Byron Brubaker (hypathio7)

Owen plays Holmes as more of a puzzle solver and planner who is able to outwit any criminal mastermind he comes across. He is still shown as a master of disguise, but never appears in the iconic Sherlock Holmes garb. Gamble is the more traditional older Dr. Watson who is quite clueless in assisting Holmes. I've read this story has nothing to do with Doyle's novel, A Study in Scarlet. Instead it seems to have a bit more in common with Christie's Ten Little Indians/And Then There Were None. There is a sinister secret society, and a sinister lawyer, and Anna May Wong as a sinister mistress/wife, but the audience is only shown shadows as to who the murderer is in this one. This American movie is of the intellectual puzzler style.

Wontner plays Holmes as a more physically able private detective with a sense of humor. He is a master of disguise, but never wears the iconic deerstalker hat. Hunter is a younger Dr. Watson, who also has a humorous repartee with Holmes and can hold his own in a fist fight. The villain is quite dangerous from the beginning and the fact that years pass before Holmes is brought on the case (about 20 minutes into the movie) makes the story interesting, though we know who the criminal is and what he is after. This British movie seemed quite action packed for the time with a motor boat chase and a big warehouse fight.

I've read all the books, and even though it takes liberties with a few things, I still love it. In this most well-known adaptation, the special effects for the time, the technicolor, the quotable lines, and the simple values of brain, heart, courage, and home are what make it great. It'll always be my favorite!

This was a Disney after-school TV series, but the first few (to-be-continued) episodes were edited together to make this feature length video. It's not what you'd expect from a Disney cartoon- it's darker, more dramatic, a great mix of sci-fi and fantasy, with mythical and Shakespearian characters, and many Star Trek actors providing voices. I stand by my 5-star rating for the story of these heroes!