The Hound of the Baskervilles (1937)

Far from Perfect, Far from Terrible

Awesome Movie

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Der Hund von Baskerville (1937) *** (out of 4)Sherlock Holmes (Bruno Guttner) and Dr. Watson (Fritz Odemar) have to investigate the murder of Lord Baskerville and the fact that it might have been done by a large beast.DER HUND VON BASKERVILLE is an early sound adaptation of the Arthur Conan Doyle novel and while it's certainly not as good as the Hollywood version that was made with Basil Rathbone, it's still quite good on its own terms and if you're a fan of the story then you'll want to check it out. Of course, it's place in history will always be due to the fact that a print of it was found in the bunker where Adolf Hitler killed himself.The print I watched was in German without any English subtitles but if you're familiar with the story then it's not too hard to follow. What makes this version so good was the visual look of it. I was really impressed with how the film looked and I really enjoyed the darkness to it. The film was shot very dark but it looks beautiful as the B&W cinematography really jumps off the screen. Director Karel Lamac has no problem building up a nice atmosphere and this certainly helps.Another plus is the fact that both Guttner and Odemar are so good in the roles. In my opinion no one will ever beat the Basil Rathbone- Nigel Bruce teaming but this duo were quite good as were the supporting players. The ending packs a nice punch and at just 75- minutes the film moves extremely well. Without subtitles I was obviously unable to follow the dialogue but the story itself pretty much follows the story as you'd expect.

Taking a look around a DVD sellers page,I was surprised to discover that he had recently tracked down a German version of Sherlock Holmes,which was one of only 2 films found in Hitler's bunker!,that led to me getting ready to meet the hounds of the Baskervilles.The plot:Finding out that his wife has been having an affair,Lord Baskerville kills the man that his wife has been going with.As he murders the man,a Baskerville runs across the hall and brutally kills his wife,which leads to a curse being put on the mansion,where the dogs and blood-curdling screams of the women can be heard across the moors.200 years later:On the same night that a man escapes from prison, Lord Charles Baskerville notices a strange figure standing in the moors.Pushing aside the loud howls that could be heard outside,Charles goes to investigate.As the howls from outside grow louder,the mansion staff go to investigate,and are shocked to discover that Charles has died from a sudden heart attack.Attending the reading of the will,Charles family and his staff are caught by complete surprise,when the will reveals that Charles has left everything to an unknown cousin: Lord Henry Baskerville. As he tries to settle in at a hotel,Henry receives a mysterious letter,which says that if he wants to stay alive,then he must give the family mansion away.Suspecting that there may be a human face behind the infamous "Baskerville hounds" detectives Sherlock Holmes & John Watson are hired to finally put a stop to the howling hounds.View on the film:Withholding Holmes and Watson for the first 30 minutes,director Carl Lamac and cinematographer Willy Winterstein build a chilling Gothic Noir atmosphere brick by brick,with the Baskerville mansion being surrounded by decaying tress and merciless moors,which close the mansion off from the outside world.Along with the haunting backdrop,Lamac covers the mansion in stark shadows,which along with allowing for the Supernatural Horror mood to light up,also reveals the doubt that Holmes and Watson have over Baskerville and the other residences of the household keeping things hidden in the dark corners of the mansion.Although the ending ties things up far too quickly, Carla von Stackelberg's adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle book superbly mixes intelligently written police protocol with restrained Horror barks and chilling Film Noir loners.Keeping the Baskerville family at the front of the title, Stackelberg hangs the supernatural myth over the household,as Henry Baskerville (played by an amazing,unsteady Peter Voß) finds himself suffering with a deep sense of mistrust,which femme fatale Beryl Vendeleure (played by an alluring Alice Brandt) subtly takes advantage of.Gaining a reputation over the following decades of being a bumbling fool, Stackelberg pulls Watson back to his roots,thanks to Watson showing a real zest for spotting the smallest clue,and also perfectly complimenting the quick-witted aspects of Holmes.For the first Germen sound version of Baskerville, (after 2 Germen Silent versions had been made) Bruno Güttner gives a terrific performance as Holmes,with Güttner really bringing out the calculating side of Holmes,as he pushes aside all of the deadly howls.Closely following Holmes, Fritz Odemar gives a great performance as Watson,who Odermar brilliantly makes the focus of the title,thanks to Odermar giving Watson a gripping energy over following each clue to its solution,as Holmes & Watson put down the hound of the Baskerville.

I watched this in German with out subtitles so some of this was tough going.Actually the film isn't bad, the problem is that its a 75 minute film where Holmes and Watson don't show up for 26 minutes. This isn't bad, but if you're watching this and not understanding the language the fact that most of the first half hour is simply people talking in a room makes it very very difficult to follow whats going on. Just before Holmes arrives you get out of the room and its more than people talking so you can begin to be able to follow the plot, assuming you do know the story.This is a good version of the story, one that I plan on trying again another time, starting 25 minutes in, I don't want my experience tainted by the long talk.If you get a chance to see it, preferably with subtitles, by all means do watch it. Even with out subtitles its worth a shot, just zip through the first 25 minutes on scan.

A most pleasingly atmospheric rendition of the tale, noirishly photographed and moodily set, this is the version which probably would have delighted Conan Doyle the most. There is one important plot change which enables the beautiful Alice Brandt to enjoy both a larger role and a more intriguing part in the proceedings. This change also builds up the parts of Dr Mortimer and Lord Charles, yet at the same time provides a nice introduction to the is-he-sinister or is-he-a-good-guy Barrymore, deftly played here by Fritz Rasp.Despite the sting of its well-developed story, the spellbindingly atmospheric direction and the engrossing performances delivered by the entire cast, many fans may find this version somewhat disappointing. For at least three reasons: As in the novel, the part played in the narrative by Sherlock Holmes, though vital, is minimal. And in this version, not only has no attempt been made to enlarge his role, if anything both writer and director do their best to minimize it. Holmes does not even make his entrance for half-an-hour, and when he does finally appear, he has his back to the camera. It is Fritz Odemar, as Dr Watson, who receives the more favorable camera angles. And there is a purpose in this. It is Watson, not Holmes, who figures as the main protagonist of The Hound of the Baskervilles. For the bulk of the narrative, Holmes disappears. It is Watson and Lord Henry (Peter Voss) who take up the running. The movie is almost over, before Holmes closes in on the villain. And even so, this is not the obsessed, self-important Holmes we are accustomed to see taking charge. Another problem is that the title hound itself does not figure a great deal in the action, a downgrading which will undoubtedly rate as another major disappointment for fans. And finally, it could be argued that the script gives too much attention to Conan Doyle's red herring, the escaped convict, and not enough to the real villain.This said, it must surely be admitted by all, that Odemar's interpretation of Watson—intelligent, charming, level-headed, courageous and resourceful—is much closer to Conan Doyle's conception than either the bungling, inveterately stupid Nigel Bruce or the self-effacing Ian Fleming.One other player deserves special mention: Erich Ponto (Dr Winkel in The Third Man) who seems exactly right for Stapleton. A difficult part, superbly played.