As Good As It Gets

After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

The consensus of other reviewers here is that this is not one of the better Sherlock Holmes stories coming out of Universal during this period. I'd have to agree on that, though at times the picture does have it's moments. Catching Nigel Bruce sing 'Loch Lomond' was definitely out of the ordinary, I'd be curious whether that was actually him or not. As for the 'Giant Rat of Sumatra' story, well I wish the film makers had let us all in on it.The thing that bothered me about the story came after villain Mirko's (Martin Kosleck) assassination attempt on Holmes (Basil Rathbone), resulting in his own broken wrist at the hands of the detective. The rest of the cruise continued for the travelers as normal as if nothing happened! That didn't hold any credibility for me at all. You would think Holmes and Watson (Nigel Bruce) would be just the slightest bit peeved about the whole incident.And say, what about that plane crash - how did that conveniently fit into the story to make it look like Holmes might have died in it? That was a bit too coincidental to try to throw the assassination conspirators off track, OR, did Holmes have something to do with the plane going down? Hmmm, obviously can't go there, but if I thought of it, maybe someone else did too.Say, keep an eye on that scene when the huge thug Gubek (Wee Willie Davis) manhandled Holmes. After Gubec knocks him out and throws him on the cot in the stateroom, actor Rathbone re-positions himself using his legs! Well there's no mystery here to speak of since Holmes and Watson were performing a bodyguard mission, but I must say the revelation of Sanford (Morton Lowry) as the undercover King Nikolas of Rovenia came as a bit of a surprise. When all was said and done it didn't make any difference that the phony Watson nephew (Leslie Vincent) had the same name, but you'd think the ever clever Holmes would have used a different handle on the younger Watson if he wanted to work the identity ruse for maximum effect.Say, wait just a minute... who's going to solve the case of the stolen Duchess of Brookdale emeralds?

An unusual 'job' is being offered (or rather commanded) to Holmes this time: he's supposed to guard the heir, whose father has just been assassinated, of the throne to an obscure little kingdom safely to Algiers, from where he'll be taken home.So an ADVENTUROUS ship's passage lies ahead of Holmes, Watson, and the young monarch; the atmosphere is quite dense (even the fog on deck is thicker than in the streets of London...), the plot is suspenseful and has got its pretty surprising moments; and a special feature for friends of Scottish nostalgia and our good Doctor Watson: here Nigel Bruce gets the opportunity to sing (undubbed!) the old Scottish tune "Loch Lomond"! One of the lighter entries in the Rathbone/Bruce series, good, solid, classic crime entertainment.

While this is contrived and silly at times, the best part of it, for me, was the fact that everyone knows what Holmes is up to and he still manages to come out on top. There are two plots at work here. One has to do with the transporting of stolen emeralds and the other the transporting of royalty. On numerous occasions, Holmes turns the tables on his adversaries. The dangers are everywhere and his head spins like an owls as he peers over his shoulder, through the fog, and through portholes. He sets up a wonderful ruse. The men who are out to squelch his efforts are really interesting: a mute thug who uses sign language, a wiry Peter Lorre type with a foreign accent, and a sort of Sydney Greenstreet wannabe. Watson becomes enamored with a pretty young singer who is carrying around secrets. He even belts out his own version of "Loch Lomond" and he proves to have quite a beautiful voice. Without giving anything away, Holmes keeps his cards close to his vest until the denouement. He suspects no one; he suspects everyone. I think this is a lesser effort, but still a lot of fun.

Nowhere near one of my favorites but i do enjoy it. My biggest complaint is the incredibly obvious use of voice dubbing when Dr. Watson and Sheila sing. I do however like the way they "hid" the real Prince. In first viewing it came as a complete surprise. I was led to believe that he was just a mischievous steward. I also liked the continuous word games between Mr. Holmes and the antagonists. One other redeeming factor is it is pretty fast paced so we don't have to watch it drag along to much. I am glad to say i own the entire series on DVD. not a month goes by where i don't take the time to take one of the DVD's out and enjoy it.