Sherlock Holmes in Washington (1943)

Director:

Roy William Neill

Writers:

Arthur Conan Doyle (characters)
Bertram Millhauser (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

30 April 1943 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Thriller | Mystery

Plot:

Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson travel to Washington D.C. in order to prevent a secret document from falling into enemy hands.

Plot Keywords:

Document | Sherlock Holmes | Train | Washington D.C. | Microfilm

Cast

Basil Rathbone	...	Sherlock Holmes
Nigel Bruce	...	Doctor Watson
Marjorie Lord	...	Nancy Partridge
Henry Daniell	...	William Easter
George Zucco	...	Heinrich Hinckel aka Richard Stanley
John Archer	...	Naval Lt. Pete Merriam
Gavin Muir	...	Mr. Lang, government agent
Edmund MacDonald	...	Detective Lt. Grogan
Don Terry	...	Howe
Bradley Page	...	Cady
Holmes Herbert	...	Mr. Ahrens
Thurston Hall	...	Senator Henry Babcock
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Burton	...	Army Inspector (uncredited)
Eddie Coke	...	Airplane Steward (uncredited)
Evelyn Cook	...	Nancy's Friend at Engagement Party (uncredited)
Caroline Cooke	...	Mrs. Ruxton (uncredited)
Kernan Cripps	...	Hotel Porter (uncredited)
Leslie Denison	...	Transport Pilot (uncredited)
Gilbert Emery	...	Sir Henry Marchmont (uncredited)
Alice Fleming	...	Mrs. Jellison (uncredited)
Mary Forbes	...	Mother Pettibone (uncredited)
Mary Gordon	...	Mrs. Hudson (uncredited)
Gerald Hamer	...	Alfred Pettibone aka John Grayson (uncredited)
Leyland Hodgson	...	Airport Official (uncredited)
Colin Kenny	...	Hotel Doorman (uncredited)
Alexander Lockwood	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Charles Marsh	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Thomas Martin	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Irving Mitchell	...	Laboratory Technician (uncredited)
Clarence Muse	...	George - Porter (uncredited)
Gene O'Donnell	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Jason Robards Sr.	...	Hotel Doorman (uncredited)
Paul Scott	...	Army Major (uncredited)
Margaret Seddon	...	Miss Pringle (uncredited)
Lee Shumway	...	Army Major at Engagement Party (uncredited)
Regina Wallace	...	Mrs. Partridge (uncredited)
Phil Warren	...	Young Officer (uncredited)
Ian Wolfe	...	Antique Store Clerk (uncredited)
Frederick Worlock	...	Radio Announcer (uncredited)

Directed by
Roy William Neill

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Arthur Conan Doyle		characters
Bertram Millhauser		screenplay
Bertram Millhauser		story
Lynn Riggs		screenplay

Produced by
Howard Benedict	....	associate producer
Roy William Neill	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Frank Skinner

Cinematography by
Lester White		(director of photography) (as Les White)

Film Editing by
Otto Ludwig

Art Direction by
Jack Otterson

Set Decoration by
Russell A. Gausman		(as R.A. Gausman)

Costume Design by
Vera West		(gowns)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William Tummel	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Martin Obzina	....	associate art director
Edward R. Robinson	....	associate set decorator (as E.R. Robinson)

Sound Department
Bernard B. Brown	....	sound director
James Masterson	....	technician

Music Department
Charles Previn	....	musical director

Other crew
Tom McKnight	....	technical advisor

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1943) (USA) (theatrical)
• MPI Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• MPI Home Video (2003) (USA) (VHS)
• MPI Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Key Video (1988) (USA) (VHS)
• Lorimar Telepictures (1980s) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

71 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (MPAA rating: #8720) | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Glendale Grand Central Air Terminal - Grandview Avenue, Glendale, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

The fifth of fourteen films based on Arthur Conan Doyle's fictional consulting detective Sherlock Holmes starring Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes and Nigel Bruce as Doctor Watson.

Goofs:

Continuity: The aircraft used in the opening scenes is a DC-3, but the aircraft seen taking off is a Boeing model.

Quotes:

Sherlock Holmes:I assure you that Dr. Watson is the very soul of discretion.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Many Faces of Sherlock Holmes (1985) (V)

Matchless print quality on "Definitive Edition" DVD

I can only rouse myself to comment on films I like: this is another old favourite. "Washington" is one of weaker entries in the series, but still enjoyable on its own merits as a B picture. The DVD I've just watched is of pristine quality - it really helps to see these potboilers as clean as they were meant to be seen, even if they can't be seen at cinema screen size.

Rathbone and Bruce are in Washington searching for a McGuffin - an American match folder with a chunk of important Allied microfilm wedged inside. It luckily slips by both Nazi villains, Daniell and Zucco, and eventually alls well that ends well. On the way there's some ace detecting - the wood splinter in the blanket (mentioned in a previous post) not only instantly ID'ed by Holmes but the shop and even the chair it came from instantly ID'ed too! For some reason Watson was portrayed as even more bumbling than usual, so it's much better to forget about the original in Conan Doyle while the film's on!

All these years and I'd not spotted Rathbone saying something to the American detective about "his blodgings" back at Baker Street!

It is a bit of a flag waver, but not so fervent as Voice or Weapon, and a worthwhile oldie to watch as a non-purist.