therealfuster Posted April 22, 2005 Doctor Watson fans! TCM will be showing two marvelous films this weekend, based on the tales by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. On Sunday, April 24th at 8:00pm, they will show: "The Private Life Of Sherlock Holmes" directed by genius Billy Wilder, which stars Robert Stephens and a most illustrious British cast including Christopher Lee, and concerns a mysterious woman [what else!] and even Nessie. Stephens makes an inspired Holmes, and one can only wonder if Moriarity would have been best man at his wedding to Maggie Smith. At 10:15pm, TCM follows this up with an iconoclastically Holmes' inspired film called "The Seven-Per-Cent Solution" starring Nicol Williamson as the deerstalker attired sleuth, with help from Vanessa Redgrave and with Alan Arkin doing a dead-on Sigmund Freud impersonation. This film got some flack when it came out, for messing with the legend, but it is all there in the books, with lines like "Watson, the needle" or whatever and Freud's dabbling is well known. If you've been reading "The Interpretation of Dreams" lately, you will enjoy this flick. Now I also love the Rathbone/Bruce series, and my favorite one, though I've seen them all...is with Gale Sondergaard as the Spider Woman. I never cared that they messed with the legend, as every one of the films is totally enjoyable. Okay, they did make Watson a bit bumbling, but one can always forgive Nigel as he is so winning on-screen. What is your favorite film based on or extrapolated from a Conan Doyle story, about the Baker Street detective? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flickerknickers Posted April 22, 2005 Universal's brilliant, "The Scarlet Claw," is among the very best Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce gems ever made. The DVD edition is stunning, with fantastic photography, performances and chills aplenty. "The House of Fear" starring the same duo is also a real goodie, along with "Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror" and "The Pearl of Death." These last two starred Universal's Scream Queen Evelyn Ankers who proved she was more than just another pretty face. This gal could outact Rathbone and Bruce! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
therealfuster Posted April 22, 2005 "The Pearl of Death" with Rondo Hatton as the Creeper! That is one of my favorites. "The Scarlet Claw" is sublime too. I keep looking for "House of Horrors" with Rondo and with that nasty little Martin Kosleck, who always played Nazi sympathizers, but in truth was totally anti-Nazi in real life. The only Rathbone/Bruce feature I can't get into too much, is the one set in Washington. What the heck was with that spit curl on the side of his head, that Rathbone was sporting in one of the series? Thanks! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bansi4 Posted April 22, 2005 Today happens to be Rondo Hatton's birthday! A swell guy although unfortunate actor who suffered from acromegaly (distorted bone structure) and was cast by Universal as The Creeper in a few horror films. Although he began his career with 20th Century-Fox in "Alexanders Ragtime Band", "In Old Chicago", "The Ox-Bow Incident", etc. Happy Birthday Rondo. Mongo Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kenwal34 Posted April 22, 2005 I have to go to television for mine. The excellent series with the late Jeremy Brett as Holmes. The Speckled Band and Hound of the Baskervilles are two of my alltime favorites! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
loliteblue Posted April 23, 2005 Love all sherlock Holmes movies, but the one that stands out for me everytime is: The Hounds of The Baskervilles. The howls of those hounds send shivers up and down my spine. lolite. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
therealfuster Posted April 25, 2005 was voted the Best Looking Boy in his high school, one wonders how he coped with his acromegaly. There is always something which shines through in his performances, even as the deadly Creeper. Thanks for the birthday info! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
