If ever there was a Sherlock Holmes horror tale penned by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, it was his The Hound Of The Baskervilles.   With a murderous spectral hound, mysterious deaths, and the haunted, deadly mire as a backdrop, there is material for several horror flicks.  And filmmakers have not been shy in bringing the Hound to the silver screen.  But two of those films truly stand out, films that capture the horror and the thrills of the epic battle between...

By DON MANKOWSKI

"Murder, my dear Watson. Refined, cold-blooded murder. There’s no doubt about it in my mind--or perhaps I should say in my imagination. For that’s where crimes are conceived and where they’re solved. In the imagination."

– Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone)

As the twentieth century dawned, Sherlock Holmes was missing and presumed dead.

In late 1893, British readers of The Strand, American readers of McClure’s, and mystery enthusiasts around the world read "The Final Problem," Dr. John H. Watson’s account of how the Great Detective had died at Switzerland’s Reichenbach Falls. His last action had been to rid the world of the criminal mastermind, Professor James Moriarty.

It was a case of Frankenstein Syndrome.

First (1902) edition of The Hound Of The Baskervilles.

Holmes’ creator (or Watson’s literary agent, depending upon one’s attitude), Dr. Arthur Conan Doyle had grown weary of his creation. Doyle was a man of science (in Britain, the M.D. degree is awarded only for advanced, specialist studies), of history (several acclaimed works), and of legal and social reform (the defenses of George Edalji and Oscar Slater). Holmes, he felt, was diverting public attention from his more honorable accomplishments.

"Marry him or murder him or do anything else you like with him," wrote Doyle to actor-playwright William Gillette, who had asked if he could marry Holmes off in his stage play. However, eight years later, the author was persuaded to revive the Holmes series, if not quite to resurrect the man. Doyle would give his readers a flashback story, a reminiscence of a time prior to Holmes’ demise. After more than a decade of short stories, Holmes would star in a novel.

Certainly, the stakes were high, but the author did not disappoint. He drew upon a legend related to him by a friend, Fletcher Robinson; a seventeenth-century tale of betrayal and revenge at a lonely Dartmoor estate. Thus was born, or rather, whelped, The Hound Of The Baskervilles. The work was serialized in The Strand between August 1901 and April 1902.

The story involves young Sir Henry Baskerville, who has come to claim his inheritance after the mysterious death of his uncle, Charles. Legend has it that a curse upon their ancestor Hugo has claimed Charles and that it has designs on Henry – a curse in the form of a Hound From Hell.

To protect Henry, Baskerville family friend Dr. James Mortimer goes to London and engages the services of consulting detective Sherlock Holmes. Suspects abound: as Henry is the last heir to the Baskerville fortune, many have motives for his demise. Holmes, ever in his own manner, conducts his research, sets his traps, unravels the villainous plot and offers the miscreant just enough rope to hang himself—with no small risk to his client!

"I sprang to my feet," writes Watson, " my inert hand grasping my pistol, my mind paralyzed by the dreadful shape which had sprung out upon us from the shadows of the fog. A hound it was, an enormous coal-black hound, but not such a hound as mortal eyes have ever seen. Fire burst from its open mouth, its eyes glowed with a smoldering glare, its muzzle and hackles and dewlap were outlined in flickering flame. Never in the delirious dream of a disordered brain could anything more savage, more appalling, more hellish be conceived than that dark form and savage face which broke upon us out of the wall of fog."

The Hound was a great success. It might be the most famous mystery story ever. Conan Doyle was knighted in 1902, and in 1904 commenced a new series, The Return Of Sherlock Holmes, explaining the detective’s presumed death as a necessary ruse. Holmes would figure in Sir Arthur’s life until the author’s death in 1930.

Sherlock Holmes’ appearances in the movies date back to the short (very short) subject Sherlock Holmes Baffled in 1903! There were literally dozens of Holmes films in the silent era, one starring no less than John Barrymore. The Hound was a popular story in Germany, and was filmed several times there. Supposedly, a German version of Der Hund von Baskerville turned up in Adolf Hitler’s private film library!

