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:

Sherlock Holmes | Curse | 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:

Feature film debut of Michael Hawkins.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: After Stapleton is shot the dog starts to run passed him, Stapleton clearly pulls the dog onto him to make it look like he is being attacked.

Quotes:

Sir Hugo Baskerville: Let loose the pack!

Movie Connections:

Version of Das dunkle Schloß (1915)

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.