Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Code (1946)
"Dressed to Kill" (original title)

Sherlock Holmes sets out to discover why a trio of murderous villains, including a dangerously attractive female, are desperate to obtain three unassuming and inexpensive little music boxes.

Director:

Roy William Neill

Writers:

Arthur Conan Doyle (story), Frank Gruber (adaptation),

Stars:

Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Patricia Morison

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Basil Rathbone	...	Sherlock Holmes
Nigel Bruce	...	Dr. John H. Watson
Patricia Morison	...	Mrs. Hilda Courtney
Edmund Breon	...	Julian 'Stinky' Emery (as Edmond Breon)
Frederick Worlock	...	Colonel Cavanaugh (as Frederic Worlock)
Carl Harbord	...	Inspector Hopkins
Patricia Cameron	...	Evelyn Clifford
Holmes Herbert	...	Ebenezer Crabtree
Harry Cording	...	Hamid
Leyland Hodgson	...	Tour Guide
Mary Gordon	...	Mrs. Hudson
Ian Wolfe	...	Commissioner of Scotland Yard

Storyline

A convicted thief in Dartmoor prison hides the location of the stolen Bank of England printing plates inside three music boxes. When the innocent purchasers of the boxes start to be murdered, Holmes and Watson investigate.

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Plot Keywords:

music box | sherlock holmes | thief | robbery | collector | 

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Taglines:

Queen . . . of a Crime Cult !

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Genres:

Crime | Mystery

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 June 1946 (USA)

Also Known As:

Prelude to Murder

Filming Locations:

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

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

76 min 72 min (video) 76 min (copyright length)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Black & White and Color) Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The last 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.

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Goofs

The bus has a left hand drive, American style. All the cars and taxis have right hand drive, which is correct.

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Quotes

Watson: [remarking on the stolen music box] But that box is only worth two pounds!
Holmes: It's worth a man's life, Watson!

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Crazy Credits

This movie's final credit sequence rolled over a scene of Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce leaving Dr. Johnston's house. This sequence was later removed by a TV distributor and has been replaced with a THE END frame from one of the earlier Sherlock Holmes films.

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Connections

Follows The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1939)

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Soundtracks

"An der schönen, blauen Donau (On the Beautiful Blue Danube), Op. 314"
(1867)
Composed by Johann Strauß
Played on a music box at the toy store

User Reviews

The Last of the Rathbone/Bruce Sherlock Holmes Stories

"Dressed to Kill" puts Sherlock Holmes and the devoted but bumbling Dr. Watson on the trail of a ruthless gang intent on securing - by hook, crook or thrown dagger - three seemingly innocuous music boxes. The boxes come from a workshop in one of England's famous prisons. Perhaps vocational rehabilitation of cons has its downside.

The conspirators - a suave gentleman-type, a thuggish chauffeur and a beautiful woman - come close to writing finis to Holmes's career and his life. Of course they can not succeed where Dr. Moriarty has failed.

Set in a London past the time of Conan Doyle, the film features a never to be overused "follow that cab" episode. The usually exclusively cerebral Holmes here actually does some strenuous exercise and proves handy with a revolver.

Fun to watch, this isn't the best Rathbone/Bruce Holmes film but it's pleasant enough for a late, cold winter night's entertainment.

7/10.