Grade: B+
Synopsis: Sherlock Holmes (Peter Cushing) investigates the family curse surrounding a nobleman (Christopher Lee).
The Hound of the Baskervilles was Hammer’s take on Sherlock Holmes. Taking the same director and stars from their previous successes Dracula and The Curse of Frankenstein, the film was intended as the first in a series of Sherlock Holmes pictures, and while the series never materialized, The Hound of the Baskervilles is still quite good.
Peter Cushing and André Morell are great as Holmes and Watson. While purists could argue that Cushing was too short for the role, his sharp, piercing performance more than makes up for it. Christopher Lee complements him nicely and does a great job of keeping things moving when Cushing is off-screen.
Once again, director Terence Fisher does a great job of making the budget seem much larger than it was, and manages to sustain a good level of tension throughout the film’s 87 minute running time.
Bottom Line: A tight mystery buoyed by Cushing’s excellent performance as Holmes. Recommended.
