Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace (1962)

Sherlock Holmes and Watson do battle with their nemesis, Professor Moriarity, over an ancient necklace attributed to Cleopatra.

Director:

Terence Fisher

Writers:

Arthur Conan Doyle (characters), Curt Siodmak (screenplay)

Stars:

Christopher Lee, Hans Söhnker, Hans Nielsen

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Christopher Lee	...	Sherlock Holmes
Hans Söhnker	...	Prof. Moriarty
Hans Nielsen	...	Inspector Cooper
Senta Berger	...	Ellen Blackburn
Ivan Desny	...	Paul King
Wolfgang Lukschy	...	Peter Blackburn
Leon Askin	...	Chauffeur Charles
Edith Schultze-Westrum	...	Mrs. Hudson
Bruno W. Pantel	...	Auctioneer (as Bruno Panthel)
Heinrich Gies	...	Texas Buyer
Bernard Lajarrige	...	Inspector French
Linda Sini	...	Whore
Roland Armontel	...	Doctor
Max Strassberg	...	Johnny
Danièle Argence	...	Times Librarian (as Danielle Argence)

Storyline

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson try to solve the case of the stealing of Cleopatra's necklace, found by archaeologists in Egypt. They soon discover that the evil professor Moriarty is behind it all.

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Plot Keywords:

psychotronic film | pipe smoking | professor | cleopatra | necklace | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Did You Know?

Trivia

In the U.S. public domain.

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Goofs

The amount of beer in (the disguised) Sherlock Holmes's glass varies considerably between shots during the final scene set in the Hare and Eagle Pub.

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Quotes

Sherlock Holmes: Before Blackburn died, he tried to write the name of his murderer on the top of the table, obviously with his wedding ring. M.O.R. does that convey anything to you, Inspector?
Inspector Cooper: M.O.R. Many words begin with M.O.R. Morgue, morning...
Sherlock Holmes: Or Moriarty.
Inspector Cooper: You told us that Moriarty has an alibi.
Sherlock Holmes: My dear Inspector, Blackburn had a secret. Moriarty wanted it and when he'd gotten it, he had him murdered.
Inspector Cooper: Do you know the secret, Holmes?
Sherlock Holmes: Naturally, I read the Times.

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Connections

Featured in Aweful Movies with Deadly Earnest: Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace (1970)

User Reviews

worth a view...

very difficult to watch German Holmes film.

Christopher Lee is excellent in a role he wanted to play throughout his life (returning to it late in a couple mini-series) - this despite the fact that his voice was unnecessarily dubbed by someone else. He plays the great detective as an intense young crime-fighter with wit and chutzpa.

The problems are the script and direction. The story is too convoluted, in a manner familiar to anyone who has suffered through other German mysteries of the same period, such as the Dr. Mabuse films. This was a Germany still dealing with the fact that they had a murderously criminal government only two decades previous - consequently there is considerable suspicion of the police in these films, evil seems omnipresent, the moral center is hard to find. A similar atmosphere, for completely different reasons, crept into British popular culture only in the 1970s, appearing in a British Sherlock Holmes film only in "Murder by Decree."

But the German film also suffers from the evident fact that the director can't decide whether he wants to make a Sherlock Holmes film or a Sherlock Holmes parody - there are all sorts of misfired jokes and bits poking fun at a "Sherlock Holmes superhero" image that doesn't really exist - a problem for other directors who have tried spoofing the detective, including the great Billy Wilder. The fact is, Doyle was careful NOT to make his hero an 'Uebermensch,' just a closet Nietzschean - a common romantic British type of the day.

Finally, all existing prints I know of are in shoddy condition.

Worth a view, especially for Holmes fans, but sub-par for this sub-genre of mystery film.

Details

Country:

West Germany France Italy

Language:

German

Release Date:

3 May 1963 (Italy)

Also Known As:

El collar de la muerte

Filming Locations:

CCC-Atelier, Spandau, Berlin, Germany

Company Credits

Production Co:

Central Cinema Company Film (CCC), Omnia Deutsche Film Export, Criterion Productions

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1