TERROR BY NIGHT-Universal-1946-Murder On The Orient Express Sherlock Holmes style. Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce return as Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous duo.
Holmes is called in to protect the famed “Star Of India”. Nearly all of the story takes place on a moving train bound for Scotland. Of course, the diamond gets stolen and there are a few murders, most from a poison dart. Suspects naturally, abound. A mysterious woman (Vivian Vedder) with a coffin (that has a secret compartment), a conductor ( the always creepy Skelton Knaggs), a cranky professor (Frederick Worlock) and Watson’s old friend (Alan Mowbray) are all suspects. Holmes deduces that it could be the work of Col. Sebastian Moran, a former henchman of the insidious Dr. Moriarty! But no one knows what he looks like! Inspector LeStrade (Dennis Hoey) is on board too and he and Holmes actually work together for a change. Watson is his usual incompetent self until the climax where he actually helps out a bit!
This was the second to last entry in the very successful series, all of them (since SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE SECRET WEAPON in 1942) directed (and produced and even occasionally written) by Roy William Neil, the underrated veteran responsible for THE BLACK ROOM (1935), FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLF MAN (1943) and a host of others. Sadly, he died later in ’46 at the age of 59 after making two more pictures. Screenwriter Frank Gruber wrote MASK OF DIMITRIOS (1944) and the last Holmes effort DRESSED TO KILL. Make-up was provided by the soon to be released master Jack Pierce.
Because this blog is up in the air and backwards, I reviewed the last Rathbone/Holmes movie first. Here's the link in case you are interested:
http://moviemeltdown.blogspot.com/2008/07/curse-of-mr-basilbone.html
Thanks for reading!
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