Sherlock Holmes Faces Death | 1943 | Basil Rathbone | Nigel Bruce

Sherlock Holmes Faces Death (1943) is the sixth film in the Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce Sherlock Holmes series, directed by Roy William Neill and loosely based on Arthur Conan Doyle’s short story The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual. It blends wartime atmosphere with a classic mystery, set in a manor turned convalescent home where Holmes and Watson investigate a string of murders. Release Date: September 17, 1943 Director: Roy William Neill Writer: Bertram Millhauser Based On: The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Stars: Basil Rathbone (Sherlock Holmes), Nigel Bruce (Dr. Watson), Dennis Hoey (Inspector Lestrade), Hillary Brooke (Sally Musgrave) Runtime: 68 minutes Dr. Watson is serving as resident physician at Musgrave Manor in Northumberland, which doubles as a hospital for shell-shocked servicemen. Sally Musgrave falls for Captain Pat Vickery, an American pilot recovering at the estate, causing tension with her brothers Geoffrey and Phillip. After a physician is attacked, Watson calls Holmes to investigate. Soon, Geoffrey is found murdered, and suspicion falls on Captain Vickery. Phillip becomes head of the estate but is murdered the next day. Inspector Lestrade suspects the butler, Alfred Brunton. Holmes and Watson uncover the truth by deciphering the Musgrave Ritual, a family tradition tied to the manor’s secrets. Unlike the three prior films in the series, which were WWII spy thrillers, this film returns to a pure mystery format, though wartime references remain in the background. The setting—a gothic manor with secret passageways, thunder, and eerie atmosphere—adds suspense and visual flair. Critics note the film’s camera work and atmosphere as standout elements, though the mystery itself is considered easier to solve compared to other Holmes entries.