I love this movie so much

Waste of time

Instant Favorite.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

If memory serves me correctly, I remember seeing "Sherlock Holmes Faces Death" late one night whilst at home alone. I had found a rather old video recording of the film (it was that long ago) and I saw it from beginning to end. It is still one of the best of the modern Holmes films. The plot has more mystery to it than others and the setting is ideal. Basil Rathbone gives another great performance as the Baker Street sleuth and this was before the actor began to grow tired of the character. There are a few murders naturally but there isn't any physically repellent detail. Dennis Hoey is a welcome addition to the cast as Inspector Lestrade. The film has a strong atmosphere as various incidents occur at Musgrave Manor. Although, it is meant to be linked to the short story "The Musgrave Ritual," "Sherlock Holmes Faces Death" isn't an adaptation as such but the film does include a few elements of the story. Watch this one and enjoy.

THE PEARL OF DEATH, made a year later, was the most detective and clue oriented of the Sherlock Holmes murder mysteries.SHERLOCK HOLMES FACES DEATH rivals the Pearl in quality on different merits. It is the most intuitive and atmosphere filled of the Holmes murder mysteries.In this one, we can "sense" who the killer is at the very beginning, and there is one very easy clue near the beginning, which in fact is what makes Holmes suspicious to begin with.What we have here are remarkable devices. We even have a very remarkable lightning sequence that rivals any special effects made today, because of its basic simplicity.We have lots of interesting items, and they aren't red herrings. The crypt, the crow, the chessboard all play important parts.Our interest is kept by a very good flow. I am one who is very easily bored, yet this film kept me viewing with constant camera movement, action, mystery, devices, always something. It is cleverly directed.As opposed to the cold calculating Sherlock films such as PEARL, this one is filled more with emotion. We have intuitions of who to trust, and what sort of mysteries there are. And the ending is very gratifying and believable.

More of a whodunit than a matching of wits. The suspense really starts when Holmes begins to unravel the puzzling Musgrave ritual. To that point, the screenplay has meandered more than usual; at the same time, the movie keeps up interest with the customary sinister atmosphere. The human chessboard is a cleverly memorable centerpiece that effectively focuses the action. Note also the imaginative touch in the opening scene with the raven. The scene could have opened in more pedestrian fashion with a mood-setting conversation among pub patrons. However, adding the offbeat and sinister raven is just the kind of touch that lifts this series above other detective shows of the day.I expected Hillary Brooke would do one of her coldly composed matron roles she was so good at. Instead, plays an uncharacteristic ingénue role (Sally) and not nearly as well. Note Milburn Stone of Gunsmoke fame in an uncredited walk-on as the young American officer. I don't know why someone thought the flashbacks of the actual crimes was necessary, but for me, they were a contrived distraction—surely the master detective's reconstruction of the crimes should have been enough. The movie does have its moments, as fans would expect, but on the whole the first 20 minutes is weaker than usual suggesting some uncharacteristic padding.

Sherlock Holmes Faces Death (1943) *** (out of 4) Dr. Watson (Nigel Bruce) is working at a convalescent home where a murder takes place so he calls in his buddy Holmes (Basil Rathbone) to solve it. As soon as the detective shows up more bodies start to pile up so Holmes looks from the inside to catch the killer. This fourth film in Universal's series manages to be quite good even though the supporting cast here isn't nearly as strong as previous films. What does work is Neill's strong direction, which makes for some funny scenes as well as a tense ending where Holmes, as the title tells, faces death. There's a rather amusing bit with a human chess board that manages to be funny as well as give major clues to the killer's identity. Rathbone and Bruce once again deliver the goods and continue to make an impressive team. Dennis Hoey has a few funny moments but Arthur Margetson, Halliwell Hobbes and Hillary Brooke are all rather weak and don't offer any support. The screenplay is quite clever and manages to offer up a few good surprises along the way. Unlike the previous three films, this one here doesn't have any message about the world nor does it talk about the evil German but instead just delivers a pretty good mystery.