Throughout all of the films, Rathbone portrays Holmes with a thoughtfulness and aplomb which has made his interpretation of the character for many, the definitive one. With his aquiline nose and thin good looks, Rathbone certainly has the physical characteristics down, but he also does a fine job portraying not only Holmes' more cerebral side, but the caring with which he relates not only to his clients but also to Watson, who Bruce portrays as a bit more of a bumbler than Doyle actually wrote him, but still a man of good heart and bravery. Together they combine to create a truly unbeatable duo.
Of the 14 films that Rathbone and Bruce made together as Holmes and Watson, four of them, because the copyright was not properly renewed, have fallen into the public domain. The other three are Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon, The Woman in Green, and Terror by Night. These four are quite easy to find individually or in low-budget DVD collections, but the entire 14-film series has also been painstakingly restored by the UCLA Film and Television archive and has been issued as a set which I highly recommend.
Here's a trailer for Dressed to Kill:
And the skinny:
Title: Dressed to Kill
Release Date: 1946
Running Time: 76min
Black and White
Starring: Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce
Directed by: Roy William Neal
Produced by: Roy William Neal
Released by: Universal Studios
Besides the DVD releases mentioned above, Dressed to Kill is also available to watch or download free and legally at the Internet Archive.
Until next time, happy treasure hunting.
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