The Pearl of Death (1944)

Director:

Roy William Neill

Writers:

Bertram Millhauser (screenplay)
Arthur Conan Doyle (story)

Release Date:

1 August 1944 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

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

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Pearl | Sherlock Holmes | Murder | Museum | Thief

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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
J.W. Austin	...	Police Sergeant Bleeker (uncredited)
Wilson Benge	...	Second Ship's Steward (uncredited)
Billy Bevan	...	Constable (uncredited)
Lillian Bronson	...	Harker's Housekeeper (uncredited)
Harry Cording	...	George Gelder (uncredited)
Harold De Becker	...	Boss (uncredited)
Leslie Denison	...	Police Sergeant Murdock (uncredited)
Al Ferguson	...	Security Guard (uncredited)
Leyland Hodgson	...	Customs Officer (uncredited)
Colin Kenny	...	Security Guard (uncredited)
Charles Knight	...	Bearded Man (uncredited)
Connie Leon	...	Ellen Carey (uncredited)
Audrey Manners	...	Body of Teacher (uncredited)
John Merkyl	...	Dr. Julien Boncourt (uncredited)
Arthur Mulliner	...	Thomas Sandeford (uncredited)
Arthur Stenning	...	First Ship's Steward (uncredited)
David Thursby	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Eric Wilton	...	Conover's Chauffeur (uncredited)

Directed by
Roy William Neill

Writing credits
Bertram Millhauser		(screenplay)
Arthur Conan Doyle		(story "The Six Napoleons") (as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Produced by
Roy William Neill	....	producer

Original Music by
Paul Sawtell		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Virgil Miller		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Ray Snyder

Art Direction by
John B. Goodman
Martin Obzina

Set Decoration by
Russell A. Gausman
Edward R. Robinson		(as E.R. Robinson)

Costume Design by
Vera West		(gowns)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Melville Shyer	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Bernard B. Brown	....	sound director
Joe Lapis	....	sound technician

Music Department
Paul Sawtell	....	musical director
William Lava	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Hans J. Salter	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Frank Skinner	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Other crew
Raymond Kessler	....	dialogue director (as Ray Kessler)

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1944) (USA) (theatrical)
• MPI Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• MPI Home Video (2003) (USA) (VHS)
• MPI Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• CBS/Fox (????) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

"Sherlock Holmes in Pearl of Death" - USA (DVD title)

Runtime:

69 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 (PCA #10184) | UK:U

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

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

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): At around 44 minutes, the newspaper says "srriking" instead of "striking".

Quotes:

Dr. John H. Watson:How does the, the thing work?
Sherlock Holmes:Electricity. The high priest of false security.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in A City of Shoulders and Noses (2013)

Enjoyable if you like the series

Having recaptured the infamous pearl from the possession of criminal Giles Conover, Sherlock Holmes returns it to the British Museum. Dr Watson is concerned about the lack of security at the Museum but the curator shows him the modern electric alarm. Holmes demonstrates it's weaknesses by easily disabling the alarm – however while he is doing this Conover strikes and steals the pearl, stashing it somewhere before being caught. To save face, Holmes sets out to uncover the pearl, but at the same time the deadly Creeper appears to be back – breaking the back of his victims and smashing their china. Are the two connected in some way?

I watched a recent version of a Sherlock Holmes mystery so I thought I'd watch a few of the old versions just as a taste of both camps. The plot here is good and it is fun to see Holmes wrong footed at the start rather than just being arrogantly right all the time! But before long we are back to Holmes making the rest look foolish, which is enjoyable in it's own way, although he never struck me as a humble man willing to accept others. The drama does take a supernatural twist towards the end which alters the investigative feel of the film – the Creeper is only a few scripts away from being a zombie or a ghoul of some sort. But it still works and the mystery is solved in stages never losing the audience.

Rathbone is a good Holmes despite the very arrogant way he plays him. I would welcome a little more humility and patience in Holmes. Bruce plays Watson as a bit of a buffoon and, although unfair to the character, he is amusing and lightens proceedings. Likewise all policemen are foolish and comical. Mander is a good villain but somehow you never feel like he could overcome Holmes but Hatton as the Creeper has walked onto the set from a horror film or something and is far too ghoul-like to be just a dangerous criminal.

That said, this is enjoyable none the less and fans of this Holmes series will like this. It is constructed well with only the few weaknesses towards the end in the shape of the creeper.