Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis: Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson join a murder investigation when one of Watson's friends is murdered soon after purchasing one of three identical music boxes from an auction. Holmes correctly assumes the people who purchased the other two boxes are also in danger and works to find out who is seeking the boxes and why before there are more murders. The film also goes by the title Dressed to Kill . Who's in it? The movie stars Basil Rathbone , Nigel Bruce, Patricia Morison, Frederick Worlock and Carl Harbord. Review: It had been a long while since I last watched a Rathbone/Bruce Sherlock Holmes movie and when I came across Prelude to Murder on Amazon Prime, I decided to give it a try. While not one of my favorite Sherlock Holmes mysteries, it was still an OK choice. I've said this before, but Rathbone remains my favorite Sherlock Holmes, despite all the others who have played the character. He plays the role with just the right amount of seriousness and arrogance...

Synopsis: Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are asked to investigate the death of Sir Charles Baskerville, who was found dead in the moor surrounding his estate, in a manor that suggested a connection to an old family legend involving a Hell hound sent to curse the family. Holmes is skeptical but sends Watson to accompany Henry Baskerville, the last heir, back to the estate. It doesn't take long to realize Henry Baskerville's life is also in danger. Who's in it? The movie stars Peter Cushing , Christopher Lee ,  André Morell , Marla Landi and Francis De Wolff. Review: I selected The Hound of the Baskervilles this morning because it was one of the movies on ScreenPix's list of movies to watch before you die. I have seen more than one version of this film, which is based on one of my favorite Sherlock Holmes books. I think, after watching it, I can claim it is my favorite. The mystery itself is an intriguing one. While the Hell hound theory seems farfetched from the start...

Synopsis: Believing a string of suicides are actually murders, Sherlock Holmes fakes his own death in an effort to draw the murderer out in the open. He eventually finds himself matching wits with a cunning female villain who is using poisonous spiders to collect on the life insurance policies of her victims. Who's in it?   The movie stars Basil Rathbone , Nigel Bruce , Gale Sondergaard , Dennis Hoey and Alec Craig . You can read my review here:  Movie Review: The Spider Woman (1943) (wizzley.com)

Synopsis : Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are invited to take a holiday at Sir Henry Baskerville's estate so they can meet Baskerville's soon-to-be-married daughter and watch his horse, Silver Blaze, race. However, the vacation is ruined when two of Baskerville's employees are found murdered and Silver Blaze is stolen. Who's in it? The movie stars Arthur Wontner , Ian Fleming , Lyn Harding , John Turnbull and Judy Gunn. Review: My allergies were bothering me last night and, unable to sleep as a result, I ended up back on the couch in search of a movie to watch while my allergy pill kicked in. Even though I rarely watch Sherlock Holmes movies that don't star Basil Rathbone , I thought this one sounded interesting and gave it a try. Unfortunately, it wasn't as good as I was hoping. I think the best way to describe this movie is it is a 30-minute-long story that is stretched out to fill an hour-long screen time. The mystery itself is a bit too simple, even if i...

Synopsis: Sherlock Holmes, a brilliant student with exceptional deductive reasoning is expelled from London's Brompton Academy after falsely being accused of cheating on an exam. Before he can go home in shame, his mentor, Rupert Waxflatter, dies under mysterious circumstances and, believing Waxflatter and others were murdered, Holmes stays behind in an effort to find the killer with help from his new friend, John Watson and Waxflatter's niece, Elizabeth Hardy. Who's in it? The movie stars Nicholas Rowe , Alan Cox , Sophie Ward , Anthony Higgins and Nigel Stock. Review: I came across this film on one of my movie channels a couple weeks ago and, since it had been a long time since I watched it, decided to add it to my library. As I began watching this film, which used to be one of my favorites when I was younger, I realized I didn't remember a single thing about it. On one hand, this was kind of a good thing because it meant it was like I was watching the movie for th...

Synopsis: Living alone with her widowed mother, 16-year-old Enola Holmes barely knows her famous brother, Sherlock, but could easily match his intelligence. When Enola wakes one morning to find her mother missing, she is determined to figure out what happened. However, her oldest brother, Mycroft, unhappy with the way she has been raised, wants to send her to a finishing school instead. She runs away to London dressed as a boy and, along the way, she meets a young viscount and ultimately has to help prevent his murder. Who's in it? The movie stars Millie Bobby Brown , Henry Cavill , Sam Claflin , Louis Patridge and Helen Bonham Carter . Review: When I first saw previews for this movie on Netflix, I was both intrigued and a bit cautious. I have enjoyed Sherlock Holmes' books and some movies but not all films are the same, especially those that don't necessarily plan to stick to the original canon. In other words, this movie looked interesting in the previews but also had...

Synopsis: Long after his death, Dr. Watson's secret memoirs are revealed, discussing mysteries he chose to keep a secret while he and Sherlock Holmes were still alive. The biggest of these mysteries is Holmes' sexuality. Who's in it? The movie stars Robert Stephens , Colin Blakely , Genevieve Paige , Christopher Lee and Tamara Toumanova . Review: I came across this movie a couple weeks ago and, not having seen it yet, decided to add it to my library. I finally had an opportunity to watch it and, unfortunately, didn't enjoy the film nearly as much as I thought I would. I'll start out by saying I thought Stephens and Blakely made a good Holmes/Watson combo. This is especially true of Stephens, who played Holmes with the same seriousness I would expect him to have, despite the fact this was a comedy film. In fact, I'll even go as far as to say all the characters in this film were well-portrayed. I think the biggest problem with this movie is the main central the...