British actor Eille Norwood made the role his own for a time: he would portray Holmes in forty-five short films and two features. (He’d have undoubtedly made more, but the rest had yet to be written!) Norwood’s 1921 production of The Hound of the Baskervilles survives, but as you might expect, is rarely seen.

The first talking Hound was a 1932 British production with Robert Rendel as Holmes. Edgar Wallace had a hand in the script. Still, it was not well received and was long thought lost, although it has reportedly turned up in incomplete form.

Arthur Wontner was an excellent Sherlock Holmes in five films of the thirties. One of them, sometimes titled Murder At The Baskervilles (1937) is actually an adaptation of "Silver Blaze," another Conan Doyle story with a Dartmoor setting.

It purports to be a sequel of sorts to Hound, set some twenty years later. As confusion is inevitable, just remember: "Silver Blaze" is the story wherein the dog in the night does nothing. Hound is the story wherein Sir Henry Baskerville almost becomes the knight in the dog. Elementary. But, I digress.

Many historians consider 1939 to be Hollywood’s finest year, and indeed, the first enduring filming of this story was mounted by 20th Century Fox that year. The legendary Daryl F. Zanuck headed up the production. Sidney Lanfield would direct from a screenplay by Ernest Pascal.

 It is 1889. We begin by witnessing the mysterious, sudden death of Sir Charles Baskerville, stricken while fleeing from unseen terror at his desolate Dartmoor estate. At the noisy inquest at the Coroner’s Court, the official verdict is heart failure – but there are suggestions of foul play.

Then it’s on to London, Baker Street, to make the acquaintance of Mr. Sherlock Holmes, consulting detective, and his associate Dr. John H. Watson. Holmes has read of the Baskerville case and fears for the life of the young heir, Sir Henry. The two await their first meeting with a visitor who absentmindedly forgot his walking stick on an earlier attempt to see them. Holmes examines the cane and produces a wealth of conjecture about the man, all of which turns out to be correct. The visitor, a Dr. Mortimer, is a Baskerville family friend and has his own concerns about Sir Henry’s safety.

Mortimer produces an old parchment and reads aloud the legend of The Hound, which we see in flashback to 1650, wherein the corrupt ("profane and godless") Sir Hugo’s cruelty and debauchery goes too far. (Without exactly spelling it out, the script implies kidnapping and gang rape.)

Retribution is visited upon Hugo by the otherworldly Hound. Indeed, Mortimer states his belief that the legend may be true: at the site of Sir Charles’ death, he saw giant paw prints! He asks for Holmes’ help in protecting his young charge.

Sir Henry arrives from Canada, and it does appear that he is stalked. Watson accompanies Mortimer and Henry to the Baskerville estate in Devonshire, a desolate place with dangerous bogs. Holmes ostensibly stays behind, but in fact sneaks out there for covert observation.

(Warning: further discussion of this 63-year old movie, not to mention its 101-year old source novel will feature the dreaded spoilers. If you plan to see the film or read the book, go ahead. I’ll wait. Frankly, it’s about time you did so.)

Ultimately, the detective becomes convinced that someone is out to get Sir Henry, and he must take steps to smoke out the guilty one. But who is it? Barryman the grim servant – or his furtive wife? Stapleton, the unctuous neighbor – or his lovely sister? The strange, litigious Mr. Frankland, or perhaps the somewhat mystic Mortimer himself? Henry is set up for a fatal meeting with The Hound, but Holmes and Watson are ready to dispatch the beast with pistols.

In a dramatic gathering of the principals at Baskerville Hall, Holmes explains how one man capitalized upon the legend, hoping to gain the title. He acquired and harbored (in the old mine) the ferocious dog, used it to slay Sir Charles, then gave it Henry’s scent from a stolen boot. The detective draws everyone’s attention to a painted portrait of Sir Hugo: in it are seen the eyes of Jack Stapleton, who is a throwback to the sordid ancestor.

The man pulls a gun and escapes the assembly, but Holmes toots on a police whistle and announces that the flight is futile. If the constables he has stationed don’t get him, the Grimpen Mire will. Stapleton’s fate is left to our imagination.

