10 Best Sherlock Holmes Film Adaptations

3. Basil Rathbone

For many, Basil Rathbone and one other actor are the quintessential Sherlock Holmes€™. Rathbone made 14 Sherlock movies between 1939 and 1946, and was the definitive Holmes during World War II. When looking back, many of the films had a distinctively odd feel because of the time period, with Holmes and Watson chasing Nazis around the world and such. Nonetheless, Rathbone created the deerstalker and cape look, and his performance in the 1939 version of Hound of the Baskervilles was a benchmark and foundation for all actors who followed in his footsteps. Rathbone€™s Holmes was humane, gentlemanly, and even charming. Rathbone also played Sherlock over 200 times on the radio.
Contributor
Contributor

Cory Barclay is a freelance writer, a novelist, and the lead guitarist and songwriter for heavy metal band Blood Dancer. He is based out of San Diego, California.