The Pearl of Death (1944)

When a valuable pearl with a sinister reputation is stolen, Sherlock Holmes must investigate its link to a series of brutal murders.

Director:

Roy William Neill

Writers:

Bertram Millhauser (screenplay), Arthur Conan Doyle (story)

Stars:

Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Dennis Hoey

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Basil Rathbone	...	Sherlock Holmes
Nigel Bruce	...	Doctor Watson
Dennis Hoey	...	Inspector Lestrade
Evelyn Ankers	...	Naomi Drake
Miles Mander	...	Giles Conover
Ian Wolfe	...	Amos Hodder
Charles Francis	...	Digby
Holmes Herbert	...	James Goodram
Richard Aherne	...	Bates (as Richard Nugent)
Mary Gordon	...	Mrs. Hudson
Rondo Hatton	...	The Creeper

Storyline

When a pearl with a sinister reputation for causing misfortune to its owners is stolen from a museum by a master criminal because of Sherlock Holmes' show-boating, he is naturally obliged to find it. Soon, he learns of a series of brutal murders that seemed to have been commited by a malevolent man mountain known only as the Creeper. Now, Holmes must deal with the seemingly overwhelming menace of this man and his boss in order to retrieve the pearl.

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Plot Keywords:

pearl | sherlock holmes | murder | museum | thief | 

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Taglines:

THE SECRET OF THE GEM OF DOOM! (original print ad - all caps)

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 August 1944 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sherlock Holmes in Pearl of Death

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

69 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

References Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's original Sherlock Holmes story, 'The Adventure of the Six Napoleons'.

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Goofs

At around 44 minutes, the newspaper says "srriking" instead of "striking".

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Quotes

Sherlock Holmes: This man pervades Europe like a plague, yet no one has heard of him. That's what puts him on the pinnacle in the records of crime. In his whole diabolical career, the police have never been able to pin anything on him. And yet, if there be a crime without a motive, I'll show you Giles Conover! If I could free society of this sinister creature, I should feel my own career had reached it's summit.

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Connections

Follows Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror (1942)

User Reviews

Sherlock Horror!

Even though "The Pearl of Death" primarily remains a mystery-thriller, the film just bathes in a genuine horror atmosphere and that's all thanks to the introduction of its spooky villain in the shape of "The Creeper". This impressive character is mostly appearing off-screen or in the shadows, and yet his presence alone makes "The Pearl of Death" the most unsettling of all Sherlock Holmes movies. The Creeper, played by Rondo Hatton who suffered from the incurable Acromegaly-disease, plays a merciless killer who always slays his victims in the same way, namely by breaking their backs. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson cross his path whilst trying to recover a stolen pearl with great historical (and financial) value. Holmes does whatever he can to get back the pearl, since he was responsible for losing it while pointing out the security-weaknesses of the British Museum. Roy William Neill does another classy job directing the screenplay based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's story "The Six Napoleons". The dialogues are extraordinary well written and marvelously rattled off by the great cast. There are fewer obscure filming locations in this installment but, opposed to that, there's a big collection of imaginative disguises and thrilling booby-traps. As usual, the characters of Dr. Watson and Scotland Yard inspector Lestrade provide the film with a welcome comic relief.