Sherlock Holmes à Washington

I'm a big fan of Universal's Sherlock Holmes series, and Sherlock Holmes in Washington is definitely one of the better entries. The best Sherlock Holmes films tend to be the ones with a horror element (such as The Hound of the Baskervilles and The Scarlet Claw), but even though this one offers nothing in the way of horror; it still manages to present an excellent mystery for Holmes to unravel. He has been sent to Washington on the trail of some stolen microfilm containing important government information. This mystery is set apart from the rest of the series because of the fact that it is set in Washington DC, as opposed to Holmes' native London. The film is conscious of it's surroundings as it spends a lot of time talking about the difference in convention between Britain and America, which is shown best in a sequence involving the hilarious Doctor Watson. As usual with Holmes films, this one features two great performances from the leads; Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, and it's obvious that these two have worked together on many occasions, as their chemistry is flawless. The mystery itself is well plotted and plays out in a way that is both exciting and full of tension. The film's standout moment is draped in irony, and takes place during a dinner party in which the guests take it in turns to handle the microfilm. On the whole, if you like Holmes films; you'll like this one!

Although none of the Rathbone/Holmes films are what I would call great film making, I find them to be quite enjoyable, due mostly to Rathbone's performance as Holmes. I found this one in particular to be one of the more enjoyable movies in the series. The plot is intriguing enough to hold the viewers attention and I found the scene with Holmes in the antique store to be immensely entertaining. While not a great and thought-provoking film, Sherlock Holmes in Washington is definitely worth watching if you're looking for something that merely entertains.

A British spy carrying important diplomatic papers from Great Britain to the United States is kidnapped. Sherlock Holmes is needed to find the man, and more importantly the papers that would ruin world peace. This is a fine entry into the Sherlock Holmes cycle, albeit a bit thin in the area of plot. Notwithstanding this, Basil Rathbone and the lovable Nigel Bruce make the most of the material and turn the mundane into the sublime. Rathbone is his usual self, however, in this picture he sports a fairly unique hairstyle. Bruce is as ever a fun man to watch, uttering completely comic absurd remarks with the greatest conviction. The supporting cast is first-rate with the indeliable George Zucco as(who else?) the villain. Aiding Zucco is Henry Daniell. Throw in some great character acting by the likes of Gerald Hamer and Clarence Muse. The scene shared by Rathbone and Muse is particularly enjoyable to watch. At the end the film has its wartime message about the importance of democracy. A good mystery!

Third in the Universal series of Sherlock Holmes films is another strong one with a WWII plot. A British secret agent carrying important documents is kidnapped en route to Washington, D.C. The British government turns to Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) to find the agent and the documents. Together with Dr. Watson (Nigel Bruce), Holmes journeys to America to investigate.

Rathbone and Bruce are terrific, as usual. This is the last entry in the series where Rathbone sports that silly hairstyle. George Zucco and Henry Daniell are great villains, which should surprise no one. They both played Holmes' nemesis Prof. Moriarty in other films. Holmes Herbert, Thurston Hall, Gavin Muir, and Edmund Macdonald are among the fine actors in the wonderful supporting cast. Marjorie Lord provides the pretty. Strong direction from Roy William Neill.

It's a very entertaining movie. No backhanded compliments here. No "best of the propaganda Holmes films" or "thankfully not as much flag-waving as the previous two films" or any of that stuff. Unlike some other reviewers I don't respond to patriotism (especially during WWII) like the Wicked Witch responds to water. After this entry, Holmes would return to murder mysteries although still taking place in the (then) present day rather than the Victorian era, much to the consternation of Holmes purists. I have my thoughts on that but I'll just quote John Archer, the actor who played Lt. Pete Merriam in this film: "Those Sherlock Holmes fans -- by God, they are rabid. They want everything to be just the way it was."

Once again Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce deliver the goods in "Sherlock Holmes in Washington." I like this film from 1943.... A great cast that includes Henry Daniell, George Zucco and some other fine actors of note......

If I have any gripe at all about the series of 'Holmes' films that Rathbone and Bruce made is, they are all between 60 to 75 minutes long.... To me, that means rather short... I'd prefer longer scripts and films that run at least 80 to 90 minutes long.... For the 1940s, that is a normal run......

I love these old-time co-stars like "Henry Daniell, George Zucco, Lionel Atwill & Dennis Hoey." All them guys were pluses for the series of 'Holmes' films produced from 1939 to 1946...... Good quality there...

MR.BILL