The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939 film) The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939 film) The Hound of the Baskervilles is a 1939 mystery film based on the novel "The Hound of the Baskervilles" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It was directed by Sidney Lanfield and released by 20th Century-Fox. It is among the best-known cinematic adaptations of the book, and is often regarded as one of the best. The film stars Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes, Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson and Richard Greene as Henry Baskerville. Because Fox was unsure that the film would be a success, and that Rathbone and Bruce would appear in more
The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939 film) local naturalist. Meanwhile, a homicidal maniac (Nigel De Brulier), escaped from Dartmoor Prison, lurks on the moor. Holmes eventually makes an appearance, having been hiding in the vicinity for some time making his own investigation. An effective scene, not in the original book, occurs when Watson and Sir Henry attend a seance held by Mrs. Mortimer (Beryl Mercer). In a trance, she asks, "What happened that night on the moor, Sir Charles?" The only reply is a lone howl, possibly from a hound. After some clever deception by Holmes, he surmises that the true criminal is Stapleton, a long-lost cousin