Amostpleasinglyatmosphericrenditionofthetale,noirishlyphotographedandmoodilyset,thisistheversionwhichprobablywouldhavedelightedConanDoylethemost.ThereisoneimportantplotchangewhichenablesthebeautifulAliceBrandttoenjoybothalargerroleandamoreintriguingpartintheproceedings.ThischangealsobuildsupthepartsofDrMortimerandLordCharles,yetatthesametimeprovidesaniceintroductiontotheis-he-sinisteroris-he-a-good-guyBarrymore,deftlyplayedherebyFritzRasp.
Despitethestingofitswell-developedstory,thespellbindinglyatmosphericdirectionandtheengrossingperformancesdeliveredbytheentirecast,manyfansmayfindthisversionsomewhatdisappointing.Foratleastthreereasons:Asinthenovel,thepartplayedinthenarrativebySherlockHolmes,thoughvital,isminimal.Andinthisversion,notonlyhasnoattemptbeenmadetoenlargehisrole,ifanythingbothwriteranddirectordotheirbesttominimizeit.Holmesdoesnotevenmakehisentranceforhalf-an-hour,andwhenhedoesfinallyappear,hehashisbacktothecamera.ItisFritzOdemar,asDrWatson,whoreceivesthemorefavorablecameraangles.Andthereisapurposeinthis.ItisWatson,notHolmes,whofiguresasthemainprotagonistofTheHoundoftheBaskervilles.Forthebulkofthenarrative,Holmesdisappears.ItisWatsonandLordHenry(PeterVoss)whotakeuptherunning.Themovieisalmostover,beforeHolmesclosesinonthevillain.Andevenso,thisisnottheobsessed,self-importantHolmesweareaccustomedtoseetakingcharge.Anotherproblemisthatthetitlehounditselfdoesnotfigureagreatdealintheaction,adowngradingwhichwillundoubtedlyrateasanothermajordisappointmentforfans.Andfinally,itcouldbearguedthatthescriptgivestoomuchattentiontoConanDoyle'sredherring,theescapedconvict,andnotenoughtotherealvillain.
Thissaid,itmustsurelybeadmittedbyall,thatOdemar'sinterpretationofWatson—intelligent,charming,level-headed,courageousandresourceful—ismuchclosertoConanDoyle'sconceptionthaneitherthebungling,inveteratelystupidNigelBruceortheself-effacingIanFleming.
Oneotherplayerdeservesspecialmention:ErichPonto(DrWinkelinTheThirdMan)whoseemsexactlyrightforStapleton.Adifficultpart,superblyplayed.
-JohnHowardReid,imdb
吉拉育·拉翁马尼,Pleng Chontida Asavahame
帕克·克罗夫特,埃米利娅·阿瑞斯·佐瑞安,巴拉克·哈德利,Millie Zinner,杰克·奥尔森,布巴甘特,杰西·加西亚,萨沙·拉斯穆森,乔恩·迈克尔·希尔,尼古拉·瓦尔伯特
林青霞,秦汉,张曼玉,吴耀汉,顾美华,严浩
加里·格兰特,莱斯利·卡伦,特瑞沃·霍华德
Terrence Howard,Gabrielle Union,Queen Latifah,Morris Chestnut,Charles Q. Murphy,Katt Williams,Faizon Love,Jill Marie Jones,Rachel True
李德龙,潘冠男,郑航,端木新卉,韩朔,王昊
