In 1939, Basil Rathbone took to the big screen to play the role of Sherlock Holmes in the film, The Hound of the Baskervilles. The movie – an adaptation of the 1902 novel of the same name, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – was a mystery picture from director Sidney Lanfield.

Upon release, The Hound of the Baskervilles was very well received – especially Rathbone’s performance. As such, the actor reprised the role of Sherlock Holmes for another movie the same year, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

Once again, the film proved popular with audiences and this led to more Holmes movies, with Rathbone continuing in the role. But how many Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes movies are there?

For all the details and more, keep reading!

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The Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes movies in order

Image: ©20th Century

Between 1939 and 1946, Basil Rathbone appeared in fourteen Sherlock Holmes movies. The movies in the series include:

  • The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939)
  • The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1939)
  • Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror (1942)
  • Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon (1942)
  • Sherlock Holmes in Washington (1943)
  • Sherlock Holmes Faces Death (1943)
  • The Spider Woman (1943)
  • The Scarlet Claw (1944)
  • The Pearl of Death (1944)
  • The House of Fear (1945)
  • The Woman in Green (1945)
  • Pursuit to Algiers (1945)
  • Terror by Night (1946)
  • Dressed to Kill (1946)

In addition to the movies listed above, Basil Rathbone played the role of Sherlock Holmes for a television adaptation of The Adventure of the Black Baronet. This adaptation wasfor a 1953 episode of the TV show, Suspense, which has sadly become lost to time.

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Are the Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes movies the work of the same director?

Image: ©20th Century

The Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes movies are the work of four directors. Sidney Lanfield directed The Hound of the Baskervilles, Alfred L. Werker directed The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, John Rawlins directed Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror, while the remaining eleven movies were all directed by Roy William Neill.

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Who are the cast of the Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes movies?

Notable cast members in the Sherlock Holmes movies include Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Richard Greene, E. E. Clive, Henry Victor, Lionel Atwill, Mary Gordon, Holmes Herbert, Cyril Delavanti, and Harry Cording.

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What is the best Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes movie?

According to IMDb, the Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes movies are ranked from best to least-best as follows:

  • The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939) – 7.5/10
  • The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1939) – 7.4/10
  • The Scarlet Claw (1944) – 7.3/10
  • The House of Fear (1945) – 7.3/10
  • The Pearl of Death (1944) – 7.2/10
  • The Spider Woman (1943) – 7.1/10
  • Sherlock Holmes Faces Death (1943) – 7.0/10
  • Pursuit to Algiers (1945) – 6.9/10
  • Sherlock Holmes in Washington (1943) – 6.8/10
  • Terror by Night (1946) – 6.8/10
  • Dressed to Kill (1946) – 6.8/10
  • The Woman in Green (1945) – 6.7/10
  • Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror (1942) – 6.6/10
  • Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon (1942) – 6.6/10
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Thank you for stopping by to read this post about the Sherlock Holmes movies – I hope it has proved useful. For more useful posts, be sure to check out the recommended reads below.

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