Storyline

When a pearl with a sinister reputation for causing misfortune to its owners is stolen from a museum by a master criminal because of Sherlock Holmes' show-boating, he is naturally obliged to find it. Soon, he learns of a series of brutal murders that seemed to have been commited by a malevolent man mountain known only as the Creeper. Now, Holmes must deal with the seemingly overwhelming menace of this man and his boss in order to retrieve the pearl.—Kenneth Chisholm

Plot Keywords

sequel, laboratory, ocean liner, scrapbook, sea voyage, violin, alarm, evil man, reference to napoleon, reference to ludwig van beethoven, camera, dishwasher, dictionary, customs, detective, based on short story, private detective, impostor, art gallery, booby trap

Short Review

A riveting and scary Sherlock Holmes thriller!Roy William Neill's horror mystery film noir The Pearl of Death (1944) is one of his finest Sherlock Holmes features. It's honestly quite scary and intense with a dazzling series of suspense sequences and curiosity inducing clues. Neill's delivers an atmospheric mood with dark direction. His fearsome use of black silhouettes, fading in shadows, foggy nights, trick weapons, and broken china sets a gripping display of creative direction. I hope more viewers give The Pearl of Death a chance as it's easily a classic film noir, daring Sherlock Holmes adaptation, and unnerving horror picture.Basil Rathbone gives a humorous, intellectual, stunned, and serious depiction of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's iconic detective Sherlock Holmes. He is charming, observant, cunning, worried, and brave as Holmes in a fierce showing of Rathbone's versatility. Nigel Bruce is downright hilarious as Holmes' best friend, confidant, and private detective partner Dr. John Watson. Bruce bumbles, stumbles, and fusses his way into your heart with his equally sterling portrayal of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's beloved character of Dr. Watson. Dennis Hoey's Inspector Lestrade is very funny and just as dumb as Dr. Watson, perhaps even more so.Evelyn Anders is excellent as the clever jewel thief Naomi Drake with her fun disguises and Vera West costumes. She plays so many roles that she's like a female Sherlock Holmes this time around, except evil. Miles Mander is pretty entertaining as the villain Giles Conover with his sly plans to snatch the pricey pearl. I must mention horror icon Rondo Hatton appears as The Creeper with his hulking stature and strong jawline. He's quite terrifying and interesting here in The Pearl of Death. I was surprised to hear he was the inspiration for Lothar from Joe Johnston's The Rocketeer. It makes sense, but I'm grateful we got to see Hatton as The Creeper in The Pearl of Death as he is genuinely unsettling.Ray Snyder's sharp editing has cool quick cuts that keep you on edge during The Pearl of Death. His security montage at the museum is excellently edited. The Pearl of Death is only 69 sweet minutes of fear. Virgil Miller's cinematography has killer black and white shots, odd angles, forced perspectives, dreary mood, and stunning silhouettes.Paul Sawtell's score is spooky with a Gothic feel to it. Vera West's gorgeous outfits are full of sleek suits and eye catching dresses that look period accurate. John B. Goodman and Martin Obinza's art direction is striking alongside Roy William Neill's film noir direction focusing on the heavy crime, hopeless nature of murder, and inventive styling of London's gritty streets and cozy homes.In all, The Pearl of Death is a pristine piece of Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce's Holmes films.

Trailer

Streaming Service

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