The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959)

Director:

Terence Fisher

Writers:

Arthur Conan Doyle (novel)
Peter Bryan (screenplay)

Release Date:

3 July 1959 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Mystery | Horror

Tagline:

Sherlock Holmes' Most Terrifying Adventure! [UK]

Plot:

When a nobleman is threatened by a family curse on his newly inherited estate, detective Sherlock Holmes is hired to investigate.

Plot Keywords:

Gothic | Eccentric | Invitation | Devon England | Partner

Cast

Peter Cushing	...	Sherlock Holmes
André Morell	...	Doctor Watson (as Andre Morell)
Christopher Lee	...	Sir Henry
Marla Landi	...	Cecile
David Oxley	...	Sir Hugo
Francis De Wolff	...	Dr. Mortimer (as Francis de Wolff)
Miles Malleson	...	Bishop
Ewen Solon	...	Stapleton
John Le Mesurier	...	Barrymore
Helen Goss	...	Mrs. Barrymore
Sam Kydd	...	Perkins
Michael Hawkins	...	Lord Caphill
Judi Moyens	...	Servant Girl
Michael Mulcaster	...	Convict
David Birks	...	Servant

Also Known As:

Cão dos Baskervilles, O (Brazil) (Portugal) (original subtitled version) [pt]
Baskervillen koira (Finland) [fi]
Baskervilles hund (Sweden) [sv]
Chien des Baskerville, Le (France) [fr]
Epistrofi tou Sherlock Holmes, I (Greece) [el]
Furia dei Baskerville, La (Italy) [it]
Hund von Baskerville, Der (West Germany) [de]
Perro de los Baskerville, El (Spain) [es]
Sabueso de los Baskerville, El (Venezuela) [es]

Runtime:

87 min | Canada:64 min (Ontario)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #19213) | Norway:16 | Canada:PG | Finland:K-16 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (re-rating) (1988) | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Bray Studios, Down Place, Oakley Green, Berkshire, England, UK

Company:

Hammer Film Productions

Trivia:

Feature film debut of Michael Hawkins.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: After Stapleton is shot the dog starts to run passed him, Stapleton clearly pulls the dog onto him to make it look like he is being attacked.

Quotes:

[to Sir Henry Baskerville]
Sherlock Holmes: I must insist upon one thing. Under no circumstances are you to go out onto the moors at night.

Movie Connections:

Version of "The Hound of the Baskervilles" (1982)

Hammer version goes for suspense rather than mystery

A good cast takes a stab at Sherlock Holmes and, mostly, succeeds. the only thing really bringing this movie down a bit is that it's not put together to be a good mystery, just a good suspense film. Cushing's Holmes is very good; he brings across Holmes' pettiness out of his attention to detail and the shrewdness that helps him catch criminals in the first place also represents a darker (and, certainly, more annoying) side of his own personality. This is similar to the way Cushing had played Van Helsing and Dr. Frankenstein in previous Hammer Films, so it's not surprising they tried it here, but it is a little surprising how well this goes along with the Sherlock Holmes character. Cushing brings enough warmth to the character (effectively through his action with a solid Watson, Morrell) to make an audience still like the old blighter. Good visual look, photography, B. Robinson's sets (recognizable from the later "Curse of the Werewolf") are sufficiently "gothic". Often laughable script.