Themes: Murder Investigations, Out For Revenge, Serial Killers
Main Cast: Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Gerald Hamer, Paul Cavanagh, Arthur Hohl
Release Year: 1944
Country: US
Run Time: 74 minutes
Plot
Though it is not based on any Conan Doyle story, The Scarlet Claw is regarded by Baker Street aficionados as the best of Universal's Sherlock Holmes series. Holmes (Basil Rathbone) and Watson (Nigel Bruce) journey to Canada to investigate a series of mysterious murders. All the victims have been found with their throats ripped out (yecch!). Halfway through the film, Holmes deduces that the culprit is a demented actor, wreaking vengeance on those who've wronged him in some way or other. The actor is a master of disguise, and could be anyone in the village -- from the constable to the postman to the reclusive, violence-prone innkeeper (Arthur Hohl). Alas, the publicity photos sent out with The Scarlet Claw gave away the identity of the killer -- something we have no intention of doing here. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
Although not based upon anything in the Arthur Conan Doyle canon, The Scarlet Claw is nonetheless one of the best episodes in the Sherlock Holmes series. Like most of the entries, this one has been set in contemporary times, which is always a bit unsettling. But, perhaps because it's set in a perpetually fog-enshrouded backwoods town in Canada, Claw feels as if it's set closer to Holmes' correct era. More importantly, Claw has a clever script that, while it fudges the tone of Doyle a little bit, features a plot that would have made Doyle proud. While Watson has by this point become a bit too dithering for purists (no fault of Nigel Bruce, who makes the dithering enjoyable), Holmes as written here is near his best and most faithful. Basil Rathbone is his usual expert self and brings a slightly keener edge to bear than in some of the other Holmes films, due no doubt to opportunities provided by Claw's sharper writing. Gerald Hamer strikes just the right notes throughout, and Paul Cavanaugh plays the "is he or isn't he" game to perfection. Roy William Neill turns in some of his best work in the series, and his always carefully framed and lit shots are especially atmospheric herein. As a matter of fact, aside from a bizarre and out-of-place homage to Canada at the very end of the film, there's precious little to complain about with Claw. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Miles Mander - Judge Brisson; Kay Harding - Marie Journet; David Clyde - Sgt. Thompson; Victoria Horne - Nora; Harry Allen - Taylor, the Storekeeper; Gertrude Astor - Woman; Olaf Hytten - Hotel Desk Clerk; George Kirby - Father Pierre; Ian Wolfe - Drake the Butler; Frank O'Connor - Cab Driver
The Scarlet Claw is a 1944Sherlock Holmes movie directed by Roy William Neill, starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. It is the eighth film of the Rathbone/Bruce series. The device of a killer using a supernatural entity to cover up his crimes is borrowed from The Hound of the Baskervilles, though the rest of the story is original. Critics and fans of the series generally now consider this to be the best of the 12 Universal entries[1].
Holmes and Watson are in Canada attending a conference on the occult, when Lord Penrose receives a message that his wife Lady Penrose has been murdered in the small village of La Mort Rouge. Holmes and Watson are about to return to England when Holmes receives a telegram from Lady Penrose, issued before her death, asking for help as she fears for her life. Holmes decides to investigate her death.
Holmes and Watson arrive at the remote village and discover that the inhabitants are all convinced that the murder is the work of the legendary monster of La Mort Rouge, which roams the marshes around the village. The "monster" is even later seen by Dr. Watson, who describes it as "a ball of fire spitting flames in each direction".
Holmes, however, is skeptical, and recognises Lady Penrose as Lillian Gentry, a former actress, who was involved in a famous murder case several years before when actor Alistair Ramson killed another actor in a jealous rage over her. Ramson was believed to have been killed in a prison escape two years before, but now Holmes believes that Ramson - a master of disguise - is living in the village, having created a new identity, perhaps several, for himself.
Holmes then turns his attention to Judge Brisson, another inhabitant of the village with a connection to the case, as he passed sentence on Ramson. Despite Holmes' warnings Brisson is murdered. Holmes tracks Ramson down to his hideout and discovers there is a third person that Ramson is preparing to kill. However before Holmes can discover who it is, Watson blunders in and Ramsom escapes.
Holmes learns that the third victim is to be Journet, the local inn-keeper, formerly a prison guard. However Journet has gone into hiding. Ramson then kills Marie, Journet's daughter, for not revealing her father's hideout. Holmes finds Journet and convinces him to spring a trap for the murderer.
Holmes and Watson announce that they are returning to England, and Journet comes out of hiding and lets it be known that he will be going to a church across the marsh to offer a prayer for Marie. Ramson attacks Journet out in the marsh, only to find that Holmes has taken his place. The two men struggle, but Ramson escapes only to be killed by Journet with his own weapon, a five-pronged garden weeder.[2]
Film Notes
At the very end of the movie, Holmes quotes from Winston Churchill, after which Watson asks "Churchill say that?" and Holmes replies "Yes, Churchill." The music swells and Rathbone's voice drops, but he continues to speak several more words which are not heard, but lip movement indicates that he says "God bless him".