After his explanation, Sherlock Holmes sums up the case: "An ordinary dog and an ingenious criminal." Then, Dr. Mortimer rather neatly sums up Sherlock Holmes.

"Mister Holmes, we’ve admired you in the past as does every Englishman. Your record as our greatest detective is known throughout the world. But this – seeing how you work, knowing that there is in England such a man as you – gives us all a sense of safety and security. God bless you, Mister Holmes."

"Thank you. Now, if you don’t mind, I’ve had rather a strenuous day," is Holmes’ humble reply. "I think I’ll turn in. Oh Watson," he then calls abruptly, "the needle."

Several splendid character actors enact the red herrings: Lionel Atwill as Mortimer, Barlowe Borland as the contentious neighbor Frankland, and John Carradine and Eily Malyon as the servant couple.

The satanically bearded Atwill of course carries a sinister air about him throughout, peering at the proceedings through thick eyeglasses. Carradine’s character is renamed "Barryman," as the handle "John Barrymore" would invite confusion with the famous thespian. Barryman’s stoic demeanor, doleful eyes and funereal voice draw one’s attention, while Mrs. Barryman seems to be harboring a secret. Frankland trusts no one.

It turns out that Barryman’s agitation was over an in-law who is also an outlaw, an escaped convict (Nigel De Brulier) who happens to be Mrs. Barryman’s black-sheep brother. Frankland is harmless, and Mortimer a good sort. When the villain is revealed to be Jack Stapleton, played by the relatively sedate Morton Lowery, it’s a bit of a disappointment.

Hound is a challenge for a scriptwriter, as Holmes remains off screen for a long stretch of time. As does the novel, the best screenplays must make the landscape of Dartmoor itself into a threatening "character" to cover his absence. Screenwriter Pascal succeeds for the most part, and contrives to keep the plot’s secret for the very end. He changed the story just a bit, as might be expected.

Draft script for the 1939 Fox production of The Hound Of The Baskervilles.

Doyle’s subplot involving Frankland’s daughter Laura Lyons is gone, and Mortimer’s wife (Beryl Mercer) is included in order that a spooky séance can be added to the mix, perhaps in a nod to Conan Doyle’s later devotion to spiritualism. Beryl Stapleton (Wendy Barrie) is here introduced as Stapleton’s half-sister rather that his wife, in order to make her a better romantic interest for Richard Greene’s Sir Henry. Greene, who would later be cast as Robin Hood in the television series, actually gets top billing over Basil Rathbone.

Ah, yes. Basil Rathbone.

Rathbone (born 1892 in Johannesburg, South Africa) had Shakespearean stage experience, had recently starred in Captain Blood and Robin Hood and might well have settled into a permanent niche as a screen villain. (Even as the nominal hero of Son of Frankenstein, his character had a maniacal side to it). Then, along came Sherlock Holmes.

For millions of fans, Rathbone simply was Sherlock Holmes: tall, thin, with angular features, ramrod posture, commanding manner, and incisive voice. With the familiar pipe, violin and dressing gown, or in the deerstalker and cape-backed coat, he might well have stepped out of the Strand illustrations. He ruled the screen from 1939 to 1946, and for at least a dozen years beyond. He played the character (supported by Nigel Bruce) in weekly radio broadcasts concurrently with the films.

He even created the role on Broadway (in a colossal flop, it should be noted: the play closed after three performances in 1953). For another generation, he would introduce television presentations of the films. Rarely has an actor been so thoroughly identified with a role. When Rathbone died in 1967, a clever parody had his soul somewhat angrily seeking out the spirit of Conan Doyle: it seems that upon his arrival in heaven, everybody there kept addressing him as "Holmes."

Note that Holmes wears his eccentric overcoat or his sloppy dressing gown over a crisp starched shirt. This is a symbolic reversal, as Holmes is the man conventional outside, but filled with new ideas to challenge the status quo. (By the way, the bent briar pipe is, as the Sherlockian experts say, non-canonical. These were uncommon in the 19th century.

William Gillette found it easier to speak his lines with the better balance that a curved pipe offered, and Rathbone perhaps uses one for the same reason. Let’s not get into a discussion of the big calabash.) Once per adventure, Rathbone would treat the viewer to Holmes in disguise, usually effectively. In Hound he appears as a gabby old peddler who isn’t very tall.

