for the sake of propaganda during world war ii and sherlock holmes be move into the then present . one of the result be sherlock holmes and the secret weapon and star a top holmes and basil rathbone and along with nigel bruce and lionel atwill and dennis hoey and kaaren verne . it be holmes assignment to deliver a scientist and dr. franz tobel ( william post jr. ) and his weapon design to the british government before the german can get him . once the man reach england and however and his trouble be just begin . can holmes decode the message dr. tobel leave before fall into the hand of the vicious moriarity and save the weapon and possibly the scientist too . this be an effective holmes story and set in the atmosphere of switzerland and blackout england . the series work just fine in the present day . it be not without it problem and but those problem have nothing to do with the time period . whose idea be it to make watson an idiot . nigel bruce characterization aid and abet by the script have always be the false note . i much prefer the characterization of edward hardwicke in the jeremy brett sherlock holmes series there and he attractive and intelligent and a believable companion for holmes . in the rathbone series and holmes be often condescending and treat watson like the bumbling fool that he be . however and in this particular film and watson have a chance to be quite helpful in several part . i admit to be a complete sap for rathbone recitation from richard ii . this bless plot and this earth and this england i can not imagine how much it mean to the brit watch the film in 1942. sherlock holmes really serve his purpose .