Rent Sherlock Holmes: Voice of Terror (1942)
3.4 of 5 from 57 ratings
1h 5min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
From transmission towers in Germany come taunting broadcasts: "People of Britain, greetings from the Third Reich. This is the voice you have learned to fear - this is the Voice of Terror". The entire nation is close to panic, in London the "Intelligence Inner Council" call in Holmes (Basil Rathbone) who suggests that the transmissions are a mere prelude, a smoke screen, to cover a more diabolical plan. On the first night of their enquiry, Holmes and Watson (Nigel Bruce) find a dying man on their doorstep. His last words sends Holmes into London's seedy Limehouse district, where he enlists the aid of Kitty (Evelyn Ankers), the dead mans girlfriend, to help find the saboteurs. Holmes and Watson must hurry to solve a complicated puzzle of terrorism and espionage. - Actors:
- Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Evelyn Ankers, Reginald Denny, Thomas Gomez, Henry Daniell, Montagu Love, Olaf Hytten, Leyland Hodgson, Rudolph Anders, Robert Barron, Ted Billings, Arthur Blake, Hillary Brooke, Harry Cording, Leslie Denison, Herbert Evans, Mary Gordon, Fred Graham, Bobbie Hale
- Directors:
- John Rawlins
- Producers:
- Howard Benedict
- Voiced By:
- Edgar Barrier, Gavin Muir
- Writers:
- Lynn Riggs, John Bright, Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert Hardy Andrews
- Aka:
- Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror
- Studio:
- Orbit Media
- Genres:
- Action & Adventure, Classics, Drama, Thrillers
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- Action & Adventure, All the Twos: 1902-62, Films to Watch If You Like..., A Brief History of Film..., The Thin Man At 90, Top Film and TV Detectives: Guide to Screen Sleuth, What to Watch Next If You Liked Dracula
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Reviews (3) of Sherlock Holmes: Voice of Terror
1942 - Sherlock Holmes: Voice of Terror review by JD
This is definitely one to watch without reading Doyle first. This jingoistic outpouring must have seemed fair at the time but is now a little transparent. Rathbone has played a much more subtle Holmes who is intelligent without being a Hollywood style super-hero. Any more and he would be flying. Bruce is also a bit hammy, he plays so dumb you wonder how he made it through medical school. Good but I preferred Rathbone's earlier portrayals.
2 out of 2 members found this review helpful.
“Good old Watson. The one fixed point in a changing age.” - Sherlock Holmes: Voice of Terror review by LJ
The premise of Sherlock Holmes plopped into WWII sounded as if this wartime thriller would be worth a watch, but it was just a string of bland B-movie tropes. This is the most incompetent Watson you’ve ever seen.
0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.
Universal Holmes. - Sherlock Holmes: Voice of Terror review by Steve
The first of Universal Pictures' 12 contemporary updates of the immortal sleuth, also begins an informal trilogy, with Sherlock Holmes now taking on the Nazis. They retain Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes and Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson from the two period adventures released by Fox in 1939. But there's almost nothing left of Arthur Conan Doyle's credited story, His Last Bow.
In fact there's just the famous patriotic speech at the end. There isn't much narrative and little deduction. This is intended to be pro-British propaganda. There's a fairly horrifying portrayal of the blitz, but reassurance that with the great detective, the nation will prevail. He investigates the link between a Nazi broadcaster and industrial sabotage. And a planned invasion.
Presumably the voice of terror refers to Lord Haw Haw's pro-Axis radio transmissions. The mystery is, who in the British security council is a traitor? There's a relishable support cast, including Henry Daniell as the prime suspect and Evelyn Ankers as the leader of the cor-blimey Cockney criminals doing their bit for the country.
Great to see Thomas Gomez on his screen debut, as a cold-hearted killer. The main positives are the rich, noirish photography and the wonderful orchestral score written for the series. Minor director John Rawlins creates little suspense, but it still entertains because whatever else is uncertain, the characters of Holmes and Watson will never let you down.
0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.