The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Terence Fisher

Writers:

Arthur Conan Doyle (novel)
Peter Bryan (screenplay)

Release Date:

3 July 1959 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Sherlock Holmes' Most Terrifying Adventure! [UK]

Plot:

When a nobleman is threatened by a family curse on his newly inherited estate, detective Sherlock Holmes is hired to investigate.

Plot Keywords:

Curse | Sherlock Holmes | Detective | Hound | Doctor

Cast

Peter Cushing	...	Sherlock Holmes
André Morell	...	Doctor John Watson (as Andre Morell)
Christopher Lee	...	Sir Henry
Marla Landi	...	Cecile Stapleton
David Oxley	...	Sir Hugo Baskerville
Francis De Wolff	...	Doctor Richard Mortimer (as Francis de Wolff)
Miles Malleson	...	Bishop Frankland
Ewen Solon	...	Stapleton
John Le Mesurier	...	Barrymore
Helen Goss	...	Mrs. Barrymore
Sam Kydd	...	Perkins
Michael Hawkins	...	Lord Caphill
Judi Moyens	...	Servant Girl
Michael Mulcaster	...	Selden - the Convict
David Birks	...	Servant

Runtime:

87 min | Canada:64 min (Ontario)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Canada:PG | Norway:16 | USA:Approved (PCA #19213) | Finland:K-16 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (re-rating) (1988) | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Bray Studios, Down Place, Oakley Green, Berkshire, England, UK

Company:

Hammer Film Productions

Trivia:

This film was planned to be the first in a series of many Sherlock Holmes films starring Peter Cushing, produced by Hammer Films. The audience disapproved of a Hammer film without any monsters and failed to turn up. The planned franchise was then dropped.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the prologue, after Sir Hugo has stabbed the girl on the moor, there is no blood on the knife. But after he has been attacked by the hound and drops the knife, a close up reveals it to be covered in blood.

Quotes:

[to Sir Henry Baskerville]
Sherlock Holmes: I must insist upon one thing. Under no circumstances are you to go out onto the moors at night.

Movie Connections:

Version of The Hound of the Baskervilles (1978)

The Definitive Holmes and Watson.

Although this version of the story differs from the original novel, there is much to recommend it for. The film is well paced and atmospheric but it's greatest strength is the excellent cast, particularly the three leads. It's nice to see Christopher Lee playing the romantic role as a change to his usual monsters and Peter Cushing is brilliant as Holmes, his performance being the definitive as he makes the character believable and interesting. This film also features the best ever casting of Dr Watson. Andre Morell moves away from the bumbling fool of other Holmes films and makes Watson intelligent, capable and even dashing. Morell's charismatic performance is all the more welcome as 'Hounds' is the story which puts Watson centre stage for most of the plot. It's a shame he never played the part again as he and Cushing make the perfect Holmes and Watson. If only Hammer had made a series of Holmes films.