this start out with sherlock holmes ( john barrymore ) and dr. watson ( roland young ) a very old look college student . they help prince alexis ( reginald denny ) foil a plot against him by the sinister dr. moriarty ( gustav von seyffertitz ) . they cut to year later when holmes be a world famous detective and watson be marry and a successful doctor . moriarty again come into holmes life when he threaten prince alexis with incriminate love letter . that right holmes on a case to get some stupid love letter . arthur conan doyle must have be spin in his grave when this come out . there be so many thing wrong with this it unbelievable . first off barrymore be terrible a holmes . he walk through the role and show none of the deductive power that basil rathbone do so effortlessly . also he be 40 when he do this and look it . watson be barely in this one he add almost nothing to the story line . moriarty look hysterically evil . he look like something out of a charles dickens novel . not even close to the suave moriarty we all know and hate . the case here be and as state before and so ridiculous it insult . even bad holmes be give a love interest . that totally against any of the book or the character . historically this be important a ( i believe ) the first full length holmes picture and i be glad it available . sadly and as be sometimes the case and it doesn not live up to it reputation . if youre a holmes fan like me stay far far away from this one .