Too much of everything

good back-story, and good acting

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

I'll start by saying this is one of my favourite in the series of the movies starring Rathbone as the legendary detective. To say it's only very loosely based on Conan Doyle's 'The Five Orange Pips.' is a bit of an understatement, there are very few parallels with the original text, but that doesn't matter. The screenplay is great, very entertaining and full of suspense. Dare I say this has more of a feel of an Agatha Christie, then a Conan Doyle, Holmes is here very much as a Detective then a spy in disguise.Some great moments, my favourite I think being Watson being spooked and shooting at a suit of armour and a cat, very funny. Naturally Lestrade is called in (Even up to Scotland,) and as always he and Watson have some funny scenes.Rathbone is on fine form, it seems apparent that he enjoyed making this one, he is very much at ease.A great mystery, full of suspense that will have you guessing til the end. 9/10

A club of retired rich men called "The Good Comrades" lives at an isolated Scottish castle. One by one the men are being killed off and an insurance agent believes one of them is responsible. Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) and Dr. Watson (Nigel Bruce) investigate but fail to prevent more murders from occurring. Soon they are joined by Inspector Lestrade (Dennis Hoey), who will undoubtedly get to the bottom of things ("Suffering cats! What IS going on here?!?").Fun Sherlock Holmes movie from Universal, the eighth in their series (tenth overall, counting the first two Fox films). It's loosely based on the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle "Five Orange Pips" story. Really the only similarity is the murder victims receiving envelopes with orange seeds before they're killed. That story is hardly one of Conan Doyle's best, by the way. The series regulars Rathbone, Bruce, and Hoey are all great. The supporting cast is made up of good character actors like Holmes Herbert, Paul Cavanagh, Harry Cording, and Aubrey Mather. Solid direction from Roy William Neill with interesting camera-work from Virgil Miller. Nicely paced with great "old dark house" atmosphere. Not the best of the series but a very entertaining one.

I really got a kick out of this film. It has a great atmosphere, wonderful character actors, and a plot that defies belief. What makes fun is that there is so much going on. This bunch of lodge members begin to die off after receiving an envelope with a number of orange pips (seeds). There is great panic as the dour housekeeper enters with the envelope on a salver. After the death of the intended, they all toast his memory and throw their glasses into the fireplace. What is interesting, however, is that there are no positive identifications. Bodies are burned or so badly dismembered that only a tattoo or a cuff link are clues to the identity. Slowly, the number grows smaller. Holmes has actually been approached by an insurance representative that finds it odd that all these guys are leaving their death benefits to their peers. Anyway, Holmes and Watson make their ways and realize that there are some pretty frayed nerves when they are asked to stay at the house. The denouement is priceless, and, since the war was pretty much over, we didn't have to get treated to one of Holmes' homilies at the conclusion.

Roy William Neil directed Basil Rathbone & Nigel Bruce as Sherlock Holmes & Doctor Watson in this loose adaptation of 'The Five Orange Pips'. Holmes & Watson are called to Scotland by an insurance company to investigate a case where seven men who belong to an exclusive club, and all of whom have taken out life insurance policies naming the others as the beneficiaries. Two have died already, and Holmes must prevent further deaths, and determine who the murderer is. Like the past two films, this is atmospheric and exciting, with a clever story and surprise ending. The series was at its peak here, but unfortunately would begin to decline afterward.