Rating: NR
Genre:
Mystery
Release Date: 10/22/2002
Run Time: 60 Minutes
Flags: Suitable for Children
Distributor/Studio: Alpha Video
The penultimate entry in
Universal's
Sherlock Holmes series,
Terror by Night takes place almost exclusively on a speeding train, en route from London to Edinburgh.
Holmes (
Basil Rathbone) is on board to protect a valuable diamond from the clutches of master criminal
Colonel Sebastian Moran. The trouble is,
Moran is a master of disguise, and could be just about any one of the other passengers. Murder and mayhem plague the train excursion before
Holmes can successfully complete his mention. Poor old
Dr. Watson (
Nigel Bruce) is a bit denser than usual here, though his ingenuousness is cleverly woven into the script.
Alan Mowbray, who played
Inspector Lestrade in the 1932
Clive Brook adaptation of
Sherlock Holmes, is seen in a pivotal supporting role. One of three
Holmes entries currently in the public domain,
Terror by Night is also available in a computer-colorized version (but stick with the original black-and-white).
~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide