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1959 - UK Directed By: Terence Fisher. Starring: Peter Cushing, Andre Morell, Christopher Lee, Marla Landi, David Oxley, Francis De Wolff, Miles Malleson, John Le Mesurier, Helen Goss and Ewen Solon.
Current Unavailability
Available on either US R1 or UK R2 DVD courtesy of MGM. Whilst both contain the same excellent quality presentation of the film the American release contains an interview with the always engaging Christopher Lee that does not appear on its British counterpart.
Recommended?
Highly recommended. Although the tightly written mystery of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's novel is transformed into a rather overcooked assortment of red herrings, Terence Fisher's fast paced direction, superb leading performances and a powerful underlying atmosphere of gothic horror render The Hound Of The Baskervilles one of the most purely enjoyable films Hammer would ever make.
Review
In 1959 Britain’s own Hammer Studio’s were at the peak of their glory following the phenomenal international success of their horror classics The Curse Of Frankenstein and Horror Of Dracula, both directed by the great Terence Fisher and starring the legendary duo of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. Having hit the jackpot Hammer promptly set about exploring further famous literary chillers and soon set upon producing an adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic horror tinged Sherlock Holmes mystery http The Hound Of The Baskervilles. With Fisher once again handling directorial duties, Cushing cast as Holmes and Lee lending his support as the endangered Sir Henry Baskerville, Hammer’s The Hound Of The Baskervilles follows the plot of Conan Doyle’s original text relatively faithfully whilst blending in prominent shades of the British gothic horror atmosphere that had by that point become a Hammer trademark.
Out of all the many (some would say far too many) adaptations of The Hound Of Baskervilles ever to grace the silver screen or television, Hammer’s possibly only trails director Sidney Lanfield’s classic 1939 adaptation starring Basil Rathbone as Holmes in terms of both critical and popular regard, with many Holmes aficionado’s looking upon Peter Cushing’s portrayal of Holmes as one of the screens finest. However, that was not the case back in the day of the films original theatrical release where Hammer’s The Hound Of The Baskervilles was looked upon by many including it seems Hammer themselves as something of a flop. While audiences in Britain and later all over the world flocked to see the Technicolor horrors of both The Curse Of Frankenstein and Horror Of Dracula in their droves, those same audiences largely opted to stay away from Hammer’s comparatively bookish and monster devoid Hound Of The Baskervilles. Initially The Hound Of The Baskervilles had been intended as merely the first of many Hammer produced Sherlock Holmes films starring Cushing, but the comparatively poor box office takings for The Hound Of The Baskervilles lamentably prompted Hammer to scupper their plans for further Cushing/Holmes features.
The now familiar tale opens with famous detective Sherlock Holmes (Cushing) and his faithful right hand man Dr Watson (Morell) learning from their visitor Dr Mortimer (De Wolff) about the mysterious death of wealthy aristocrat Sir Charles Baskerville on the moors of Dartmoor in Devonshire. Dr Mortimer also informs Holmes and Watson about the so called “Hound Of The Baskervilles” – a local legend stating that a curse has been placed on the Baskerville family in the form of a gigantic, spectral hound that will pursue them until their death. Dr Mortimer is concerned that something foul is afoot and that the Baskerville estate’s new owner Sir Henry Baskerville (Lee) is in danger.
In London Holmes narrowly thwarts an assassination attempt on Sir Henry, which convinces him that someone has their own reason for wanting the Baskervilles dead. Believing his clients life to be in danger Holmes has Watson accompany Sir Henry to the Baskervilles ancestral home located on the Devonshire moors. Once in Devonshire a number of possible culprits for the sinister goings on reveal themselves. Is the eccentric, elderly Bishop Frankland behind it all? What about disgruntled local landowner Stapleton (Solon) and his enigmatic daughter Cecile (Landi)? Why is Dr Mortimer suddenly behaving in such a threatening and evasive manner? Or is there really some truth in the wild local legend of a gigantic, supernatural hound roaming the moors lusting for the blood of the Baskervilles? Following several shocking revelations and unexpected developments, Sherlock Holmes finally joins Watson and Sir Henry in order to finally reveal the truth behind the terrible mystery.
Although it winds up something of an exercise in style over actual substance, The Hound Of The Baskervilles easily ranks amongst the most stylish and thoroughly entertaining films ever released under the Hammer banner. With a couple of major deviations excepted Peter Bryan’s screenplay remains largely faithful to the narrative flow of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s original novel. However, The Hound Of The Baskervilles is much more than a run of the mill literary adaptations thanks to its seamless blending of the Conan Doyle narrative with heavy overtones of the gothic horror that had by that time become its studios calling card. Indeed that quintessential Hammer flavour has seldom been more strongly felt than it is here. The dark underlying tone is established from the outset in a wonderful prologue sequence detailing the legend behind the Baskerville family curse. In one of the most accomplished and effective sequences to be found in the entire Hammer cannon the bloodcurdling legacy behind the curse is vividly realised as we witness the grim history of godless Hellfire Club alumni and murderer Sir Hugo Baskerville and his brutal demise at the jaws of the infamous Baskerville hound. Fortunately director Terence Fisher is on fine form as he directs at a lively pace and sustains the atmospheric gothic overtones throughout the films running length. To this end he receives able support from Jack Asher’s beautifully composed cinematography which fills the foggy moorlands with an acute sense of menace and a typically fine score from James Bernard.
