Although it seems a little long, at times, SHERLOCK HOLMES FACES DEATH is one of the best of the modern Holmes stories starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. The plot for a change actually is twisty enough for one to wonder who is the killer. The revelation is a bit more of a surprise than many of the other stories.
The basis for this film is "THE MUSGRAVE RITUAL", which is similar in some details but has been expanded. The story, actually one of two that Holmes has to relate to Watson because it occurred before they met, is how Holmes is visiting the home of a school chum, Reginald Musgrave, and how the family butler, one Brunton, disappears after he is caught in the act of apparently looking over old family documents. Musgrave discharged Brunton, but then the butler vanished. It is believed he has fled because he has become entangled with a local girl, who has also disappeared.
The story was properly filmed (although with some slight changes) in the BBC "Mystery" series of Holmes stories with Jeremy Brett. I will not tell the clever ending, but it deals with the titled "Ritual" which the Musgrave family has been reciting since the middle of the 17th Century, which begins: "Who had it? He who is gone. Who shall have it? He who will come." If one thinks about the ritual wording one can help figure out the mystery of the story. Interestingly, the wording attracted a literary figure of higher importance than Conan Doyle in modern times - T. S. Elliot. Always having a fine ear for English speech and diction, Elliot was so impressed with the first four lines of the Ritual, he transposed them into a section of his verse drama about Thomas a'Beckett, MURDER IN THE CATHEDRAL. Elliot was very fond of Conan Doyle's stories, and one of his poems in OLD POSSUM'S BOOK OF PRACTICAL CATS (the source of the musical CATS) is "MACAVITY THE MYSTERY CAT" which is based on details about Professor Moriarty.
The actual ritual is used in the film, although it is expanded into a type of chess game. The story is changed (modernized to fit the war effort). Watson is working at a rest home for soldiers suffering stress and battle fatigue. The home is the estate house of Geoffrey Musgrave, his brother Philip, and his sister Sally (Frederick Warlock, Gavin Muir, and Hillary Brooke). One day Watson's assistant Dr. Bob Sexton (Arthur Margetson) stumbles in wounded and says he was attacked from behind and stabbed in the neck. The perpetrator is assumed to be one of the serviceman. Watson tells Holmes about it, so Holmes comes down to take a look. Then a murder occurs, and Inspector Lestrade (Dennis Hoey, as good as ever) pops up. The chief suspect is the American officer Captain Vickery (Milburn Stone - not given too much to do in this film, unfortunately), who has been romancing Brooke. I will leave it at that, except to say that the secret of the Ritual is expanded from a piece of jewelry to something of considerable more value. Despite some slightly long stretches, it is a good, twisty plot and well worth the watching.
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