The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959) Old review

Admittedly, I wanted to wait and watch this in the summer or October. I'm not sure why I now attach such importance to time, place, season and such but I recorded this on MGM Television and today was a sleepy Sunday afternoon so I thought now is as good a time as any. This not being in my DVD library, I need to rectify that. I love this movie. It's tragic it didn't succeed and Hammer didn't commit to other Holmes/Watson entries, because the Cushing/Morell team seemed ideal. And the sets could have been redressed accordingly. But they felt audiences of the time wanted their monsters and bright red blood.

I might revisit this next year and dedicate new words for the blog. But here's user comments from [consider me amused] May of 2007, thirteen years ago:

The Baker Street detective team of Sherlock Holmes(Peter Cushing, in fine form as the studious, sophisticated, unflappable intellectual with a nose that knows)and Dr. John Watson(André Morell as the always-surprised good physician who often inspires the answers Holmes needs through out-loud observation)are called on by Doctor Richard Mortimer(Francis De Wolff)to protect the well being of the last remaining relative of the Baskerville family line, the tall& dashing Sir Henry(Christopher Lee, with not much to do except for looking like a wealthy aristocrat). It seems that an old family curse has taken Henry's uncle Charles through a hereditary heart ailment causing failure at what seems like something that elicited shocking fright. Henry also has a weak heart so it provides Holmes and Watson with an opportunity to not only cease the death of the last aristocrat left while also solving a mystery of what has taken the lives of several of the Baskervilles. Various sub-plots develop which may provide a key to the mystery's being solved, father and daughter poverty-stricken farmers, Mr. Stapleton(Ewen Solon) and Cecile(Marla Landi) who live on the moors near the Baskerville Hall, a tarantula that was stolen from Bishop Frankland(Miles Malleson whose priest really loves his sherry)a renowned entomologist whose stolen spider was placed in Henry's boot to possibly kill him, an escaped convict who was found butchered and mutilated wearing some of Henry's clothes, and a dagger used by Sir Hugo to kill a servant girl which has been found by Holmes at the sight where the convict's body was first found. As Holmes and Watson pursue the answers that unravel as the case develops clues, the howling of the moors enhances as does the possible love affair between Sir Henry and Cecile.

Important aspect in the tale has Holmes finding an abandoned old mineshaft where a bone, important to the mystery of what it howling, lies inside. While looking and finding the bone(with Mortimer and Mr. Stapleton guiding him inside), a cave-in collapses almost killing our sleuth begging the question..who would want to silence Holmes? Is Holmes finding a specific bone in this mine detrimental to a certain discovery someone wants kept hidden?

Hammer studios provides fans of atmospheric horror another colorful, flavorful flick with the Moors an exciting setting for a Holmes/Watson mystery. With Cushing and Morell a fun team, and the fog shrouded moors providing an eerie mood, this is a ton of fun for fans of Conan Doyle and Hammer horror.