The House of Fear (1945)

In a Scottish town, a group of 7 men created a club called the Good Comrades.  Recently, one of the comrades received an envelope that contained 6 orange pips.  Soon after, he died a horrible death.  Then an envelope arrived for another comrade, this time with 5 orange pips.  He too died a horrible death.  It was at this point that the insurance company called upon Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone).  Each man had life insurance which was paid to the surviving members of Good Comrades; they suspect foul play by one of the remaining members.  Holmes and Watson (Nigel Bruce) arrive to investigate.  There is reason to suspect everyone.  Despite their presence, the envelopes of orange pips come and horrible deaths follow.  Can Holmes uncover the culprit before more men die horribly?

The story bears little resemblance to The Adventure of The Five Orange Pips.  Most of the Good Comrades aren't good; Holmes even noted that one of them had gotten away with murder through a legal loophole, a fact that put him on the top of the suspect list.  The idea of 7 men living in a remote castle seems bizarre to a modern viewer.  Maybe that was more typical in a bygone era.  Lestrade (Dennis Hoey) arrives to bumble around and contrast with Holmes' keen observations.

Entertaining to watch but disappointing as a whodunit.  Holmes only catches the villain because the villain took an action that, in retrospect, makes no sense.  Holmes can explain everything at that point but had been helpless to prevent the continuing murders.  Though not a great movie, it is always fun to watch Rathbone and Bruce.

Terror by Night (1946)

The Star of Rhodesia has a cursed history.  Premature death seems to follow any who own the huge diamond (valued at £50,000 in 1946, 2.2 million today).  Lady Margaret Carstairs is the current owner and is traveling with her son, Roland, from London to Edinburgh.  Concerned that there might be an attempt to steal the diamond, Roland employs Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) to protect it.  Of course, Dr. Watson (Nigel Bruce) is also at hand.  While Holmes and Watson are enjoying dinner with Watson's old army pal, Major Duncan Bleek, Roland is killed and the diamond is stolen!  Luckily, Inspector Lestrade is also aboard the train.  Following suggestions from Holmes, he seals the train car and canvases all the passengers to ferret out the murderer.  While Lestrade bumbles, Holmes deduces who is responsible.

Only an hour long, the story is rushed; it is less than an hour.  It is like a TV episode rather than a movie.  Though Bruce is the classic Watson, he is alarmingly oafish.  He is all comic relief and a clueless foil to Rathbone's hyper serious manner and lightning deductions.  Though entertaining, the plot is ludicrous.  Considering the willingness to kill, why do it on the train with Holmes and Inspector Lestrade aboard?  The villain has so many cohorts that he could have overwhelmed the train if he had so desired.  Though I've read all of Arthur Conan Doyle's Holmes stories, this one didn't ring any bells.  Why not adapt one of them rather than this awkward original that is mostly reminiscent of Murder on the Orient Express.

Because he is my first Holmes, I have always pictured Holmes as Basil Rathbone.  Though Rathbone's Holmes is a bit too perfect and upright compared to the literary Holmes, he's often brusque and arrogant, which fits better.  Though Basil Rathbone is the face and voice of Holmes, Jeremy Brett did a better job of staying faithful to the character.  Much of that is because he had screenwriters who used the source material rather than just the characters.  Robert Downey Jr. is over-the-top craziness, Holmes crossed with Indiana Jones.