The Scarlet Claw (1944)
Directed by Roy William Neill

Film Review

The best in the Universal series of Sherlock Holmes films, The Scarlet Claw achieves a perfect fusion of the classic British murder mystery with the eerie trappings of the Gothic horror film that Universal had pioneered since the 1930s.  The plot is an obvious rehash of Conan Doyle's The Hound of the Baskervilles and is riddled with enough contrivances to make your head spin (who in his right mind would choose to live in a place called La Mort Rouge?), but the quality of the production, from the performances to the direction, art design and camerawork, elevate it way above its notional B movie status.  Universal would maintain something near to this standard of excellence for the next few films in the series before giving in to an inevitable decline, as its star, Basil Rathbone, grew tired of the part that had made him a household name.

What is most striking about The Scarlet Claw is how dark it is compared with the other films in the series.  There is some humour: as ever, Nigel Bruce's bungling Dr Watson is there to provide comic relief - by tripping over the furniture and giving the supercilious Mr Holmes something to wipe his feet on.  But, unusually, it is the darker elements that predominate, making the film both compelling and frightening.  The fog-shrouded exteriors and shadow-drenched interiors have more in common with Universal's Gothic horror films, making this feel as much a ghost story as a detective thriller.  With its abundant references to dark forces and the supernatural, it's a shame that Holmes never gets to say "Elemental, my dear Watson."

The difference in quality between this and the earlier entries in Universal's series of Sherlock Holmes films (which saw the famous detective tussling with Nazi agents ad nauseum) is quite evident.  The direction, design, photography and standard of acting are not what you would expect for a B movie and are testament to what can be achieved on a B movie budget when talent and commitment are harnessed  to great effect.   Rathbone and Bruce are at their best, the former playing the part of Holmes with unflappable authority and confidence, the latter making Watson a delightful comic foil that both helps to humanise Holmes and relieve the tension at crucial points in the narrative.  There are some equally commendable performances from the supporting cast, particularly Paul Cavanagh, Miles Mander and Gerald Hamer.

Where The Scarlet Claw is most impressive is its visual composition.  The sets and cinematography clearly take their inspiration from German expressionism of the 1920s - with unusual camera angles, high contrast lighting and sinister shadows adding to the unreal Gothic atmosphere.  George Robinson's photography should be noted for its fluidity, with liberal use of crane and tracking shots bringing a modernity and dynamic quality that is not seen in the other films in the series.  Roy William Neill did a respectable job in his direction of eleven of the twelve films, but he is at his most inspired here, and delivers some wonderfully Hitchcockian moments, such as the utterly chilling murder of Judge Brisson, which has shades of Psycho.  Paul Sawtell's eerie score accentuates the sense of an all-pervasive hidden menace and heightens the tension beautifully.  The film's impressive special effects sequence where Holmes encounters the monster of the piece - possibly the most arresting and frightening in the entire series - was realised by John P. Fulton, who achieved wonders on many of Universal's horror films, notably The Invisible Man (1933).

Released at a time when interest in the series was beginning to flag, The Scarlet Claw received few favourable reviews and was originally written off as just another nondescript B movie.  Perhaps if Universal had made only one Sherlock Holmes film, this one, the reaction may have been somewhat different.  Since its first release in 1944, the film's standing has grown considerably and it is now considered not only one of the finest Sherlock Holmes films ever made but also one of the best films to emerge from the Universal stable.  The Scarlet Claw is inspired entertainment and, as Holmes puts it, a masterpiece of ingenuity.

Film Synopsis

Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson are in Quebec to attend a conference on the occult chaired by the eminent specialist in the field, Lord Penrose.  When the latter's wife is brutally murdered in a nearby village named La Mort Rouge, Holmes delays his return to London to investigate the crime.  The locals are convinced that Lady Penrose is the victim of a supernatural creature that has been haunting the area for centuries, but Holmes is sceptical.  He deduces that the killer is no mythical beast, but a dangerous psychopath who has embarked on a career of revenge.  Unless he can unmask the murderer and bring him to justice, others will die...