Sherlock Holmes in Washington (1943)

58% of users liked it
(431 ratings)

One of the silliest and most unbelievable of the Universal Sherlock Holmes series, Sherlock Holmes in Washington is also undeniably one of the most enjoyable. The story gets under way when an Allied spy (an unbilled Gerald Hamer, one of this series' "regulars") smuggles a valuable piece of microfilm… More One of the silliest and most unbelievable of the Universal Sherlock Holmes series, Sherlock Holmes in Washington is also undeniably one of the most enjoyable. The story gets under way when an Allied spy (an unbilled Gerald Hamer, one of this series' "regulars") smuggles a valuable piece of microfilm into the U.S. The film is hidden in a matchbook cover that passes through several hands, ultimately ending up in the possession of Washington, D.C., socialite Nancy Partridge (Marjorie Lord). Brought to Washington from London to help locate the missing film, Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) and Dr. Watson (Nigel Bruce) do their best to rescue Nancy from the clutches of the Axis villains -- nearly losing their own lives in the process. And when the case is finally solved, Holmes reveals that there's still another twist to the proceedings -- a few minutes before he delivers his obligatory patriotic quote from Winston Churchill. One of the delights of Sherlock Holmes in Washington is the casting of George Zucco and Henry Daniell as the bad guys; both actors also played Holmes' archenemy Moriarty in other series entries. It's also fun to see poor old Watson tangle with American slang and a wad of bubble gum, and to watch as Holmes and Watson driven past a series of famous D.C. monuments -- covering several miles in a matter of seconds! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 11 min.
Directed By: Roy William Neill
Written By: Bertram Millhauser, Lynn Riggs
Genres: Horror, Mystery & Suspense, Classics

In Theaters: Apr 30, 1943 Wide
On DVD: Oct 28, 2003

Critic Reviews

Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Even though it's far from believable, it's still one of the most enjoyable in the series.
Michael W. Phillips, Jr., Goatdog's Movies
It's a fun movie, with a clever premise and the usual dependable performances by Rathbone and Bruce.

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