Just perfect...

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

As Good As It Gets

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce return in another story based on the Arthur Conan Doyle detective and sidekick. In this outing they are investigating "The Musgrave Ritual" and it's a refreshing change to see them solving a mystery without Nazi's and monsters to beat off too. While seasoned Holmes fans may spot the killer from the start, there are a few twists and turns which will cause doubt, prolonging the final reveal for a bit more fun. The photography and visuals in this film is above some of the other films I have seen with Rathbone and Bruce in, the lighting and contrasting shots really created a nice atmosphere. I enjoy watching a good Rathbone/Holmes film on a lazy Sunday and this entry into the series (6 of 14) certainly didn't disappoint. Well worth a watch! 7out of 10 :)

The Musgrave ritual is one of those stories that in whatever format, be it book or television, that I'm not a great lover of, dare I say I find it a little uninteresting, and while the film is largely based on that text, it manages to be fairly intriguing.It's a more traditional outing for Holmes, he's very much here in the guise of Detective, not a Spy, he's been called in to solve a mystery, not clear up Nazi spies or such like.The amendments to the plot are interesting, making it a fairly interesting story-line, I must say that it is beautifully shot, it is so fluid and beautifully made. The production values are incredibly high, you almost wish some of the others in the series had such attention to detail.Less banter between Lestrade and Watson, this movie took on a more serious tone I guess. It's a little slow in the middle, but the ending is great, boasting some real tension. All in all it's a very good watch, 7/10

Finally, After Three WWII Tainted Holmes Films Universal Advisedly went the Direction Fans were Hoping, with the Moody, Atmospheric, Dank Dungeons, Ghostly Mansions, and Eccentric Characters that the Doyle Enthusiasts were Waiting for, this Movie Delivered Holmes to the Creepy Environs where He seemed so at Ease.This is a Neat Little Murder Mystery with Many a Set Piece that Impress, like the Chess Board, the Cellar, the Funeral, and the Musgrave Mansion Itself, Populated with Weary War Vets and a Family Cursed by Generations of Evilness.It is One of the Better in the Series and Paved the Way for a Few More Very Good Films to Follow. Rathbone and Bruce Never Waiver in Their Character Portrayals and here are Sharply Dialoged and have Much to do. There are some Very Clever Monologues and Exchanges in and around the Mansion and the Pub.Holmes is as Cruel as Usual to His Faithful Companion...Watson: "Simple Holmes a Child could figure it out." Holmes: "Not your Child Watson."

More of a whodunit than a matching of wits. The suspense really starts when Holmes begins to unravel the puzzling Musgrave ritual. To that point, the screenplay has meandered more than usual; at the same time, the movie keeps up interest with the customary sinister atmosphere. The human chessboard is a cleverly memorable centerpiece that effectively focuses the action. Note also the imaginative touch in the opening scene with the raven. The scene could have opened in more pedestrian fashion with a mood-setting conversation among pub patrons. However, adding the offbeat and sinister raven is just the kind of touch that lifts this series above other detective shows of the day.I expected Hillary Brooke would do one of her coldly composed matron roles she was so good at. Instead, plays an uncharacteristic ingénue role (Sally) and not nearly as well. Note Milburn Stone of Gunsmoke fame in an uncredited walk-on as the young American officer. I don't know why someone thought the flashbacks of the actual crimes was necessary, but for me, they were a contrived distraction—surely the master detective's reconstruction of the crimes should have been enough. The movie does have its moments, as fans would expect, but on the whole the first 20 minutes is weaker than usual suggesting some uncharacteristic padding.