Sherlock Holmes et la voix de la terreur

This Sherlock Holmes feature, the first of Universal's series that took the two stars (though little else) from the two earlier 20th Century Fox Holmes movies, got the new series off to a good start with an involved, entertaining story and a very good supporting cast. It has its flaws, but they by no means keep it from being an enjoyable movie with good characters and plenty of action. Though the credits cite the Arthur Conan Doyle story "His Last Bow" as the source, it is actually an entirely new story with only a handful of minor elements remaining from the original.

The choice to move the stories from the original Victorian setting to the (then) present meant that the new series would never have quite the same feel as the Doyle originals, but as some compensation it allowed for Holmes to be portrayed battling enemies that were then foremost in viewers' minds. This story of "The Voice of Terror" makes full use of anxieties and unpleasant possibilities that must have been only too frequently in the minds of its original viewers. It still succeeds in building tension and interest with its tale of Nazi-created disasters and mocking threats.

The story is very interesting, although it has a few overly convenient turns and plot holes. It gave Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce a chance to perform the kinds of material that they had already gotten used to doing together. They are helped considerably here by the supporting cast, which includes Reginald Denny and Henry Daniell as the most prominent members of the government council that is employing Holmes's services. But it is Thomas Gomez and Evelyn Ankers who really make a difference. Gomez has one of his best character roles as a crafty enemy agent, and Ankers does a fine job as a woman of low standing who gets a chance to serve her country.

The series would get even better as it went along, as Rathbone and Bruce continued to develop their camaraderie and as the production team eased into a familiar formula that could be varied as needed. But this one already got the series off to a solid start with a good movie that is still worth seeing.

SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE VOICE OF TERROR (Universal, 1942), directed by John Rawlins, marks the return of Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce in their now legendary screen roles as Sherlock Holmes and his friend/associate, Doctor Watson. Having been last seen in a pair of 1939 releases ("The Hound of the Baskervilles" and "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes") for 20th Century-Fox, this edition was an easy attempt for a new film series (1942-1946). Aside from its lead actors now performing their original roles for another studio, the Victorian characters of the 1890s have been modernized into the now contemporary locale set during the London blitz of World War II. For this rather drastic change, the opening title explains its reasoning for it: "Sherlock Holmes, the immortal character of fiction created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is ageless, invincible and unchanging. In solving significant problems of the present day, he remains - as ever - the supreme master of deductive reasoning." And there you have it. In true Hollywood fashion, Holmes and Watson, having moved fifty years into the future from a trip down the Time Tunnel, physically showing Holmes, Watson and their landlady, Mrs. Watson, all haven't aged a bit. The only change would be their clothing. Gone are the horse and buggy replaced by automobiles. Gone are the gas-lit street lamps replaced by electric light-bulbs. What retains here is Sherlock Holmes masterful reasoning of crime solving that never goes out of style.

For this newly formatted series opening, the story, based on Conan Doyle's "His Last Bow," starts off with a view of Germany before revealing those listening to a radio broadcast from an Axis enemy mastermind known as "The Voice of Terror" predicting various acts of sabotage that are to take place in their homeland of England. Sir Ryan Barham (Reginald Denny) of the British Inner Council, calls in ace detective Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) and Doctor Watson (Nigel Bruce) of 221B Baker Street, to help stop Nazi saboteurs working in England. During his latest assignment, Holmes soon finds his life threatened, followed by Gavin (Robert Barron) stumbling into his apartment to keel over with a knife in his back. His last words before dying is "Christopher." Later, Holmes and Watson, come to Limehouse in a very rough section of town to notify, Gavin's girlfriend, Kitty (Evelyn Ankers) of what has just occurred. Holmes acquires further assistance from the young girl whose determined to fight for England and get the one responsible for Gavin's death. Because of her secret meetings with R.F. Meade (Thomas Gomez - in movie debut), it is uncertain whether Kitty is secretly working for or against this supposed Nazi, adding more suspense to the story, which is the writer's intention.

Also in the supporting cast are Henry Daniell (Anthony Lloyd); Leyland Hodgeson (Captain Roland Shore); Montagu Love (General Jerome Lawford); Olaf Hytten (Admiral Fabian Prentiss) and Hillary Brooke (Jill Grandis, a female taxi cab driver). Mary Gordon as Mrs. Hudson appears with no screen credit.

