"Terror By Night" (1946) might be called "Terror On A Train" as the entire film takes place on a train going from London to Edinburgh. It is my personal favorite of the Rathbone/Bruce "Sherlock Holmes" series and has a real Hitchcock flavor. And it contains Nigel Bruce's most comical Dr. Watson portrayal, as he gets to bluster and fume for much of the trip; including an especially good interrogation of a prickly academic who occupies one of the neighboring compartments.
Most memorable of all is ultra-gorgeous Renee Godfrey as a glammed-up working class girl in black. There simply aren't many hotter looking actresses out there than Godfrey, who was still at her physical peak in 1946 and was especially well utilized by director Roy William Neill. Neill repeatedly poses her in ways that showcase her character's ethereal physical appearance and then bursts the bubble every time she speaks. Reminding us again and again of the stories theme, that appearances are deceiving.
"Terror By Night", like most of these movie who-done-its relies on misdirection to throw the viewer off the track. If it fools you during your first viewing it is worth a second look just to analyze the simple device that originlly threw you off track and compare it with the numerous and more complex red-herrings that were there mostly to keep the viewer from dwelling on the original misdirection. You have to suspend disbelief on some occasions as Holmes always seems to have a convenient key to each lock (be they doors or riddles) but the short 60 minute running length allowed no time for this kind of detail.
Holmes and Watson have been hired by the son of Lady Margaret Carstairs; she owns the famous Star of Rhodesia diamond and is returning with it from a trip to London where there was an unsuccessful attempt to steal it. The viewer gradually learns that Holmes believes that the late Professor Moriarty's chief henchman, Colonel Sebastian Moran, was behind the theft and will make another try for the diamond on the train. Inspector Lestrade (Dennis Hoey) also suspects a second attempt to steal the diamond and has come aboard with a rather transparent cover story about going to Scotland to do some fishing.
Holmes must figure out which of the passengers or train crew members is Moran before they reach Edinburgh. During the trip there is the obvious attempt to push Holmes from the train and several less obvious twists.
Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.
Most memorable of all is ultra-gorgeous Renee Godfrey as a glammed-up working class girl in black. There simply aren't many hotter looking actresses out there than Godfrey, who was still at her physical peak in 1946 and was especially well utilized by director Roy William Neill. Neill repeatedly poses her in ways that showcase her character's ethereal physical appearance and then bursts the bubble every time she speaks. Reminding us again and again of the stories theme, that appearances are deceiving.
"Terror By Night", like most of these movie who-done-its relies on misdirection to throw the viewer off the track. If it fools you during your first viewing it is worth a second look just to analyze the simple device that originlly threw you off track and compare it with the numerous and more complex red-herrings that were there mostly to keep the viewer from dwelling on the original misdirection. You have to suspend disbelief on some occasions as Holmes always seems to have a convenient key to each lock (be they doors or riddles) but the short 60 minute running length allowed no time for this kind of detail.
Holmes and Watson have been hired by the son of Lady Margaret Carstairs; she owns the famous Star of Rhodesia diamond and is returning with it from a trip to London where there was an unsuccessful attempt to steal it. The viewer gradually learns that Holmes believes that the late Professor Moriarty's chief henchman, Colonel Sebastian Moran, was behind the theft and will make another try for the diamond on the train. Inspector Lestrade (Dennis Hoey) also suspects a second attempt to steal the diamond and has come aboard with a rather transparent cover story about going to Scotland to do some fishing.
Holmes must figure out which of the passengers or train crew members is Moran before they reach Edinburgh. During the trip there is the obvious attempt to push Holmes from the train and several less obvious twists.
Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.