scream queen’ who appears as the leading lady with Sherlock Holmes. No romance between Holmes and Kitty however.
Basil Rathbone is very good as Sherlock Holmes. It’s interesting to see how he blends well into 1940s society compared to 19th century society. The film declares Holmes and Watson are ‘ageless’ here. 🙂
That would explain how Holmes and Watson are able to appear in the 1940s compared to being in the 19th century. Does that mean they’re Time Lords? Will they regenerate for the ‘Sherlock’ series? 😀
Nigel Bruce is equally good as Dr. Watson in the film. He continues to be slightly bumbling and a good foil for Holmes who’s constantly working his way in solving the mystery of ‘the voice of terror’.
There’s still no explanation given on how Holmes and Watson know each other as we weren’t given an introductory story to them meeting each other. It’s just established that they know each other! 😐
The film also features Reginald Denny as Sir Evan Barham who summons Holmes and Watson for help. He’s later revealed to be Heinrich von Bock in the movie as well as being ‘the voice of terror’. 😮
There’s also Thomas Gómez as R.F. Meade in the film. Meade happens to be the leader of a group of Nazi spies. Holmes and Watson confront him, though Holmes deliberately allows him to escape here.
The film also features Henry Daniell as Sir Anthony Lloyd, Montagu Love as General Jerome Lawford, Olaf Hytten as Admiral Sir John Fabian Prentiss and there’s Leyland Hodges as Captain Roland Shore.
I must admit this film was a challenge to follow through, especially with quite a number of political elements going on. I wish the film had more action-fuelled elements than some of the political stuff.
I also noticed that the film is shorter in terms of the running time. Whereas the first two ‘Sherlock Holmes’ films were about over 80 minutes in length, this film is about 65 minutes. Pretty odd that. 😐
This is different compared to the ITV ‘Marple’ films that would run about two hours in length to tell their murder mysteries. The ‘Sherlock’ TV series did the same, though the storytelling is convoluted.
The film ends with an angry Meade shooting and fatally wounding Kitty. Meade gets killed himself and Holmes and the others mourn the loss of Kitty. There’s also a direct quote from ‘His Last Bow’. 😐
‘Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror’ isn’t as good a ‘Sherlock Holmes’ film as I would like, given the political propaganda nature. But it’s harmless enough and it should be relaxing for you to watch.
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 Voice of Terror’ rating – 7/10
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