Placing Sherlock Holmes in contemporary times is nothing new, having been done previously in some earlier screen adaptations, notably SHERLOCK HOLMES (Fox, 1932), where Holmes (Clive Brook) and Watson (Reginald Owen) are seen in 1930s Chicago. Universal's view of modernizing Holmes was to take advantage of its dated wartime propaganda theme commonly used in countless other films in the early forties. After a few more similar war-related themes, the writers of this series eventually had it phased out in favor of either original screenplays or those adapted whole or in part from the Conan Doyle stories. Many Holmes fanciers label Rathbone's initial Universal entry to be somewhat on the weak side, making its 65 minute presentation to feel a bit longer that it actually is, but overall, it does have some good points, too. Fortunately under Roy William Neil, who was to direct all future films in the series, some even improving from its predecessor, even to a point of reviving Holmes' arch enemy of Professor Moriarty such as THE WOMAN IN GREEN (1945) as played by Henry Daniell, the same Daniell who appears in this edition of THE VOICE OF TERROR.

Sherlock Holmes is ageless, and quite popular, proving so to what developed into a 16 film theatrical series that lead to Sherlock Holmes festivals quite commonly broadcast on television on any given weekend from the 1950s to 1980s, mainly those Universal editions that open with Holmes and Watson, with credits superimposed over their images as the camera follows them walking through the street of uncertainty.

Distributed to home video in the 1980s and later DVD, SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE VOICE OF TERROR's most recent cable TV offering turned up on Turner Classic Movies where this, and others in that series, premiered December 26, 2009, to commemorate the release of the latest theatrical SHERLOCK HOLMES as portrayed by Robert Downey Jr. Though the 2009 edition of Holmes retained its turn of the century outlook, it's even more contemporary through its actions. Regardless of how many actors have played Holmes and Watson on screen, the best remains for many, to be the one and only Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. Next installment: SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE SECRET WEAPON (1942) (***)

In wartime Britain, morale is falling among the troops as a covert radio broadcast calling itself `the voice of terror' directs Nazi agents to carry out attacks and espionage. The Government calls in Sherlock Holmes to track down and stop the broadcast and, as a result, the attacks and espionage.

I have seen several of the modern set Holmes films, most recently `Sherlock Holmes in Washington'. Despite not really liking that one, I decided to give this one a stab anyway. The modern setting seems as much a way of using the films as wartime propaganda rather than as a way of improving the film or anything like that. For that reason this film struggles simply because all the changes have been made for that reason and hence, if they do act as an improvement, then it is only by chance.

The plot is reasonable but not great. It is more about getting the Nazis rather than Holmes' taking on any one foe or trying to solve a specific crime. Rathbone is still good but he looks like a modern fop in his dapper clothes and silly hairdo! Bruce is good but not used as much as he has been in other films. The Nazi's have no character and the support cast is not that strong. Of the film only the conclusion is exciting but even that basically is hinted at heavily all the way through.

Overall, this has all the stuff that I like about Holmes but the modern setting really hurts it. Instead of a good plot, an existing story is twisted to be set in WW2 and deducting is replaced by propaganda and triumphalism over a foe that is never anything more than a caricature.

While the pleasures of watching BASIL RATHBONE and NIGEL BRUCE play those world famous consulting detectives is undeniable fun, the real enjoyment of SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE VOICE OF TERROR is it's rich noir atmosphere. The stand out player in this UNIVERSAL programmer is cinematographer ELWOOD "WOODY" BREDELL. Bredell had a nearly 30 year career which began during the silents, and he really had an eye for composition and lighting. Much of SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE VOICE OF TERROR is shot at night, or in low light circumstances, and really displays the near lost art of high contrast, hard, hot light cinematography at it's artful best. As SHERLOCK HOLMES films go, THE VOICE OF TERROR is entertaining, but as an experience of "film noir" this film could be a minor classic.

This is such an unusual outing for Holmes and Watson, made when World War II was happening, it sees Holmes battle the Nazis. I can imagine at the time this was in the Cinemas this would have had a massive effect on the British audiences, it has hugely patriotic themes throughout, The BBC, spitfires and British commandos etc, I can almost imagine the creators of the story writing it in a way to offer hope to the British audiences watching, fearing the Nazis were infinite.

It's not my favourite of Rathbone's outings, Holmes and Watson seem to fit awkwardly into this story, but it's very worth of a watch, it is beautifully filmed, it looks incredible, amazing to consider it's over seventy years old.

It features a good cast, Rathbone and Bruce work tremendously well together as always, sadly it just lacks any of the humour that later productions would have.

Worth a look, a bit different.

6/10.