Terror by Night

This Conan Doyle story has a big plus for a movie adaptation: the story takes place on a train.

Holmes has been asked to protect a famous jewel, the Star of Rhodesia, while the owner, Lady Margaret Carstairs, takes the train from London to Edinburgh. Of course Holmes cannot prevent the theft, nor is the thief (and murderer) able to get off the train. This is why train stories are among the best settings for a whodunnit: all the suspects are in their own compartments, noone can get off the train and, unlike a whodunnit in a closed room, the detective has more freedom to interrogate the suspects one by one. Of course, the whodunnits on train trips bring their own set of cliches: you can bet that someone will try and kill the detective by pushing him or her out of the train. Sadly Terror By Night isn't without those clichés and, what's worse, gives Nigel Bruce (as Holmes's sidekick Watson) too many chances to spoil the movie by cracking unfunny jokes.

Terror By Night only lasts 60 minutes, so the pace is fast enough to keep the viewer interested and the movie entertaining. The movie is in the skilled directing hands of Roy William Neill, who shot this film shortly before he died of a heart attack. Neill directed more than 100 films between 1917 and 1946, of which ten Sherlock Holmes films and movies with intriguing titles as Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man (1943) and The Good Bad Girl. Apart from helming two Holmes films (this one and Dressed To Kill) he also directed the much praised film noir Black Angel (starring Peter Lorre) in the last year he lived. At least Roy William Neill left the planet in glory, a worthy end of a man who was born on a ship off the coasts of Ireland.

Good film of the splendid Sherlock Holmes-Basil Rathbone and his loyal companion Watson-Nigel Bruce series, including a first-range villain , a Doctor Moriarty's disciple , named Sebastian Moran . When the fabulous Star of Rhodesia diamond is robbed on a train bound from London to Scotland and the son of its owner is killed , Holmes and Watson help Inspector Lestrade - a likable Dennis Hoey , as botcher as Nigel Bruce - which of his suspect fellow passengers is culprit. The main suspicious turn out to be Sebastian Moran . The viewer must discover which of the passengers he impersonates . Who's the killer and the thief?. One Way Ticket to death.! Murder... at 90 Miles an Hour!

Penultime outing in the Rathbone/Bruce Sherlock Holmes series with the master sleuth up a fabled jewel robbing and against a series of murder on a London to Edinburgh train . Holmes must discover the thief murderous and the responsible ultimately results to be the Colonel Sebastian Moran , an arch-villain and Dr Moriarty's hoodlum.

This whodunit film has a fine atmosphere , it's in black and white with lights and shades that originate a suspenseful setting aboard the train . Set design is first-rate and adequate , the movie is very atmospheric . Basil Rathbone's interpretation is magnificent , he's the best Sherlock Holmes at the cinema , likeness to Peter Cushing and Jeremy Brett in television . Basil Rathbone as Holmes plays in a clever , broody and impetuous manner . Nigel Bruce plays as Dr. Watson with humor, goofy and joyful , he's the perfect counterpoint to Holmes . The motion picture was professionally directed by Roy William Neill who mostly filmed all the fabulous entries of the magnificent series . After that , Basil Rathbone starred ¨Dressed yo kill¨ his last Sherlock . Once terminated the movie , Basil Rathbone dreary in Holmes character decided killing him , similar to Arthur Conan Doyle made dropping Holmes into Falls of Reichenbach . This decision along with his breaking the radio-broadcasting contract proceeded long time ago , caused the followers were deeply annoyed and Nigel Bruce get angered , but he early died . After that , Rathbone only played Holmes as a parody in ¨Milton Berle show¨ and on Broadway stage about a play written by his wife Ouida and with Thomas Gomez as Moriarty . In spite of various historical and important roles performed by Rathbone , such as ¨Disraeli¨ and ¨Svengali¨, none of them surpassed his immortal character , the ideal role for Rathbone and that gave him fame and fortune . Rating : Better than average , 7/10 . Well worth watching .

This is not the best of the Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce pairings but nonetheless this is one of the most fun mystery movies to watch. Terror by Night is one of those I put on late at night to watch curled up on the sofa with a cat by my side. The rhythm of the train and the steadfast bond between Holmes, Watson and Lestrade creates one of the most relaxing murder mysteries ever put on film. The deliberate pace may not please all, but to those with a taste for it this is the mystery equivalent of a good house wine.

As fast-paced, tightly-woven Sherlock Holmes mystery as you will find, Terror by Night tells of a famous jewel being transported from London to Edinburgh with the watchful eye of Sherlock Holmes and befuddled, faithful Watson in tow. Along for the ride are Inspector Lestrade, arch-criminal Colonel Sebastion Moran, a cast of eccentric, Victorian-type characters including a wonderful professor of mathematics(not Moriarity), and a train that gives off the right mood for murder and intrigue. I really liked this addition to the series of Holmes' films. It is not the finest of the lot, but it ranks right up there in terms of what it delivers. Good, solid direction from Holmes veteran Roy William Neill, quality, reliable acting from leads Rathbone and Bruce, exceptional character acting from Alan Mowbry and company, and a zippy pace connected to a script that is able to develop the plot and suspense despite the length of the film being just under an hour. All aboard! You won't regret taking this ride if you like good, old-fashioned suspense.

Terror By Night takes most of the intriguing elements of the previous Holmes film (Pursuit to Algiers), leaves out the extraneous bits which hampered that particular film, cranks up the suspense, and roars out of the station on the rails of a complex and entertaining mystery.

The film follows Holmes and his friend/chronicler Watson on a train voyage, where Holmes has been commissioned to guard a precious stone. When the gem is inevitably stolen, with murder to accompany the theft, Holmes and Watson are thrust into yet another profound whodunit. With a gallery of suspects to choose from, Holmes must find the thief/murderer before the train reaches its final destination...at great risk to his own personal safety, naturally.

This film is far more effective than its predecessor on virtually every level. The suspense is palpable and sustained, the pacing quick and uninterrupted (thankfully, no musical numbers to detract from the overall ambiance). The cinematography is dark and moody, evoking film noir and the classic films of Alfred Hitchcock. The lead performances are, as always, great...Rathbone and Bruce play it up wonderfully here, though Bruce's Watson does seem to go out of his way to make a fool of himself. Dennis Hoey also puts in the last of his six performances as Inspector Lestrade here, and contributes his usual warm, if perpetually inept (the character, not the actor), presence.

Overall, I'd rate Terror By Night as one of the top five films in the Universal Holmes series. A vast improvement over Pursuit to Algiers, with a similar plot, but far better execution. If you haven't time to watch both, give Pursuit a miss and stick with Terror.