Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace

very difficult to watch German Holmes film.

Christopher Lee is excellent in a role he wanted to play throughout his life (returning to it late in a couple mini-series) - this despite the fact that his voice was unnecessarily dubbed by someone else. He plays the great detective as an intense young crime-fighter with wit and chutzpa.

The problems are the script and direction. The story is too convoluted, in a manner familiar to anyone who has suffered through other German mysteries of the same period, such as the Dr. Mabuse films. This was a Germany still dealing with the fact that they had a murderously criminal government only two decades previous - consequently there is considerable suspicion of the police in these films, evil seems omnipresent, the moral center is hard to find. A similar atmosphere, for completely different reasons, crept into British popular culture only in the 1970s, appearing in a British Sherlock Holmes film only in "Murder by Decree."

But the German film also suffers from the evident fact that the director can't decide whether he wants to make a Sherlock Holmes film or a Sherlock Holmes parody - there are all sorts of misfired jokes and bits poking fun at a "Sherlock Holmes superhero" image that doesn't really exist - a problem for other directors who have tried spoofing the detective, including the great Billy Wilder. The fact is, Doyle was careful NOT to make his hero an 'Uebermensch,' just a closet Nietzschean - a common romantic British type of the day.

Finally, all existing prints I know of are in shoddy condition.

Worth a view, especially for Holmes fans, but sub-par for this sub-genre of mystery film.

There are several criminal aspects to this sub-krimi German co-production, first among them being the fact that the filmmakers neglected to get Christopher Lee and Thorley Walters in to loop their own dialogue. It's somewhat jarring to watch an actor with so readily identifiable a voice as Mr Lee speaking, yet the words come out of his mouth spoken by what sounds like a Transatlantic drawl. Or an American dubbing artiste doing a poor Lee imitation.

If one can get past this surreal experience however there is fun to be had. Lee and Walters are ideally cast as Holmes and Watson, at times certain shots looked like Sidney Paget illustrations come to life. Hans Sohnker does a creditable job projecting a sinister air as Moriarty, despite the handicap of dubbing even more atrocious than that of the English-speaking cast. He's no Eric Porter or even George Zucco, but better than some lesser efforts. The direction, however, co-credited to the masterly Terence Fisher of many a Hammer classic fame, is somewhat workmanlike. Perhaps Fisher's heart wasn'tin it, or he was held back by his Teutonic cohort, but it's not in the same league as his and Lee's earlier essaying of "The Hound of the Baskervilles".

The supporting cast are more than adequate, with the lovely Senta Berger in an early role adding some class and beauty to a female cast of East End slatterns played by burly hausfraus. It really is a shame though that Lee's icily incisive portrayal of the great detective, perfect for the role in every way, was only seen in this film and a couple of early '90s productions. Still, there's always the consolation of being the only actor (so far as i know) to have played bot Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes, as well as Sir Henry Baskerville. That's got to count for something.

By the way, i saw this under the title "Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace" (somewhat reminiscent of the Basil Rathbone series, the middling entries of which it is on a par). The alternate title of "The Valley of Fear" is somewhat misleading, as apart from characters such as Holmes, Watson and Professor Moriarty this film has very little in common with the Conan Doyle novel of the same name. However, for a Holmes fan wanting a diverting hour and a half on a rainy afternoon, this more than does the trick.

I had my doubts about this film when I bought it, at the time I had become fan of Sherlock Holmes because of TV- series starring Jeremy Brett. Before that I had seen only few Basil Rathbone movies, which were enjoy ables but not as great as Brett's work. But I had to see Christopher Lee as Sherlock Holmes.

Well, first I was disappointed, because film is placed at 1910's instead of late 1800's. But jazz background music, great atmosphere that these black and white pictures have, and of course Christopher Lee as world's greatest detective saves a lot. Also Thorley Walters gives a good performance as Dr. Watson. The scenes where Holmes and prof. Moriarty are having an intellectual war between each other's and Homes showing how much the police has not seen on this case are must seen scenes for every Sherlock Holmes- fans.

Film is directed by Terence Fisher and I think it is even better then he's Hammer- film "the Hound of the Baskervilles" also starring Lee as a romantic hero. I only wish they would have cast also some British Hammer- actor as Moriarty.

Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace is a fine vehicle for Christopher Lee investigating weird murders in foggy London , packing an exciting deal of outstanding surprises with great lots of fun . After an intriguingly mysterious opening in a typically foggy London , the Great Detective Holmes (Christopher Lee) and Doctor Watson (Thorley Walters) are bogged down in a surprising and intriguing adventure by attempting to solve the case of the robbing of Cleopatra's necklace, found by archaeologists in Egypt . Sherlock finds plot and counter-plot , a real challenge for Holmes 's razor intellect , but his uncanny insights and deep observations are put to a test . Holmes helped by his colleague Doctor Watson discover a twisted plot and soon uncover that the nasty professor Moriarty is behind it all.

Passable Sherlock Holmes but neither excellent , nor notable , but acceptable , including evocative settings , thrills , plot twists , suspense , unanswered mysteries , secret undergrounds and an outstanding villain : Doctor Moriarty . As Holmes and Watson set out to investigate and doing battle with an old nemesis , over an ancient necklace attributed to Cleopatra .The atmospheric doings involve Egyptian tombs , a spectacular heist on a van , among others , in this rather tired and no excessively brilliant Sherlock Holmes mystery . A genuine ripping yarn with suspense , thrilling events and simple intrigue about stealing , murders , auction and red herrings . Pretty stale stuff , though Christopher Lee turns out to be a decent Holmes . It is all a bit elementary and no great challenge for Holmes's brain or even ours for the matter . This is a suspenseful and intriguing film in Arthur Conan wake , but very freely based on his splendid novels , in fact, it seems to be more similar to the usual ¨Krimi¨ mystery , that's why it was produced by the powerful and prolific Artur Brauner , an expert producer of this German sub-genre . Of course , Holmes solves the mystery at the end , including a surprising twist . Displaying functional settings , as well as appropriate and evocative cinematography . Sir Christopher Lee gives a nice acting as the immortal Sherlock Holmes , Lee starred in at least six Sir Arthur Conan Doyle shot renditions or related filmed productions. They are : Hound of Baskerville (1959) in which he played Baskerville himself , The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970) as Sherlock's brother : Mycroft , Sherlock Holmes and the prima donna (1991) as Holmes , Incident in the Victoria Falls (1992) as Sherlock . Lee's interpretation is pretty good but far from Basil Rathbone who played magnificently as an intelligent , obstinate , broody , pipesmoking sleuth , considered to be the best and most authentic Sherlock Holmes , as his acting is similar to subsequent actors as Peter Cushing and Jeremy Brett for TV or Nicol Williamson (Seven-per-cent-solution) or Christopher Plummer (Murder by decree) . Here Holmes/Christopher Lee is accompanied by notorious secondaries , though no too much known , such as : Hans Söhnker as Prof. Moriarty , Hans Nielsen , Senta Berger , Ivan Desny , Wolfgang Lukschy and Leon Askin .

It displays an atmospheric and adequate cinematography in black and white, shot on location in Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland ,London, England, UK and Spandau, Berlin, Germany . Sherlock Holmes und das Halsband des Todes(1962) was professionally directed by Terence Fisher , and inferior than precendent Hound of Baskerville (1959). Fisher was an expert on terror genre for Hammer production , his best films were the following ones : "So Long at the Fair", Portrait from Life (1948), "Dracula", ¨The Revenge of Frankenstein¨ (1958), ¨The mommy¨ (1959), The Stranglers of Bombay (1959), "Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll", ¨The brides of Drácula¨ (1960), "Curse of the Werewolf", ¨The phantom of opera¨(1962), "The Gorgon", "The Earth Dies Sceaming", "Dracula ,Prince of Darkness" and "Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed".

To my knowledge there are currently two versions of this available. One of them has been dubbed by Americans and the other is for German speakers only. Should neither of these options appeal please be assured that you are not missing much.

Christopher Lee has the unique distinction of being the only actor to have played both Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes. He had the great misfortune to be totally miscast as Mycroft in Billy Wilder's equally unfortunate 'Private Life of Sherlock Holmes' and is served no better as Sherlock in this Euro mishmash directed by Terence Fisher with additional scenes by someone named Frank Winterstein.

This is essentially a 'Krimi' in all but name and it is really only the cast that makes it bearable. Lee at least has a lighter touch that he usually exhibits and scene-stealer Thorley Waters as Dr. Watson has his customary twinkle. Ever dependable Hans Neilsen plays the man from the Yard and the much-respected, much-honoured Hans Soenker is an urbane Moriarty. Both Ivan Desny and Senta Berger have utterly thankless roles. Berger of course is utterly ravishing and it would not be long before Hollywood came to call.

Cinematography is by veteran Richard Angst. The direction is pedestrian whilst the score by Martin Slavin is atrocious.

Should you be a 'Holmesian' you will find this opus less than satisfactory. Should you not be then this is hardly likely to prompt you to become one!