Amongst Sherlockian aficionados, Nigel Bruce’s portrayal of Dr. Watson is a touchy topic. Quite a few feel that the character is dumbed-down far too much, presumably (and unnecessarily) to allow Holmes’ genius to shine more brightly in contrast. He got worse as the series progressed.

Dr. Watson serves a very important function in the published Sherlock Holmes tales: the reader observes Holmes in action through Watson’s eyes, and is able to observe how Holmes collects his data, analyzes it and builds his case, though the mystery remains a mystery. When Doyle, for variety, wrote a couple of stories from Holmes’ point of view, they were unsatisfactory, as the truth had to be artificially concealed from the reader. The Watson of the books comes off as intelligent and resourceful, even allowing that it’s his own description of himself. In the films, Watson is just another supporting character, although a key player in Hound.

Still, Bruce (1895-1953) conveys Watson’s decency, sense of propriety and dogged loyalty well. While we’d certainly want Holmes on our side in a crisis, it’s Watson that we’d sooner hang out with in more peaceful times. (Check out the 1935 version of She to see Bruce in a non-duffer role.) Rathbone and Bruce go a long way towards defining that filmic term chemistry.

The 1939 Hound was the first production to place Sherlock Holmes in his correct time period. The black-and-white film features moody sets, fog-shrouded (dry ice and gauze over the lenses), open but still claustrophobic. Peverell Marley, who would later do spectacular work on House Of Wax (1953), was the cinematographer. It all certainly seems expensive in contrast to the Universal Sherlocks. Effective models and paintings create the moor with its abandoned mines and Neolithic stone huts. The big dog is reasonably effective, lacking any supernatural enhancement via special effects.

Lanfield’s pacing is brisk. In a matter of about four minutes, we have the situation set up for us and have met most of the supporting cast. They’re all in place by the quarter hour, and we’ll be at Dartmoor in ten more minutes. How the flick still manages to drag a bit in the middle eludes me, but it does all the same. There’s no background music to speak of, something unusual for the time, and a good score might have helped liven up the slow spots and accentuate the frantic ones.

The film is a landmark, holds up well, and what with a memorable actor in his signature role, it’s essential viewing for anyone interested in classical mystery. Ernest Pascal wrote one episode of the classic Flesh and Fantasy (1943). Sidney Lanfield later turned to television, helming "The Addams Family." This was certainly their best effort.

This film was absent when the Rathbone/Sherlock series was released to television in the 1960s due to legal complications. Rumor had it that Holmes’ drug use (as documented in the Conan Doyle tales) was an issue, but as we have seen, the topic is confined to the film’s final line ("the needle"). It re-emerged with a limited theatrical re-release in 1975.

 Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce would return as Holmes and Watson in another fine 1939 Fox production, The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes, with Ida Lupino and George Zucco. Following this film, the Holmes property was transferred to Universal Pictures. There, Rathbone and Bruce continued their roles in twelve more productions, but for the sake of patriotism and economy, the time period of the stories was updated to the 1940s, and the duo faced off with Nazi menaces more than once.

Rathbone got more eccentric and flamboyant, Bruce just got dumber. Although these wartime adventures have acquired a period charm of their own, most aficionados remember the Victorian-era Fox duo with particular affection.

Rathbone’s Holmes had numerous encounters with the fantastic over at Universal. We haven’t heard the last of him in these pages, I’m sure.

And The Hound would again roam the moor. More on that next month.

(Don Mankowski steadfastly continues to contribute to HORROR-WOOD, but, unlike Conan Doyle, he stands little chance of being eventually knighted for his efforts by our Queen. Check out his modest Webpage for other works.)

Thanks, Don!  You did a great job of tracking down the elusive Hound both as a literary and a film entity.  Even with the critics baying at your heels, you caught the scent and chased down your quarry.   Although some may growl at the notion that such an old film can both entertain and thrill audiences today, we insist that it can.  The proof is in the viewing.   One hopes that a pristine version will find its way onto DVD soon.  

Article copyright © Don Mankowski

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