it nice that this film exist and but a it stand it a major disappointment . director leslie hiscott and cinematographer sydney blythe and william luff get some nice proto noir composition into the first and last reel and but in between it a very claustrophobic movie that seem to take place entirely indoors and either in the home of ronald adair or in sherlock holmes and dr. watson dig at 221b baker street . we know the film be set in 1930 instead of the 1890 because holmes deduces that watson be have trouble with his car and but we never see any car  or much action of any kind . it just eight reel of dull and ill pace talk ( where be alfred hitchcock when they need him . actually work at a big and more prestigious british studio than twickenham . ) and sloppily record by baynham honri and who for some reason get an on screen credit in type as big a the director . and though i usually respect the critical judgment of the late william k. everson  who say arthur wontner be one of the two best actor ever to play holmes  he never convince me in the role . he perfectly adequate in the scene show holmes a a cerebral armchair detective but utterly wrong for the neurotic man of action sir arthur conan doyle also intend holmes to be . but then to me ( to paraphrase the opening of the conan doyle holmes story a scandal in bohemia ) basil rathbone ( who look uncannily like the sidney paget illustration for the original holmes story and do both the cerebral and the active side of the character consummately well ) will always be the sherlock holmes .