The Scarlet Claw (1944)

“Sit down, old fellow.  Judge Brisson has decided not to shoot us.” 27 August 2019

The Quick Pitch:  Holmes decides to investigate a murder in a small Canadian town.  A woman’s throat has been slashed – in the same manner as a number of sheep in the area.  The locals tell a story of strange lights and a monster living on the bog. Holmes is, quite naturally, skeptical of these stories. 

I think The Scarlet Claw might be my favorite of the Rathbone Sherlock Holmes films.  The movie’s plot is engaging enough with plenty of twists and turns. I usually don’t go for films where characters are in disguise, but it didn’t bother me much here.  The regulars, Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, are in fine form. By 1944, they knew their respective roles and how to play them. Rathbone and Bruce have a nice supporting cast to work with, including Gerald Hamer, Paul Cavanagh, and Ian Wolfe giving solid performances.  The film looks fantastic – as did most all of Universals output from the 40s. Cinematography easily gets an A+. The sets contribute a great deal to the film’s look. The Penrose House, for example, with the amazing stone work is absolutely stunning. Universal had to have used these sets in other films.  They’re too nice to have been created just for this movie. But the thing that sets The Scarlet Claw apart from the rest of the series is atmosphere. Director Roy William Neill wrings every last drop of atmosphere he could muster out of the film. The Scarlet Claw is creepier than most traditional horror movies of the period.  The dark bogs, the abandoned hotel, and the genuine fear on the faces of the townspeople - it’s like something out of a Frankenstein film. Overall, a very solid effort.

8/10