The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939) was a bit dire.

Didn’t rate a review I’m afraid.

But this one charts.

The second film.

The first effort had Sidney Lanfield as director.

Exactly.

This one sports Alfred Werker.

Not exactly a giant step up.

So what else changed?

Ida Lupino.

Herself a director of eight films.

Enter Robert Russell Bennett with the pitch class set 0,1,2,3,5.

Or 0,1,2,3,5,6.

Or even 0,1,2,3,4,6,7.

Orchestration.

Of a crime.

Crimes.

A diversion.

And a crime.

Both crimes.

One as a distraction.

Professor Klaus Schwab.

Moriarty.

Nadia Boulanger.

Did Bennett merely orchestrate this soundtrack?

Cyril Mockridge had a long career as a film composer.

With many feathers in his cap.

Indeed, it is the music that makes this film tick.

Like Hitchcock’s The Lady Vanishes (1938).

Hitchcock got there first.

That’s ok.

Nigel Bruce is a bit of a buffoon.

Doesn’t seem like he could even apply a Band-Aid.

But Basil Rathbone is exquisite.

Not so much in Baskervilles, but by this film he was hitting his stride.

Is Israel the crime, or a distraction?

-PD