Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes
The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959)
Baskerville Hall has been cursed after Sir Hugo Baskerville sullied the place with his drunkenness, violence, and complete disregard for anyone but himself. But one night he finally went too far, and a curse was placed upon his descendants. Fast forward a number of years. The current master of Baskerville Hall has died under, shall we say, mysterious circumstances, and his son, now Sir Henry Baskerville (Christopher Lee) is headed home to claim his inheritance. However, he is mindful of the curse and reluctant, so he seeks advice from renowned detective, Sherlock Holmes (Peter Cushing). Holmes listens to his tale, though obviously he gives no credence to the possibility of a curse. However, when a tarantula almost kills Sir Henry in Holmes’ flat, he admits that maybe someone wishes to harm him. He agrees that Sir Henry should not travel there alone. However, he himself cannot accompany him, but there is no reason that his associate, Dr. Watson (Andre Morell) cannot. So the two men set off.
On arrival, they discover that a prisoner by the name of Selden has escaped from the nearby Dartmoor
Prison. At the Hall, Sir Henry finds a couple who served his father, the Barrymores (John Le Mesurier and Helen Goss). Holmes left strict instructions to Watson to never allow Sir Henry to go onto the moors alone, but one night he does just that and meets a strange girl. He impulsively follows her, despite her obvious desire to lose him, and becomes instantly smitten. He learns that the girl, Cecile (Maria Landi) lives with her brother Stapleton (Ewen Solon) nearby.
Doctor Mortimer (Francis De Wolff) had attended Sir Henry’s father before his death and advises the son to be careful as he has a weak heart. Watson and Sir Henry run into a pastor (Miles Malleson) with an unusual penchant for entomology, and a telescope that seems to be fixed on the Hall. Hearing the fabled hound baying across the moor is just the icing on the cake, as Watson inadvertently puts himself into the very predicament Holmes had advised against. Is the curse of the Baskervilles a real thing?
This 1959 version of the famous story by Arthur Conan Doyle, is a Hammer film featuring two of the studio’s greatest stars – Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. It was also the first Holmes film to be shot in color. Peter Cushing makes a great Holmes, although there is no evidence of his drug habit, but that is not surprising for the times in which this was made. As is the lack of real violence. It doesn’t have to be seen to be felt, after all. Imagination plays a great part in good horror films. I like Andre Morell’s Watson, who was not made out to be the buffoon that Nigel Bruce was forced to play. In fact, he is a good foil for Cushing’s Holmes. Christopher Lee is his usual patrician self as Sir Henry Baskerville. I do have to say that the relationship between Sir Henry and Cecile was sudden and not believable. Luckily it’s but a small part of the plot. Also, in the original story the Stapletons were posing as a brother and sister when in actuality they were married, but in this film, they are father and daughter.
Even after all these years, this film holds up as a good version of the story, and I enjoyed it as much as I ever did. I am a huge fan of Basil Rathbone’s Holmes, and also the more recent Benedict Cumbermatch series, but Peter Cushing is just as good. I’ll give this film 4 Stars.
Wednesday Briefs 