The Sleeping Cardinal (1931)

★★★★★ · Milestone talkie · johnmmc · 2010-08-11

Whether one likes it or not, this film and Arthur Wontner have important places in Holmesian film history. In "Sherlock Holmes: A Centenary Celebration" (Justin Knowles Publishing Group: 1986"), author Allen Eyles wrote, " ... there was Arthur Wontner whose characterization of Holmes was simply masterly. Wontner was in his mid-fities when he first played Holmes in the 1931 release, 'The Sleeping Cardinal.' He had the voice, looks and presence to be totally convincing as Holmes, although it was necessarily an ageing Holmes, one more sedate and less physically active but with exactly the right…

★★★★ · Not Sleep-Inducing · Captain Kronos · 2010-04-20

A few giggles, relatively short and to the point, this isn't an action-packed Holmes but a nice little film regardless. Quite 'armless. Visually quite interesting, exploiting the visual impact of light and dark with the admittedly limited camera technology used. The sound of footsteps on stairs hasn't been this creepy since Frankenstein. An unusually bright Watson, a non-catty Lestrade and a random woman perpetually wearing evening gowns complete the notable secondaries, and I somehow in my sleep-deprived mind suspect that the latter was added to counteract a very touchy-feely Holmes. Well…