Philo Holmes


I just saw this film for the first time this weekend. I admit the plot is a tad creaky and from a practical point, there were things the police should have done that they didn't do, but I still found it enjoyable.

I had to laugh when the "leading man" refers to Vance and Markham as Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson not once but twice though, because really, they are, even if Rathbone is nine years away from that role for the first time.

There's at least twice in the movie when Rathbone goes into "Sherlock mode" - long before he played the part -

The first time when he is expanding on why the first murder wasn't actually committed with an arrow, and then there's an even better scene, just kind of thrown in there (has nothing to do with the main mystery when Vance informs the sergeant on the case:) "you ate dinner out, with a woman, you didn't have enough cash to pay the check, your date cried, you comforted her, and promised to come back later tonight.... and then explains his deductions in total Sherlock form. It's almost uncanny, considering he didn't start working on Baskervilles until 1938! Oh, and Vance enjoys playing the piano - and Holmes the violin.... another eccentricity.

Having never read the books by Van Dyne, I would love to know if they have the same marked similarities to Holmes and Watson as this movie seems to have.

Anyway, Vance=Sherlock, Markham-Watson and the sergeant=Lestrade in great style.

When you have a little time, you should really try and track this movie down and give it a look!


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Thought I heard wrong and replayed the "Holmes" line. Not often something like this comes through in the movies.

I came to Casablanca for the waters.....

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