THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES
BY
LEE SARGEANT
A Hammer
Film Production in association with United Artists shot at Bray Studios,
Hampshire in 1958.
Credits:
Released:
4th May 1959...........................Production
Designer: Bernard Robinson
Certificate:
A.......................................... Associate
Producer: Anthony Nelson Keys
Duration:
87 Mins....................................Music Composer: James Bernard
Musical
Supervisor: John Hollingsworth....Director
of Photography: Jack Asher B.S.C.
Supervising Editor: James Needs..............Screenplay: Peter Bryan
Editor:
Alfred Cox.....................................Make
up: Roy Ashton
Director:
Terrence Fisher...........................Special
Effects: Sid Pearson
Producer:
Anthony Hinds...........................Executive
Producer: Michael Carreras
Hairstyles:
Henry Montsash........................Continuity:
Shirley Barnes
Wardrobe:
Molly Arbuthnot........................Sound
Recorder: Jock May
Camera
Operator: Len Harris....................Original Story: Arthur Conan Doyle
Cast:
Peter
Cushing (Sherlock Holmes), André Morell (Dr. Watson), Christopher Lee (Sir
Henry Baskerville), Marla Landi (Cecile), David Oxley (Sir Hugo Baskerville),
Francis De Wolff (Dr. Mortimer), Miles Malleson (Bishop), Ewen Solon
(Stapleton), John Le Mesurier (Barrymore), Helen Gros (Mrs. Barrymore), Sam Kydd
(Perkins), Michael Hawkins (Lord Caphill), Judi Moyens (Sevant Girl), Michael
Mulcaster (Convict Seldon), David Birks (Servant), Elizabeth Dott (Mrs.
Goodlippe), Ian Hewitson (Lord Kingsblood).
***********
Story:
During
the eighteenth century, ruthless landowner, Sir Hugo Baskerville kidnaps a local
servant girl and imprisons her in Baskerville Hall.
Whilst joking with his friends that night he tells them what he has done
and they don't believe him. Sir
Hugo therefore takes them to see her. After
realising that she has escaped, he mounts his horse and rides after her. Eventually he catches up with her at the old ruins on the
moor where he murders her. Shortly
after this an enormous "Hound
of Hell" appears
and kills Sir Hugo.
Over a
century later, when Sir Hugo`s ancestor Sir Charles is found dead on the moor,
his friend and historian Dr. Mortimer travels to London for the help of Sherlock
Holmes, as he fears the life of new heir to Baskerville Hall, Sir Henry.
After hearing the legend and what has happened to Sir Charles, Sherlock
Holmes agrees to meet Sir Henry at the Northumberland Hotel when he arrives the
next day.
After
Sir Henry arrives from Canada, he discovers a lethal tarantula in his room,
which he narrowly avoids being bitten by. Later
he has one of his new boots stolen, but then has it returned and an old one
taken!
Sir
Henry, with Dr. Watson and Dr. Mortimer, travel down to Baskerville Hall in
Devonshire and learn on the way that a convict, Seldon, has escaped from prison
and is hiding on the moor somewhere.
That
night, Dr. Watson and Sir Henry discover Barrymore signalling to someone on the
moor who they later discover is Seldon.
The
next day, Sir Henry and Dr. Watson meet nearby neighbours Stapleton and his
daughter Cecile, who they find to be rather strange, but however Sir Henry falls
in love with Cecile. Later on Dr.
Watson is told to go to the old ruins on the moor, where he meets a gypsy.
This turns out to be Sherlock Holmes who has been hiding out on the moor
undercover to try and solve the mystery. On
their way back to Baskerville Hall, they see, who they think is Sir Henry
attacked by a gigantic and savage hound that kills him.
When they finally reach Baskerville Hall, Holmes finds out that it was
actually Seldon who was attacked on the moor and was Mrs. Barrymore`s brother.
She had given him some of Sir Henry`s clothes and was signalling to him
at night.
After
telling Sir Henry there was no more danger, Holmes and Watson gave the
impression that they were going to return back to London, but actually waiting
to catch the criminal red-handed, again undercover.
When
Sir Henry is persuaded to go to the old ruins with Cecile, he finds out that
along with her father they are too Baskervilles and intend to lay claim to the
Baskerville estate and fortune by bringing the legend of the Hound true to kill
Sir Henry just like his uncle, Sir Charles.
But,
Holmes and Watson, are not far behind and together they kill the hound. After the hound is dead Holmes and Watson pursue Cecile over
the moor, but Cecile falls into the
marsh and is sucked down to her death. Stapleton
is caught by the police and all is well again.
Review:
Hammer
in the late 1950`s were renowned for their films starring Peter Cushing and
Christopher Lee together and this was the third time since the classic `The
Curse of Frankenstein.` The film,
in my opinion, is one of the most colourful and together with the soundtrack
composed by James Bernard makes it one of Hammer`s best.
Although Peter, as Holmes, is absent
for a good section of the film, André Morell, as Watson, gives a fine
performance until Holmes returns for the conclusion to the film.
This wasn`t to be the only time that Peter would play Holmes, as he
retuned again in the 1968 TV version of the story and Tyburn`s `The Masks of
Death`.
Unfortunately,
at present, the film is unavailable on original video in the UK, but has been on
TV on numerous occasions.
If you can get hold of a copy then do so, as this one of Peter`s finest
performances in his film career.
Lee Sargeant 2000
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