The Masks of Death

Am a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes and get a lot of enjoyment out of Arthur Conan Doyle's stories. Also love Basil Rathbone's and especially Jeremy Brett's interpretations to death. So would naturally see any Sherlock Holmes adaptation that comes my way, regardless of its reception.

Furthermore, interest in seeing early films based on Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories and wanting to see as many adaptations of any Sherlock Holmes stories as possible sparked my interest in seeing 'The Masks of Death', especially one with such a great idea with Sherlock Holmes in his twilight retirement years.

There are better Sherlock Holmes-related films/adaptations certainly than 'The Masks of Death', the best of the Jeremy Brett adaptations and films of Basil Rathone fit under this category. It's also not among the very worst, although one of the lesser ones overall, being much better than any of the Matt Frewer films (particularly 'The Sign of Four') and also much better than the abominable Peter Cook 'The Hound of the Baskervilles'.

By all means, 'The Masks of Death' is not without imperfections. The story is not always focused, with a few too many abrupt shifts and characters coming and going. Some of the pace could have been tighter.

Ray Milland to me also seemed ill at ease and out of place, ill health showing and not gelling with the period.

However, 'The Masks of Death' looks handsome in period detail and is filmed nicely if not lavishly. Roy Ward Baker's direction gets the best out of the cast and keeps the mystery interesting, while the writing is intelligent, literate and probes though.

While not perfect in execution, the story is intriguing with a quiet nostalgia and subtle tension. Most of the pacing is swift. The ending is chilling.

Peter Cushing is an excellent Holmes and shares a charming chemistry with John Mills' equally good Watson. A legendary literary partnership done justice. Anne Baxter's Irene Adler beguiles. Cast is fine on the whole, with the only reservation being Milland.

Overall, well done. 7/10 Bethany Cox

If you're a fan of traditionally British suspense and cult cinema, it's pretty much impossible to dislike this modest, made-for-TV Sherlock Holmes oddity. In the mid-80s, long after the heyday of British studio-horror, veteran Roy Ward Baker directs his former Hammer regular Peter Cushing as he depicts Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's creation Sherlock Holmes for one last time. Cushing played Holmes in the fifties ("The Hound of the Baskervillers") and in a TV-series of the sixties, so for this occasion, the super-detective is allegedly retired, but still in close contact with his good buddy Dr. Watson and Scotland Yard inspector MacDonald. The latter begs Holmes to help with a curious case of three dead bodies that were discovered in the Thames. The corpses show no signs of physical violence, but the expression on their faces indicate that they died of pure fear. Before Holmes can properly start to investigate, his services are confiscated by the British Home Secretary and a dubious German ambassador named Von Felseck. They urge Sherlock Holmes to find a young German prince who went missing from Von Felseck's residence, as his disappearance might lead directly to a war between Germany and England. "The Masks of Death" certainly isn't the greatest Sherlock Holmes story ever penned down (it's not even based on an A.C. Doyle original, in fact) but it's tense and compelling enough to keep you guessing along with Holmes and Watson. It's quite far-fetched and implausible, but there are a several inventive plot twists and scenes with plenty of action. Holmes' retirement age also turns out to be an ingenious gimmick, as he's occasionally less observant, sharp or subtle. Especially his thoughts on strong, opinionated women are chauvinist and old-fashioned.

The story is a little on the thin side, if decidedly chilling at the climax. But the pleasure of watching a first-rate assortment of mature actors go through their paces makes this a show worth watching again and again. Peter Cushing's Holmes is severe, ascetic and all business, John Mills' Watson cheerful and worth having in a tight spot, and Anne Baxter's Irene Adler a genuinely charming and intelligent lady.

The Masks of Death is a real coming together of classics. First of all, we have the fact that the film is based on the classic Arthur Conan Doyle character of Sherlock Holmes (albeit it an aging version of the character), then we have the fact that the film is directed by the great Roy Ward Baker; a name that fans of classic British horror will recognise instantly, and perhaps most important of all is the presence of one of the finest British actors ever to grace the silver screen - the great Peter Cushing in a reprisal of the iconic role that he last played in 1968. The story is not a Conan Doyle original, but still focuses on his most famous character. Sherlock Holmes has been called in to investigate three bodies that have mysteriously turned up in the Thames. It's not into the investigation before he is called to investigate another case; that being the investigation of a German prince that mysteriously disappeared. However, shortly into his second case; Holmes begins to suspect that something more sinister may be afoot.

What sets this film apart from almost every other Sherlock Holmes film ever made is the fact that this one shows the character in his twilight years. Holmes is in retirement and he's not quite his usual sharp self and even shows some failings on a number of occasions. One of the main things that is liked about the character is his sharpness and keen eye for detail; but even so, The Masks of death has to be admired for daring to do something a little different. And who better to portray this aging Holmes than the great Peter Cushing? Cushing would have been seventy years old at the time of filming and still manages to inject his usual verve and screen presence into what would turn out to be his penultimate screen role. Roy Ward Baker certainly knows how to direct and does a good job here as the film moves swiftly and the shots of a dingy London are very well done. Cushing receives good support from the likes of John Mills, Anton Diffring and Ray Milland too, which is nice. It does have to be said that this isn't the most interesting Holmes story ever put on the screen; but its well worked and entertaining and the ending is intriguing and imaginative.

One of the main reasons for purchasing this movie on VHS was because Peter Cushing is in it, who makes a good Sherlock Holmes.

Sherlock Holmes comes out of retirement to investigate some strange murders in London's sewers. He teams up with Dr Watson once again. The the case takes them to Buckinghamshire. They end up back in London and down the sewers again, they discover a lab where poison gas is being made and these people are responsible for the murders and are arrested.

This movie is worth having just for the cast alone, many of them ageing: Peter Cushing (The Curse Of Frankenstein, Star Wars), Sir John Mills (Scott of the Antarctic, Tiger Bay), Ray Milland (The Man With X-Ray Eyes), Anton Diffring (Circus of Horrors, The Beast Must Die), Gordon Jackson (The Great Escape, The Ipcress File), Anne Baxter (I Confess) and Susan Penhaligon (The Land That Time Forgot). All play good parts. Of these people, only Sir John Mills and Susan Penhaligon are still alive today.

I enjoyed this movie ans is worth looking at.

Rating: 3 stars out of 5.