The Hound Of The Baskervilles is additionally blessed with a trio of superb leading performances. While much praise has been heaped upon Peter Cushing’s portrayal of Holmes over the years rest assured it is all entirely justified – Cushing is absolutely wonderful in the role. In what is undoubtedly one of his greatest performances Cushing plays Holmes beautifully, realizing the famous Baker Street detectives slightly conceited self confidence without ever rendering him arrogant whilst also beautifully encapsulating Holmes’ simultaneously jovial yet subtly sarcastic sense of humour. It is really a crying shame therefore, that Cushing’s only portrayal of Holmes comes in a narrative that calls for him to be off-screen for a large chunk of the film. Yet as fantastic as Cushing may be he is improbably outdone by his co-star Andre Morell – the immensely underrated former theatrical actor whose starring presence would also enrich other classic British science fiction and horror such as the BBC’s original 1958 serialised version of Nigel Kneale’s Quatermass And The Pit and Hammer’s masterful voodoo-themed undead chiller The Plague Of The Zombies (1966). Whereas most actors down the years have tended to portray Watson as little more than Holmes’ largely ineffectual and somewhat foolish sidekick, Morell by contrast gives a wonderfully accurate depiction, painting Watson as the quiet, studious yet disarmingly observant right hand man who while often incredulous of Holmes’ methods is quite capable of resourceful, independent action in his own right when the call of his duty requires it. Of course it goes without saying that this is exactly how Conan Doyle always intended for Watson to come across. Rounding out this trio of exceptional performances is the ever reliable Christopher Lee who in the role of Sir Henry Baskerville proves emphatically that he was just as capable of effectively playing a virtuous role as he was a villainous or monstrous one.
Yet, despite its many delights The Hound Of The Baskervilles is by no means a perfect adaptation of Conan Doyle’s original story. While Fisher and company weave a richly enjoyable and atmospheric gothic tapestry it is unfortunately woven at the expense somewhat of the films narrative. While Conan Doyle book was a gripping, page turning yarn, Peter Bryan’s screenplay interpretation is markedly less involving and instead fires a rapid salvo of obvious and largely overstated red herrings at the viewer as a substitute for any real palpable sense of unfolding mystery. Veteran actor Miles Malleson’s elderly eccentric bishop and prominent entomologist Bishop Frankland is ill advisedly portrayed as comic relief while in contrast both Dr Mortimer and disgruntled local landowner Stapleton are too overtly gruff and sinister whilst the Baskerville’s shifty butler Barrymore (well played by John Le Mesurier – better known to most as Sergeant Wilson of Dad’s Army fame) very obviously harbors a dark secret. While the films brisk pacing holds the viewers interest, this proliferation of rather ham-fisted red herrings leaves the film lacking the substance of its literary source and results in a finale which is something of a fiasco, albeit an energetic and entertaining one. Additionally The Hound Of The Baskervilles benefits little from a pointless addition to the mystery of an attempted assassination attempt on Sir Henry involving a venomous tarantula which results in a semi-effective if hokey suspense sequence but also unnecessarily convolutes an already jumbled attempt to cram Conan Doyle’s narrative into just over eighty minutes of screen time. When glib, uptight critics in the late fifties poured scorn on the initial wave of Hammer horror films and accused them of vulgarizing their original literary sources it was hokey, superfluous trappings such as the aforementioned tarantula sequence that provided them with their ammunition.
Yet although it could hardly have been considered a success back in its day and is not without its niggling flaws, The Hound Of The Baskervilles nonetheless shines brightly as one of the brightest jewels in the Hammer crown. Although the detective mystery at the heart of Conan Doyle’s original source novel is interpreted in somewhat clumsy fashion, engaging direction, wonderful performances and beautifully realised atmosphere provide more than ample justification to forgive Hammer’s The Hound Of The Baskervilles for its rather nagging narrative shortcomings. The Sherlock Holmes role fits Cushing like a glove and this coupled with beautifully played principal supporting turns and Terence Fisher’s typically inspired command of the directorial reigns ensures that The Hound Of The Baskervilles qualifies as a rich, briskly paced and immensely enjoyable detective mystery cum horror film, which positively drips with Hammer’s trademark gothic atmosphere.
Also Try… The Hound Of The Baskervilles (1939, Sidney Lanfield) / The Hellfire Club / The Hound Of The Baskervilles (1978, Paul Morrissey) / Curse Of Frankenstein (1957, Terence Fisher) / Horror Of Dracula / The Beast Must Die.
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