Sonny B
The Hound of the Baskervilles is one of the most famous mystery books ever written, and since it was first published in 1902 it has been adapted into film and TV over 20 times! And yet not all adaptions are made equal. The 1939 RKO film was the first version of this story I saw, and I still think it holds up. But what about the 1959 Hammer House version? I'd heard that many people think it is one of the best Sherlock Holmes films, and so I was eager to watch it. But before I explain my thoughts on the film, I will give a brief summary of the plot:
We open on a scene of drunken revelry at a gothic mansion. A man, Sir Hugo Baskerville, has kidnapped a young woman and is in the process of merrymaking with his friends; however, the woman escapes across the countryside, and an enraged Hugo pursues her despite the protests of his friends. He catches up to her in a ruined abbey and promptly murders her, which seems......unnecessary, but he soon gets his comeuppance when a demonic hound attacks and kills him.
We then learn that this story was being narrated to Sherlock Holmes by Dr Mortimer. Mortimer was a friend of Hugos descendent, Sir Charles Baskerville, and it is revealed that Charles died under similar conditions to his villainous forefather. Now, Mortimer fears that this same fate is in store for Charles' nephew, Henry, and he has come to Holmes for advice.
And so the complexity continues. But to avoid revealing too much of the plot, I will leave my summary here.
The Hound of the Baskervilles is, first and foremost, very entertaining.
The cinematography, by Jack Asher, is theatrical and exuberant, and Terence Fisher is clearly a capable director.
The acting, for the most part, is very good. Peter Cushing is brilliant as Sherlock Holmes, and his performance is energetic and forceful. André Morell fits the role of Watson perfectly, and Christopher Lee completes this strong central trio. I must also give a special mention to actor Miles Malleson as the comic relief (Bishop Frankland), for I thought he stole the show everytime he was on screen.
I also thought that the film had several plot holes stemming from changes made to the narrative of the book. I felt as though Holmes and Mortimer read too much into Sir Charles's death, and the behaviour of the antagonist was inconsistent, but it would be unfair to criticise these elements too harshly, for this is definitely a good adaption. I am not sure if it is the best version of this story put to screen, but for fans of both Hammer House studios and Sherlock Holmes this is a must watch.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
09/19/23
Full Review
Liam D
A very different take on Sherlock Holmes only in the Hammer Way of entertainment
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
10/08/22
Full Review
isla s
This film is reasonably atmospheric and features decent performances. Its a slow burner plot wise but its certainly not bad. If misty moors are your 'thing', then this is certainly a recommendable film, suffice to say. I thought the classical musical score wasn't too bad as well. The plot twists were reasonably interesting and I thought it was overall a fairly entertaining film, one I would recommend overall, if only for the performances from Peter Cushing, Andre Morell and Christopher Lee, although John Le Mesurier (Wilson from Dads Army) is also in it. I imagine at the time it was quite something to watch in colour, with some colours adding a bit of effect to the spooky tone of the scenes, although I do wonder if it wasn't perhaps a little more spooky seeming when entirely in black and white, particularly the scenes set on the moors in the dark of night. If the cast sound of interest, then, as I say, I would recommend this film, yes.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
03/31/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Classic Sherlock Holmes film starring the great Peter Cushing! It also stars a very young Christopher Lee.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
01/26/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Great Hammer movie. Love Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee in this fabulous matinee. Charismatic, a bit scary and slightly odd. Has he kissed his sister? "I too am a Baskerville." (Cecile announces towards the end, looking mildly vampiric as the hound attacks a sweaty Lee.) And so he deserves to die. Also it has the best summary of any film, the key words being "Killed by a dog."
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
02/26/23
Full Review
dave s
The Hound of the Baskervilles is a surprisingly restrained and effective Hammer film, somewhat loosely based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic mystery. Peter Cushing is great as the debonair and insightful Sherlock Holmes and Christopher Lee, another Hammer regular, is effectively restrained as Sir Henry Baskerville, the next in line for the teeth of the hound. There is plenty of mist and much in the way of dark shadows to help establish the atmosphere and the cinematography is great throughout. The supporting cast is a bit over the top at times, but that's a small price to pay for an otherwise entertaining thriller.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
03/30/23
Full Review
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