shakspryn The reason this is the greatest mystery series of the 1940s is that all the twelve Universal films are a pleasure to watch. No other 1940s series has such a rich amount of clever and humorous characterization as we get with the Sherlock Holmes of Basil Rathbone and the Dr. Watson of Nigel Bruce. In this film, we get the special fun of a mystery aboard an ocean liner. Pay attention to the dialogue--it is particularly smart and witty, with many good lines. I would rank "Scarlet Claw" as the best Universal Holmes film, and "Pearl of Death" a strong second. I would put "Algiers" among the next four. Lots of fun.

classicsoncall The consensus of other reviewers here is that this is not one of the better Sherlock Holmes stories coming out of Universal during this period. I'd have to agree on that, though at times the picture does have it's moments. Catching Nigel Bruce sing 'Loch Lomond' was definitely out of the ordinary, I'd be curious whether that was actually him or not. As for the 'Giant Rat of Sumatra' story, well I wish the film makers had let us all in on it.The thing that bothered me about the story came after villain Mirko's (Martin Kosleck) assassination attempt on Holmes (Basil Rathbone), resulting in his own broken wrist at the hands of the detective. The rest of the cruise continued for the travelers as normal as if nothing happened! That didn't hold any credibility for me at all. You would think Holmes and Watson (Nigel Bruce) would be just the slightest bit peeved about the whole incident.And say, what about that plane crash - how did that conveniently fit into the story to make it look like Holmes might have died in it? That was a bit too coincidental to try to throw the assassination conspirators off track, OR, did Holmes have something to do with the plane going down? Hmmm, obviously can't go there, but if I thought of it, maybe someone else did too.Say, keep an eye on that scene when the huge thug Gubek (Wee Willie Davis) manhandled Holmes. After Gubec knocks him out and throws him on the cot in the stateroom, actor Rathbone re-positions himself using his legs! Well there's no mystery here to speak of since Holmes and Watson were performing a bodyguard mission, but I must say the revelation of Sanford (Morton Lowry) as the undercover King Nikolas of Rovenia came as a bit of a surprise. When all was said and done it didn't make any difference that the phony Watson nephew (Leslie Vincent) had the same name, but you'd think the ever clever Holmes would have used a different handle on the younger Watson if he wanted to work the identity ruse for maximum effect.Say, wait just a minute... who's going to solve the case of the stolen Duchess of Brookdale emeralds?

LeonLouisRicci Most Consider this the Weakest in the Basil Rathbone-Nigel Bruce Series and it Probably is, but that Does Not Mean it is Unwatchable or Worthless. By this, the 12th of the Teams Pairing, the Charm for Fans has Made Itself Undeniable and Unobtrusive Despite Some Silliness and Liberties that the Movies So Often Exhibited. Mostly Taking Place on an Ocean Liner it is Claustrophobic and Confined and the Supporting Cast is Less than Memorable Playing Weak and Ill Defined Villains. The Film does have a Nice Twist at the End and there is Enough Going On that it just Keeps from Getting Tedious.Sherlock Keeps Most of His Personal Stingers Directed to Watson at Bay. The Final Line of the Movie is a Tongue in Cheek, In-Joke that is Charming and in Good Spirits.

Robert J. Maxwell This is the one that takes place on a passenger liner from England to the Mediterranean. Holmes' mission, should he choose to accept it, is to guard the life of the young king of Ruritania or whatever it is. Holmes chooses to accept it.I don't know why I got such a kick out of it. It's really pretty dumb. Holmes and Watson are walking along a London street in the opening scene, contemplating a holiday in Scotland. A strange man insists Holmes dropped a newspaper, so Holmes accepts it. Next their stroll is interrupted by a man who insists they try the fish and chips in a certain restaurant. They are no sooner seated than another customer obstreperously complains about finding a "fishbone" in his soup. The waiter suggests a dish and circles the price on the menu -- 2/6. When Holmes finally opens his "dropped" newspaper, the time of 8 PM is underlined. Something like that anyway. From all this narrishkeit Holmes deduces that he and Watson are being asked to visit 26 Fishbone Alley at eight o'clock.There they are asked by a delegation of delegates to accompany the King of Ruritania -- "a pillar of the democratic world" -- back to his homeland because certain sinister forces would like to see him removed from his earthly responsibilities. Holmes will accompany the King in a small airplane, but before leaving, Holmes tells Watson to take the Swedish liner Friesland and join him in Ruritania. The airplane takes off as Watson shakes his jowls with concern.The plane is shot down over the Pyrenees, but it really doesn't matter because -- surprise! -- Holmes and the King are also aboard the liner. Why they went to all the trouble of sneaking aboard is a mystery though, because despite the King's disguise as Watson's nephew, everybody seems to know Holmes and Watson and -- are you getting all this? There is an attempt to poison the King in some coffee delivered by a suspicious-looking steward. Somebody tries to blow him up with a party favor. A knife is flung into Holmes empty bed. The King appears at one point to be in danger of being shoved overboard by a suspicious-looking young singer.Well, everybody looks suspicious. Martin Kosleck looks more suspicious than most, but with his ice-sculptured features he always looked suspicious. A nice Jewish kid who fled Germany when the Nazis came to power, he made a career of playing Nazis in Hollywood movies. He played Joseph Goebbels five times.I said the young singer looked suspicious too, and she does, but she gets over it and turns out to be innocent of any foul motives. That's just as well because the singer is played by Marjorie Riordan and she's utterly charming. Her voice is an appealing compound of Paulette Goddard's and Priscilla Lane's. She's quite alluring in a darkly edible way.In contrast, the King is played by Leslie Vincent. He had parts in a few more movies than I did but, as in my case, he was mostly uncredited. It may be a just world after all because the kid is an embarrassment on screen. Furthermore, he's a pretender to the throne.I've noticed that in all of his films, Basil Rathbone, as Holmes, is required to say "Thank you" in his usual crisp manner. He says it so often in this case that I felt I ought to be counting the times. Every time I heard him utter that phrase -- "Thank you" -- it took me back to a scene from the Marx Brothers' "Day at the Races". Groucho has coaxed a tall and duplicitous blond up to his hotel room. He keeps offering her things like a seat at the table and a bowl of soup. With each proffer the blond replies with an elaborately elegant "Thank you." And each time, Groucho replies even more emphatically, "Thank YOU." Example: He offers to take her wrap. "Thank you," she says. "Thank YOU," says Groucho, throwing the wrap on the floor.