Dressed to Kill (1946) DVD   [2007]

Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce star in their final film as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. This time, the duo is on the tracks of a gang stealing music boxes that mysteriously hold key information that will lead to much money. The music boxes are made in prison by a bank robber, who encodes the clues, but they are sold at an auction before his partners can buy them. There's nothing they won't do to get their hands on the boxes, including murder. There's not much new in this film that hasn't been seen in the other films of the series, although the music box angle is an interesting way of transferring information. Rathbone doesn't play this one with much energy ... maybe he was getting tired of the role, while Bruce is his usual, bumbling self. Although hardly the best in the series, fans of the duo will want to check it out.

Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce star as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in the last of 14 feature films they collaborated on in this entertaining series made between 1939 and 1946. "Dressed to Kill was however not one of their finest flicks.

The plot revolves around a group of three music boxes constructed by an inmate at Dartmoor prison. This particular inmate stole and hid a set of engraving plates for 5 pound notes. Within the music boxes are clues designed to reveal the whereabout of the missing engraving plates.

The music boxes are put up for auction and when their purchasers start winding up murdered, Holmes and Watson begin to investigate. An old school chum of Watson's, "Stinky" Emery, a music box collector, becomes one of the victims. Soon Holmes' attention is captured by a suspicious trio, a distinguished looking retired colonel, a fetching dark haired young woman and a boorish, knife throwing cab driver. Holmes must match wits against this dangerous group to solve the mystery.

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(This review is for the DVD version of this movie by "FOCUSfilm" entertainment and released July 2001.)

This movie is, according to the opening credits, adapted from a story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859 to 1930). This was the last movie in which Basil Rathbone played Sherlock Holmes. (This was also the first time I saw Rathbone play Holmes.)

This movie is concerned with stolen counterfeit Bank of England money plates. Of all things, cheap, identical music boxes that play an old Australian song and that were made in prison by the same inmate seem to hold the key to the plates' hidden location. Also interested in these music boxes are three of this inmate's partners in crime: Mrs. Hilda Courtney (Patricia Morison), Colonel Cavanaugh (Fred Worlock), and Cavanaugh's driver Hamid Yard (Harry Cording).

When murders start occurring, Scotland Yard is called in to investigate. As well, the super-sleuth along with his trusty sidekick Dr. Watson (Nigel Bruce) helps with the investigation. An attempted murder also occurs.

My favorite quotation said by Sherlock in this movie:

"The truth can only be found by the painstaking elimination of the untrue."

Basil Rathbone captures the essence of the famous gumshoe in his performance. Nigel Bruce as his bumbling aid also gives a superb and, to me, an unforgettable performance. Also, look for the fine performance of Patricia Morrison as the "femme fatales."

This movie is like a time capsule of 1940's London. As well, the background music adds to each scene.

The DVD picture quality is practically perfect. There are no distracting artifacts. However, voices at the beginning of this movie are a bit muffled but this gets better as the movie progresses.

Finally extras include a theatrical trailer, still gallery, and seven original radio broadcasts of "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" (3 ½ hours) starring Rathbone and Bruce. I found these interesting.

In conclusion, this is a fun movie that I feel serves as an excellent introduction to Basil Rathbone portraying Sherlock Holmes!!

(1946; 70 min; 12 scenes; black and white; full screen)

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