The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Sidney Lanfield

Writers:

Ernest Pascal (screenplay)
Arthur Conan Doyle (novel)

Release Date:

31 March 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

Sherlock Holmes ,aided by Dr Watson, investigates mysterious deaths apparently caused by a family curse.

Plot Keywords:

Sherlock Holmes | Dr Watson | Curse | Victorian Era | Gothic

Cast

Richard Greene	...	Sir Henry Baskerville
Basil Rathbone	...	Sherlock Holmes
Wendy Barrie	...	Beryl Stapleton
Nigel Bruce	...	Dr. Watson
Lionel Atwill	...	James Mortimer, M.D.
John Carradine	...	Barryman
Barlowe Borland	...	Frankland
Beryl Mercer	...	Mrs. Jenifer Mortimer
Morton Lowry	...	John Stapleton
Ralph Forbes	...	Sir Hugo Baskerville
E.E. Clive	...	Cabby
Eily Malyon	...	Mrs. Barryman
Lionel Pape	...	Coroner
Nigel De Brulier	...	Convict (as Nigel de Brulier)
Mary Gordon	...	Mrs. Hudson
Ian Maclaren	...	Sir Charles (as Ian MacLaren)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Leonard Carey	...	Hugo's Servant (uncredited)
Kenneth Hunter	...	Ship's Officer (uncredited)
Vesey O'Davoren	...	Ship's Steward (uncredited)
Rita Page	...	Chambermaid (uncredited)
John Graham Spacey	...	Ship's Porter (uncredited)
Ruth Terry	...	Betsy Ann (uncredited)
David Thursby	...	Open Carriage Driver (uncredited)
Peter Willes	...	Roderick (uncredited)
Mary Young	...	Betsy Ann's Mother (uncredited)

Directed by
Sidney Lanfield

Writing credits
Ernest Pascal		(screenplay)
Arthur Conan Doyle		(novel "The Hound of the Baskervilles") (as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Produced by
Gene Markey	....	associate producer
Darryl F. Zanuck	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
David Buttolph		(uncredited)
Charles Maxwell		(uncredited)
Cyril J. Mockridge		(uncredited)
David Raksin		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
J. Peverell Marley		(photography) (as Peverell Marley)

Film Editing by
Robert L. Simpson		(as Robert Simpson)

Art Direction by
Richard Day
Hans Peters

Set Decoration by
Thomas Little

Costume Design by
Gwen Wakeling

Production Management
Darryl F. Zanuck	....	executive in charge of production

Sound Department
W.D. Flick	....	sound
Roger Heman Sr.	....	sound (as Roger Heman)

Music Department
Cyril J. Mockridge	....	musical director

Other crew
Harold Lloyd Morris	....	technical advisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1939) (USA) (theatrical)
• CBS/Fox (19??) (USA) (VHS)
• CBS/Fox (19??) (USA) (VHS) (laserdisc)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1976) (USA) (TV) (network premiere)
• MPI Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• MPI Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Optimum Home Entertainment (2005) (UK) (DVD)

Runtime:

80 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

UK:PG | Norway:16 | USA:Approved (certificate #5037) | Finland:K-16

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Publicity materials referred to the dog who played the title character as "Chief". The dog's actual name was "Blitzen" but this was thought to sound too German.

Goofs:

Continuity: The position of Dr. Watson's left hand as he his writing his first, second and fourth letters back to Sherlock Holmes.

Quotes:

Dr. Watson: It's a pity you didn't think about bringing that infernal violin of yours - to regale me with some of your music!
Sherlock Holmes: I DID, my dear Watson! Anything to oblige!
[he whips out the violin and begins to play]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet: The Barking Dog (#10.8)" (1961)

Excellent adaptation

I am a huge fan of all the Rathbone/Bruce movies, but this is the best of them all. The atmosphere and lighting casts the perfect mood for the dark, creepy moor where strange goings on interest Holmes and Watson to help the young heir of Baskerville Hall. All the actors do an excellent job, and the movie, filmed some 60 years go does not seem dated. The writing, directing, acting, etc all stand up, even now, some years later. I also liked the 1959 Hammer Version of this story, but Peter Cushing is not the perfect Sherlock Holmes. Basil Rathbone is the definitive Holmes as Nigel Bruce is the perfect Dr. Watson. Watch this sometime soon and enjoy!!!